Dave Bartlow's Stroke- 2007
It should be noted that your web host, Dave Bartlow, had some serious health problems during 2007, which culminated in a stroke and hospitalization just before, and after Christmas. The stroke followed a few months of small seizures which made the right arm and leg temporarily numb, as if they had just "gone to sleep", simulating a normal occurrence when we wake up having laid for hours on our arm.
Unfortunately, he assumed these to be minor annoyances until the morning of Dec.20 when he could not feel anything on his right side below his shoulders. His first two days in the hospital did not reveal the source of the problem, and, because he could stand and walk somewhat, he was released pending a scheduled MRI a few days later, just before New Year's. Admitted into Outpatient Care at 8am, repeated efforts to monitor his BP only served to identify an inexplicably unstable, spiking blood pressure, requiring readmittance to Emergency by 11am to address the dangerous hypertension.
Although a diagnosis, and prognosis for potential recovery are still pending, the damaging results of the stroke remain. Large portions of his right side continue without feeling and a back muscle weakness related to the stroke may be responsible for a pinching thoracic vertibrae which now causes intense pain near the right scapula at times while standing, or, sitting at the computer. At times, he can sit for nearly an hour, but too often the pain will build to intolerability within a few minutes, requiring supination, making it difficult to complete the necessarily lengthy responses to genealogical queries.
It is still possible for e-mail to be answered, but it may require a few days or so, as they often have to be saved in "Drafts" until both the research and response are satisfactorily completed. Dave still wants to hear from cousins with ancestral researching problems, so don't assume because a week or more pass before you receive a response that he won't try to answer it. Have patience.
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