Hello Jeff !!!

VERY Nice to see you're (partially) back.

==============
Denis St-Amand
(remove removeit from email address)
"Vance, Jeff H (Cupertino)" <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message
news:I5ydnQxSnrwZzwjcRVn-3w@fidnet.com...
> Hi all,
>
> Just a quick update to let you know that I am now able to work
> part-time.  I'll be mostly working from home, but I can also drive now
> (automatic only), so I'll be able to drive in when necessary. I still
> have several doctor appointments each week but that should decrease
> soon.
>
> I am excited to be working with Sriharimohan on the "CI Functions" SIB
> item!  I expect that he and I will put together a list of info which we
> believe can be return via devinfo(), spoolinfo() and volinfo() for your
> review and feedback.  Then it's simply a matter of coding and testing.
> Hopefully, a few of you will be willing to alpha/beta test the patch for
> us.
>
> Which brings up the issue of what MPE releases will receive SIB patches.
> Before my accident*, Ross and I had been discussing this topic and I
> believe it was brought up at HP World.  As we get closer to
> end-of-support I think we need to carefully evaluate a patch
> back-porting strategy.
>
> For now, I'll be focusing on the new *info() CI functions and I will
> gladly accept comments on patching strategies.
>
> regards,
>  Jeff Vance, vCSY
>
>
>
> * Aug. 10 around 2:30pm I was riding my mtn bike at Whistler Mtn in BC,
> Canada (which, btw, is an awesome and inspirational place!) when I
> crashed and injured my spinal cord. I fell such that my entire body
> below my neck landed on a wooden bridge, however my neck and head were
> not supported by the bridge and continued downward.  This resulted in
> severe whiplash and a concussion. I was wearing a heavier, full-face
> helmet at the time, which didn't help.
>
> My riding buddy found me motionless on the bridge with my head hanging
> below.  I couldn't move so he called 911 and within 10-15 minutes the
> mountain rescue team arrived. I was placed on a backboard, carried to a
> 4WD truck/ambulance and driven down to the local hospital, which has a
> steady stream of mtn biking patients...
>
> I failed their sensory tests (what hand am I touching, is this sharp or
> dull, is this hot or cold, etc) and thus was helicoptored to Vancouver,
> BC and taken into Emergency as C-5 complete.  Fortunately, I didn't know
> what "C-5 complete" meant (I don't even think I was aware of what was
> being said). I laid around in ER for many hours due to higher priority
> patients, until I was so uncomfortable that I moved my foot and arm a
> few inches. The neurosurgeon saw this and was ecstatic that I wasn't
> quadriplegic.  About 4am the next day, after CT scans and an MRI, I was
> admitted from ER to the Spinal Intensive Care Unit on the 14th floor of
> Vancouver General.
>
> The view from the 14th floor is nothing short of spectacular!  If you've
> never been there, Vancouver is situated in the most scenic setting I can
> imagine for a city. Surrounded by ocean waters, steep mountain sides,
> thick forests, and wide rivers, Vancouver is idyllic -- I just wish I
> was ambulatory during my visit!
>
> I was in full denial and really had no clue what was wrong with me. I
> remember thinking that (it was Wed) I probably wouldn't be able to ride
> Thurs but by Fri I'd do an easier ride. Fri came and went and I was not
> able to lift my head or sit up.  I think on Thurs I called HP to say I
> might not be able to go to HP World the following Monday. On Fri I
> called HP again and said that I WOULD miss HPW and we needed someone to
> fill in for me.
>
> I received tremendous support and help from everyone at HP. They helped
> me, my wife, and allowed me to forget about work for the time being and
> concentrate on recovery.  I spoke to Dave, Ross, Mike, Jennie from the
> hospital and I was the only one bringing up work topics... Speaking of
> the phone, I was not able to hold the phone to my ear (even lying down)
> because neither arm could bend back towards my head. So, Cathy or a
> nurse would dial the number and hold the phone to my ear.
>
> I stayed in Vancouver General 9 days lying down 23.5 hours per day.
> Finally I was accepted into Kaiser's Rehab Center in Vallejo, Calif and
> flown there in a Lear Jet. The ride was probably pretty cool but all I
> saw was the ceiling of the jet.  I did notice that take-off was fast and
> steep and the flight was under 2 hours.
>
> Once I got to Kaiser Vallejo things started to improve. They removed
> several tubes that were still in me and forced my to get upright and
> move around in a wheelchair. I had various therapy classes all morning
> and part of each afternoon. One of my classes was hand therapy and I
> choose to use their computer to write some of you via my Yahoo account.
>
> After 9 days at Kaiser I was discharged in a wheelchair. I managed to
> beat the average discharge time by 10 days. It was so nice to finally
> get home! I used a walker to get around because my house isn't
> wheelchair friendly.  I progressed from walker to cane to nothing in a
> matter of 2-3 weeks. At 4 weeks I rode my bike around the school track
> and it felt great to feel the wind in my face...  My legs were okay but
> my arms, hands, wrists and shoulders didn't tolerate riding well.
>
> I have Central Cord Syndrome, which affects the arms, hand and upper
> body more than the legs and lower body.  I have a mild form and thus a
> close-to-full recovery is expected.  My definition of "full recovery"
> and their definition differs by quite a bit, so time will tell...  In
> fact, time is the key ingredient!
>
> I can live happily if I am never able to do the more extreme riding, or
> even if I decide not to ride at all.  I've been told by every doctor
> I've seen not to fall. My spine can't take it and I don't want another
> concussion (I've had 5 already).
>
> My wife, Cathy, has been incredibly supportive through all of this. She
> drove the kids back to NorCal from Vancouver, and the next day flew back
> up to be with me. She has said whatever I decide to do is okay. In fact,
> I think she said something like, "you never listened to me before about
> your riding, so why would you now..."  But I know what most everyone is
> thinking -- why risk it, why jeopardize being active with your kids, you
> don't want to be paralyzed for the rest of your life.... and so on.
>
> Right now I am far away from having to make this decision. I can barely
> walk beyond a medium gait and I can't even jog on level, flat terrain.
> I am in pain most of the time and I'm taking a cocktail of drugs to try
> to remedy various nerve related ailments.  But, the day will come when I
> do have to make a conscious decision.  I'll let you know.
>
> jv
>
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