Hi, everyone --
Sorry! I got the date wrong! Greg’s move is Thursday, July 2 (not Tuesday, June 30, as I reported last time).
Jeff will arrive with the van around 11:00 a.m. We’d be grateful if volunteer helpers would let us know in advance by sending me an e-mail message: patrickqueen@earthlink.net
Thanks!
--Patrick
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Hi, everyone!
Not so much an update as a call for help:
Greg still hasn’t found a home outside the hospital to await his new heart. He and his mother are chasing a few leads (thanks to those of you who so graciously passed along suggestions and possibilities), but they have yet to find something affordable (or free!) near Westchester Medical Center.
(I keep thinking there must be someone with a big, empty house who would be only too delighted to have Greg as a guest for a few months. Problem is, how do we find them? And once they get to know him, how do we get them to let him go?)
In the meantime, other pressing concerns:
We have to get Greg’s belongings moved out of his East 64th Street apartment. His brother, Jeff is coming from Michigan with a van at the end of the month, and the move is currently slated for Tuesday, June 30.
CAN YOU HELP US MOVE GREG’S STUFF OUT OF HIS APARTMENT ON JUNE 30TH?
With enough of us together, the task won’t be too hard: it’s mostly clothing and small boxes. With a chain gang of friends passing things down the steps, it shouldn’t take long at all.
If you can possibly be there that day, please let me know. You can send e-mail to me at the address above -- or call me at 646-464-5658.
Thanks, everyone. Call me if you have questions!
--Patrick
Not so much an update as a call for help:
Greg still hasn’t found a home outside the hospital to await his new heart. He and his mother are chasing a few leads (thanks to those of you who so graciously passed along suggestions and possibilities), but they have yet to find something affordable (or free!) near Westchester Medical Center.
(I keep thinking there must be someone with a big, empty house who would be only too delighted to have Greg as a guest for a few months. Problem is, how do we find them? And once they get to know him, how do we get them to let him go?)
In the meantime, other pressing concerns:
We have to get Greg’s belongings moved out of his East 64th Street apartment. His brother, Jeff is coming from Michigan with a van at the end of the month, and the move is currently slated for Tuesday, June 30.
CAN YOU HELP US MOVE GREG’S STUFF OUT OF HIS APARTMENT ON JUNE 30TH?
With enough of us together, the task won’t be too hard: it’s mostly clothing and small boxes. With a chain gang of friends passing things down the steps, it shouldn’t take long at all.
If you can possibly be there that day, please let me know. You can send e-mail to me at the address above -- or call me at 646-464-5658.
Thanks, everyone. Call me if you have questions!
--Patrick
Friday, June 19, 2009
Here’s the latest update from Greg’s sister, Lori:
Greg has been moved up on the transplant list to #2 for the region and #1 in his hospital. He has been buoyed by his increased mobility, his visitors, and the well-wishes he's been receiving.
He loves all the books people have been bringing, but the doctors have asked that friends hold off from delivering any more for the time being since there is very limited storage in his room.
You probably never would have imagined Greg sporting an LL Bean fishing vest, but he is the picture of outdoor manliness. Rather than Hot ' Tots and Dipsy Divers, his pockets hold his spare batteries for the LVAD which are about the size of video tapes.
He is known at the cab stand in Hawthorne as "Da Transplant Guy." One cabdriver said, "Dat guy's got a lotta friends!"
We looked into having him come to Michigan to await his heart and fly back on an "Angel Flight" arranged through WMU School of Aviation, but his doctor feels it is too far. So....my mom continues to look for suitable housing in the area and is having no luck. If anyone has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.
Greg has been moved up on the transplant list to #2 for the region and #1 in his hospital. He has been buoyed by his increased mobility, his visitors, and the well-wishes he's been receiving.
He loves all the books people have been bringing, but the doctors have asked that friends hold off from delivering any more for the time being since there is very limited storage in his room.
You probably never would have imagined Greg sporting an LL Bean fishing vest, but he is the picture of outdoor manliness. Rather than Hot ' Tots and Dipsy Divers, his pockets hold his spare batteries for the LVAD which are about the size of video tapes.
He is known at the cab stand in Hawthorne as "Da Transplant Guy." One cabdriver said, "Dat guy's got a lotta friends!"
We looked into having him come to Michigan to await his heart and fly back on an "Angel Flight" arranged through WMU School of Aviation, but his doctor feels it is too far. So....my mom continues to look for suitable housing in the area and is having no luck. If anyone has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.
Monday, June 15, 2009
From Patrick Queen
Greg’s sister, Lori, has been visiting from Kalamazoo. Here is her latest update on Greg:
On Saturday, Greg finally got to go outside for the first time in more than a month, and it gave him a whole new lease on life. He’s walking around, trying to get used to the batteries that power his LVAD, and informing the nurses that there are to be no procedures when “Judge Judy” is on.
While I was pushing him around in the wheelchair, he would quote “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” and shriek “Stop hurting me!” in an elevator full of people.
Dear friend Peter Mintun commandeered the Westchester Medical Center lobby piano to perform a rousing medley of tunes like “Zing Went the Strings of My Battery-Operated Heart.”
Never has Greg looked more butch than in his Eddie Bauer fishing vest filled with batteries, hot ’n’ tots, dipsy-divers, and night crawlers. His surgeons are confident that once he is comfortable with his new apparatus he can leave the hospital to await his new heart.
Affectionately,
Lori
On Saturday, Greg finally got to go outside for the first time in more than a month, and it gave him a whole new lease on life. He’s walking around, trying to get used to the batteries that power his LVAD, and informing the nurses that there are to be no procedures when “Judge Judy” is on.
While I was pushing him around in the wheelchair, he would quote “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” and shriek “Stop hurting me!” in an elevator full of people.
Dear friend Peter Mintun commandeered the Westchester Medical Center lobby piano to perform a rousing medley of tunes like “Zing Went the Strings of My Battery-Operated Heart.”
Never has Greg looked more butch than in his Eddie Bauer fishing vest filled with batteries, hot ’n’ tots, dipsy-divers, and night crawlers. His surgeons are confident that once he is comfortable with his new apparatus he can leave the hospital to await his new heart.
Affectionately,
Lori
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tuesday Night Update
Hi, folks:
The latest missive from Lori:
"Today Greg got a combination pacemaker/defibrillator; the very same model that Dick Cheney has! Greg's response was, 'My heart is flawed enough.'
My mom said he beamed over his cards today. Keep 'em coming!"
The latest missive from Lori:
"Today Greg got a combination pacemaker/defibrillator; the very same model that Dick Cheney has! Greg's response was, 'My heart is flawed enough.'
My mom said he beamed over his cards today. Keep 'em coming!"
from 5/31
Another update from Lori:
“Today Greg devoured a plate of ziti and was able to drink out of a glass for the first time in over 2 weeks. He had 2 more tubes removed and was tormenting his nurse and asking her if she was really Helen Hunt. He slept really well last night.
“They are hoping to move him out of ICU in the next couple of days! My mom is staying till the 10th. I'll arrive the 12th. Once he is out of ICU he can have visitors.”
“Today Greg devoured a plate of ziti and was able to drink out of a glass for the first time in over 2 weeks. He had 2 more tubes removed and was tormenting his nurse and asking her if she was really Helen Hunt. He slept really well last night.
“They are hoping to move him out of ICU in the next couple of days! My mom is staying till the 10th. I'll arrive the 12th. Once he is out of ICU he can have visitors.”
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday Evening Update
Hi, everyone:
Just heard from Lori:
“They took the chest tube out today. So respirator gone and chest tube gone. He sat up for five hours today. He has moments of lucidity, and my mom said a flood of cards would be GREAT right now because he’s with it enough to appreciate them.
“They hope to have him out of ICU next week, which would mean visitors. My mom will give the green light when that happens, but in the meantime, CARDS PLEASE!”
Here’s the address again:
Mr. Gregory Moore
The Heart Center: CT03A
Westchester Medical Center
100 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Just heard from Lori:
“They took the chest tube out today. So respirator gone and chest tube gone. He sat up for five hours today. He has moments of lucidity, and my mom said a flood of cards would be GREAT right now because he’s with it enough to appreciate them.
“They hope to have him out of ICU next week, which would mean visitors. My mom will give the green light when that happens, but in the meantime, CARDS PLEASE!”
Here’s the address again:
Mr. Gregory Moore
The Heart Center: CT03A
Westchester Medical Center
100 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
