>Dear Visionaries:
>
>Bill London has asked that I forward the following information concerning=
his
>recent medical problems for purposes of rumor control.
>
>Over the past few months, Bill has had a worsening of the symptoms of his
>muscular dystrophy. Most recently he has experienced breathing efficiency
>problems that resulted in sleep apnea and a persistent drowsiness during=
the
>day. He was under a local internal medicine specialist's care and on the
>evening of Friday, March 13, he entered Gritman Medical Center for a sleep
>study as part of the ongoing diagnostic tests. =20
>
>Sometime during the night, I'm not sure when, he stopped breathing and lost
>the ability to do so for himself. The condition was immediately recognized
>and he was placed on a positive pressure-breathing machine but did not have=
to
>have a tube placed in his trachea. He was transferred to the hospital's
>critical care unit where he spontaneously regained the ability to breathe=
for
>himself about 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Bill said he recalls, "=85coming=
out
>of the blackness and hearing these people talking around me saying, '=85we=
can't
>wake him up.'" By 8 a.m., Bill was awake, alert, conscious, and behaving=
to
>his current normal level of function without the machine. The episode
>seemingly has not affected him in anyway other than to indicate his level=
of
>progressing illness.
>
>Bill is not in a coma now and miraculously did not suffer any damage to any=
of
>his bodily systems that anyone can tell. He was transported to Sacred=
Heart
>Medical Center by helicopter about noon on Saturday. The reason for this=
was
>Bill's body had compensated for his poor breathing capability for so long,=
his
>blood chemistry had changed placing him in a sort of metabolic jeopardy=
where
>all sorts of bad things can happen to all sorts of vital organs if it was
>allowed to continue. In addition, his local physician wanted Bill to get=
the
>best medical care and diagnosis as an inpatient.
>
>Bill remains at SHMC in room 718. His wife Gina, is doing well and has=
been
>with him since early Saturday morning. SHMC is allowing her to sleep in=
the
>room with Bill. Saturday night, Bill voluntarily was placed back on the
>breathing machine and slept soundly all night for the first time in months
>(except for the inevitable hospital interruptions). Sunday he spent about=
5
>hours voluntarily using the machine and is doing very well. He called me=
at
>9:30 p.m. Sunday evening and in all honesty he sounded better, more=
relaxed,
>and more like the old Bill London than I'd seen or heard in months. His=
blood
>chemistry is improving steadily and he is learning how to deal with the
>machine that he will likely bring home. Further diagnostic tests begin=
today
>and no scheduled date of release has been talked about. He can have=
visitors
>and is free to get up and move about.
>
>Now to answer the housekeeping questions. Bill and Gina's personal affairs
>are in order. They are insured through Bill's work at WSU. All necessary
>immediate family have been notified. Everyone has offered their help and
>support. If appropriate, I'll provide updates here but I don't want to
>express anything my friend doesn't want nor do we want to burden the
>listserver.
>
>Please feel free to contact me or Jim Prall (882-8337) if you have further
>questions or concerns.
>
>Charlie Powell
>email works great charle5170@aol.com or
>335-7073 mornings or 882-1134 afternoons or evenings
>
>
Lori Keenan, Director
Latah County Library District
110 S. Jefferson Street
Moscow, ID 83843
tel: (208)882-3923
fax: (208) 882-5098
e-mail: lkeenan@norby.latah.lib.id.us