Hello everyone,
I just wanted to update the list on how things are going with James Swayze. His health has taken a definite turn for the worse, but he is fighting hard as usual.
I believe this Cryonet post needs to be shared here so we can all understand what James has been going through.
Funds still desperately need to be raised for his cryonics policy. I would ask everyone to reconsider what they might be able to donate. I have been told privately there is still a ways to go. James has a good heart and a sharp mind which deserves this great opportunity.
Donations to the James Swayze Fund can be made by check or money order sent to the Cryonics Institute, 24355 Sorrentino Court, Clinton Township MI 48035; or by credit card through Paypal at www.paypal.com, using CIHQ@aol.com as the email address of CI.)
best wishes,
John
Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2001 23:53:02 -0400
From: James Swayze <swayzej@home.com>
Subject: Thanks Gary, my current health
References: <20010906090001.77003.qmail@rho.pair.com>
Friends,
Sorry this is late. I was away getting lab work for determining if I have a UTI and
what antibiotic will kill it. Then that night I spiked a fever and could not sleep
so I missed the opportunity to say thanks to Gary on Cryonet for upping his pledge.
I did have opportunity to thank him over the phone.
>
> Message #17459
> From: Ettinger@aol.com
> Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 10:08:16 EDT
> Subject: Tripp, Swayze, research
>
> Gary Tripp (#17454) writes in part:
>
> > As one of the original pledgers [for James Swayze] I stand by my original
> pledge >and increase it by $1000. I would like to be updated as to any
> changes in James's >health in real time.
Gary is being modest he actually is *the* original or first pledge after John Grigg
asked could anything be done for me. Then followed many others I haven't the energy
just now to look up for every one but Mike Perry and Robert Ettinger were hot on
the heels of Gary. Thanks again all.
>
>
> Many thanks. As to James' health, unfortunately it has taken a turn for the
> worse, and I believe Mr. Tripp has been given the details, which should
> probably not be made public, to preserve James' privacy and dignity,
I've always been open about what I go through but did hesitate to just offer it up.
But since it's been mentioned I am having problems that actually are life
threatening. This will help to explain the situation and save me some typing. I
wrote this to a friend the other day.
My health
Well actually I'm having a problem right now that will likely land me in the
hospital this week or next. I am waiting for my doctors offices to open at
this very moment to make calls regarding this issue. For twenty years I had
an internal catheter and it caused me constant frequent urinary tract
infections because it is simply a 6 lane highway for germs to travel
straight from the surrounding environment right into my insides. Not even
practicing the most sterile of techniques does any good. Experiments in
controlled conditions have yielded infection after 72 hours even when
doctors took every precaution. I needed desperately to be able to void
without a tube inside me. However, my muscle could not relax due to the
spinal damage and even weakening it with four surgeries where it was sliced
through did no good.
One day I saw a stent being placed in a man's coronary artery that had
collapsed. The stent was a mesh tube that could expand against the artery
walls and hold its expanded shape. Instantly I knew if I could get one put
into my bladder it would hold the muscle open and allow me to void using an
external or otherwise called condom catheter. I bugged my doctor about it
but he wasn't interested in experimenting. Sometime later I got deathly ill
and needed my right kidney removed to save my life. While in the hospital
still I got to talking with my diabetes doctor about my idea and he liked
it. Later by chance he became my primary doctor and when I started having
trouble again he went to another doctor with my idea and that doctor
happened to know where a third doctor, a Dr. Mayo from England but doing
research right here in my state, was actually researching my idea
independent of any knowledge of me. Or maybe my idea had gotten around but
it doesn't matter. I was able to get it done. That was two years ago and the
trouble I'm having now might be from scar tissue that tries to grow through
the mesh and close off the opening. That is called restinosis and I happen
to have another idea for fixing it which I again borrowed from heart
patients. Anyway I need to have it looked at as it is getting seriously
dangerous.
Gary Tripp wrote:
> James, I think that it would be wise to practise life-extension as well. I
> recommend taking:
>
> Q10 CoEnzyme, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Metformin in addition to a balanced
> consumption of vitamins mixed tocopherals E, C, selenium, folic acid, B6 and
> B12.
> + keep your total caloric intake in check but not restricted.
>
Gary, I'm taking some of these but need to see what of the rest are in my multi's.
> Message #17463
> Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 21:43:19 -0400
> Subject: James Swayze, and A Question From Gary Tripp
> From: davidpascal@juno.com
>
> I wish could be as upbeat about James' health, but as far as that goes,
> he's been having some problems recently. It does not seem to be
> life-threatening, but given his already precarious condition, of course
> we're concerned. Apart for being quadriplegic, James also is partially
> blind, has only one kidney,I believe,
This is true and why getting UTI's is so dangerous.
> and suffers from diabetes. It
> does look as though he's going to pull through this time.
The Jury is still out. I haven't received the lab results so no antibiotics at this
point yet. However, there is more danger in just dealing with the side effects. I
have wrote about this before, I believe, and a search through the archives for
"dysreflexia" should find it. Right now, until the possible restinosis is worked on
(They can't see me till Oct), I am back to the indwelling that causes so many
infections. With those there is a lot of mucous and bacteria trash that needs to
flow through the catheter unobstructed. If my bladder stretches only slightly due
to a blockage my blood pressure skyrockets immediately to around 240/110 or so and
has gotten to 300/150 just once. For you psych buffs this is Flight or Fight
syndrome gone whacky and so my adrenaline level is dangerously high and I won't
even go where that leads. You cannot imagine the headache the high pressure causes
and panic from the certainty that in the next few minutes if flow does not begin
again a stroke is most likely to result. I've had numerous temporary blockages,
alleviated by slamming my bladder with my fist to dislodge the offending matter,
and the day is not done. This is dangerous for possibly pressuring the bladder to
back flow to the kidney and bring the infection there but it's a lesser of evils
where time is of essence. I hope the doctor gets quickly onto an antibiotic early
tomorrow.
My apologies for the graphic nature and off topic subject of my post. I didn't want
questions lingering. One last note, I have every confidence in CI's methods and no
reason to entertain otherwise.
James
-- >From the point of ignition To the final drive The point of the journey is not to arrive --RUSHGet 250 color business cards for FREE! http://businesscards.lycos.com/vp/fastpath/
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