Fellow QJers, please keep DentonDoc in your prayers.  A few days ago, he slipped on his icy driveway down in Texas.  He had a bad fall, whacking his head pretty hard.  He has been in ICU ever since. My understanding is that he's in pretty rough shape. 

I don't have any more information right now but I'll post what I can as we become aware of any developments.

Jimbo  8-)

That's terrible news.
Prayers for him and his family.

Oh, I am so sorry to hear this news!  I will be praying every day for DD and hoping that you will post updates as he recovers.

My thoughts and prayers for DD.

DD we are all hopping for the best.   

Jen and I send our thoughts and prayers to DentonDoc and family and our hope he has a quick and full recovery....

Yes, this is very sad news. Hopefully he's in great hands. Will be praying for his full recovery.

Sad news indeed.  I send my wishes for a good recovery.  It is also a reminder that we need to live life to its fullest because you never know when the opportunity for that trip will be taken from you.

:'(  Are there any financial needs that you know of, Jimbo?

Sad.  Very sad.  Wishing Wayne the best.  You can do this DD!!

.......Mike 

Hey all, Jimbo's having QJ access issues, so I'm posting an update he received last night on DD.  Yesterday DD was able to eat a full meal and was somewhat more cognizant of what was going on.  However, there was still swelling they were concerned about. 

It's looking better, but still keep those prayers coming.  PJ, Jimbo hasn't mentioned anything about financial needs, but I'm sure he'll advise once he has access to QJ again and maybe a more current update as he's been in touch with Mrs. DD.

pd

PD,

Thanks for "filling in" while I was "away."

PJ,

Sorry for the slow response.  Like at least a few of you that I know about, my access to QJ over the past 3 days has been nil.

No, I am unaware of any financial need.  DD is on pretty solid footing there, I believe.  Should I learn otherwise, I'll get back to you.

All,

Looks like DD's challenges will be considerable.  Frontal lobe "bruising" limits his cognitive abilities, though the doctors remain hopeful for his recovery.  He will require substantial neural therapy, it appears. 

Fortunately, DD's spouse has been able to stay with him in the hospital.  I believe their daughter is now able to provide some relief with that demanding role, too.  I can only imagine how much a drain such a happenstance can have on a family.

In short, the family remains guardedly hopeful for an eventual full recovery.  I suspect this will be a slow process.

I'll share what I can as information becomes available.  DD's wife has been very kind to take time out to respond to my (and Wally13's) inquiries.  I'm quite certain your continuing thoughts & prayers are very much welcomed.

Jimbo   8-)

I’ve been away from QJ for a while and just saw this terrible news. I will be praying for Wayne and his family. Brain injuries usually are long slow recoveries. Thanks for sharing! As we age, one member reporting for another may become more common.

Sad news. Thoughts and prayers for a full recovery.

We'll continue to hope and pray for DD's speedy recovery!

Thanks, Jimbo, for updating us yesterday.  I just saw it this morning.  Like you, we were "off" the messageboard for several days.  I don't think I realized how seeing the POD to start my morning every day was something I would miss so much!

Sorry to hear that DD is having these issues and he and his family will remain in my prayers for a long time to come.  Appreciate the updates and if you could post a snail-mail address I would like to send a note and a card.

Watch your footing, folks!  A fall can be a very dangerous thing sometimes.

Like others here I just got back on this morning.

  Glad to hear DD is coming along even if it's a slow process. Had a close friend take a bad fall 15 yrs ago while he was rollerblading. He bought all the safety gear for his wife/2 kids but skimped on getting a helmet for himself. He was a local roller rink regular, could do all the fancy moves and dance too. That didn't help him at all.

  He's back to normal now but it was a long slow process. DD is a fighter, he'll do all he can to get back to what he loves.

Just goes to show you can't plan for everything or always see danger coming.

All those years DD backpacked/canoed and avoided serious injury and he's done in by some frozen water.

Blessings on him and his family.

All,

Well, DentonDoc has had some new swelling.  This required brain surgery, to which he appears to be responding somewhat well.  Though his response times are slow, he recognizes "family" and can respond to commands via "hand squeezes", etc.  He & his family will continue to welcome your thoughts and prayers as his will be a long road ahead via traumatic brain injury rehab.

Mrs. DentonDoc has been kind enough to share a link for a site on "Caring Bridge" where you may find updates.  It is:   (You need to Login or Register .

PJ, I've been assured that DD's insurance is covering their needs thus far.  Again, if I hear differently, I'll post something.

Mrs. DentonDoc has expressed her sincere gratitude for the caring, prayers and support of DD's friends here on QJ.

FYI

Jimbo    :'(

Jimbo, thanks for the update.

This is the first I've logged on for a while. So shocked to see this news. All of my prayers are with Wayne and his family.

Sounds like he's in good hands.

I will keep him in my thoughts.
ml

Update - I went out to the Caring Bridge site. When I was setting up my account, the CAPTCHA screen asked me to identify pictures of boats. It seems so fitting.  :'(

Mrs. DentonDoc posted some positive news on their Caring Bridge website.  DD has shown enough improvement to be moved out of ICU and into a rehab hospital.  A lot of hard work and healing will have to happen before he returns to us on QJ but he is starting down the right path.

Again, all who wish to follow his progress may follow this link to his Caring Bridge site:   (You need to Login or Register .

Jimbo   8-)

Thx, Jimbo.  That is really welcome news!!  Jen and I are thinking of him every day and hoping for the best.....

PK.

Thanks Jimbo! I've been checking his caring bridge site almost daily just to see any updates. This is good news on the whole. We will continue to wish a speedy recovery. Can we get together a QJ card or something to be sent where he is rehabbing?

Maybe every picture we can find of him. Especially on trips.  I only have a few.  We could print them and mail them to him.

Following this thread on two boards now.  Can't believe I missed the earlier posts.  Prayers for a strong and full recovery.  There's lots of paddling to do yet!

When I first I met DD, he mentioned he'd be in town and I picked him up at some downtown hotel and promptly took him to Wolski's tavern. He didn't flinch as I recall..

Months afterwards, my wife was still having great fun when people asked where's Dave. She'd say: "I don't know, probably at some bar with some guy he met on the internet again."

I'm not positive but I'm fairly certain I never took my wife to Wolski's. Shit happens to good people sometimes too.

Prayers and good thoughts never hurt anyone either to my knowledge.

I still think it could of happened in a worse place so I'm very grateful he went down in his own driveway.

All,

DD's wife has posted an update indicating he is now making some meaningful progress.  See:   (You need to Login or Register; .  FYI

Hooray!

Jimbo   8-)

I’ve been away from here and this is the first I’m reading about it. Sad to read but glad he’s making progress. I never met him personally but always enjoyed reading his posts and PM’d with him a few times. I missed meeting up with him on Cirrus lake two years ago due to our early exit because my son broke his hand.

Good to know he's making progress.   :)

Great news concerning DD. 

DB.....never been to Wolski's but I think I saw it featured on some WI PBS show?  If memory serves it's been around like...forever?

Jimbo wrote on Mar 7^th, 2021 at 9:43pm:

All, DD's wife has posted an update indicating he is now making some meaningful progress.  See:   (You need to Login or Register .  FYI Hooray! Jimbo   8-)

Doh! I clicked that link today, got an error page and thought, cool, DD is all better now.

Then I thought, wait, maybe I screwed something up while rebuilding the forum.

Turned out it was Jimbo who caused my "confusion and focus" issues. ;)

  (You need to Login or Register

Like some others, I have not been to the forum here in a long time and was shocked to read about DentonDoc. As was said by Jimmar, "I never met him personally but always enjoyed reading his posts". I'm keeping him and his family in my thoughts and wish him a full and speedy recovery.

All -

More good news!  Another update on DD's progress.  See:   (You need to Login or Register

Jimbo   8-)

4/3 update:
  (You need to Login or Register

DD is a tough guy. Not surprised he's bouncing back strong.

Hello everyone and many thanks for the thoughts and prayers sent my way. 

I've been out of the hospital for about a week now so I feel certain that the most critical stages of my recovery toward survival are over.

To explain the "accident...  On February 12th,there was a major ice storm in my area.  Not unheard of in central Texas, but not unusual.  As I was setting at my office desk facing the street, I noticed one of my lady neighbors out walking her dog.  As she got directing in front of my house, down she went.  Concerned for her safety, I quickly donned some appropriate clothing and went out to assist.  By that time a couple of other neighbors who had witnessed her fall had gathered and together we got her to her feet, and convinced that she had no injuries, we assisted her on her way.

I remained outside for a few more minutes, chatting with my neighbors before the conversation ended and all returned to their homes.  I wanted to check out the icing in front of my house, so I remained for a few more minutes. 

The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital 3 weeks later.  Apparently, I had slipped and fallen in the street, crushing my skull.  My next door neighbor noticed me lying there at some point and assisted me into my house (none of which I remember). 

Emergency services were called and in a matter of minutes I was on my way to a hospital specializing in brain injuries. (This is one advantage of living near a major metropolitan area.)  The doctors decided that the best immediate course of action was to open my skull to allow for the brain swelling that would certainly follow.  in a few days in which more swelling was detected, they decided to remove sections of of skull.  Of course, sections of my brain were attached to the skull, so they were removed as well and placed in a freezer to minimize deterioration awaiting future replacement.  It was during this stage my "lights came back on.  I must admit that I wasn't making a lot of sense at first, but I was recognizing family and understood I was in a hospital  And thus began my first recovery therapy sessions.  These were meager at first, but ramped up in the days that followed until I was able to walk the hospital hallway and eat most meals in a dining room with a little assistance.

The third surgery was about 2 weeks after the second, after MRI's and CT's to insure my parts still fit my head.  The good news is that they did, so they were replaced (along with a titanium plate and screws) so the shape of my head was more like a human that the creature from the lost lagoon.

The therapy sessions kicked up another notch and more cognitive tasks were introduced.  I found that I tended to tire quickly during longer sessions, so they scaled back  to shorter duration activities. 

Even, with obvious limitations, all the staff echoed the same theme:  remarkable recover given the extent of injuries.

I still have lots of therapy sessions ahead o me, but I'm not doing things that were well beyond my abilities just a couple of week ago. 

The brain is an interesting organ with amazing potential.  I can tell that some of the sections that were "disconnected are now beginning to knit new pathways to allow me to function a higher levels each day.

Yes, I have a long way to go, but every day is a clear step forward.

Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  I feel certain that whey were instrumental in turning what could have been and end-of-life scenario to one that hat a promising future.

And, thanks for your concern about financial support.  We happen to be blessed with an excellent health plan.  It has covered all our hospital and medical and pharmacy bills to date and it is paying for all of my therapy sessions (both at home and in medical facilities).

So, While I'm in no shape to take a canoeing trip this season.  I'm not ruling out next year!

Keep paddling, my friends!

Wayne

You have a can-do attitude DD, that goes a long way when you fall "down" and have to get back-up.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

I've taken a few hard falls here in MI during the winter on that dreaded Black Ice.

  The only thing that saved me was I was wearing a heavy winter stocking cap that cushioned the blow.
Even then I still had an egg-sized knot on the back of my head.

  I have no doubt you'll be back paddling in the near future.

 

It's good to have you back with us, DD!  Thanks for ending the suspense and giving this thread a happy ending!

Jimbo   8-)

P.S.  I have ice cleats that can be slipped over one's boots (size 13).  They have served me well for many years.  I don't expect to need them where I'm headed.  Would be happy to mail them to Texas....

So good to hear from you DD.  You have been in our prayers for a long time now, and we are thankful that you had such a positive outcome from a negative experience.  Best wishes as you continue your recovery and get stronger every day.

The Spartans, Lynda and Neil

Welcome back! Thrilled that you posted. Congratulations.

Wayne!  Sooo good to hear from you directly and to know that you continue to recover and improve.  Keep up the great rehab work and know you and Jan continue to be in our thoughts.  Looking forward to seeing you on the water - and maybe even an in-person Canoecopia next year!

pd

DD, Glad to hear that you are on the mend. You have a resilient noggin! Look forward to toasting your good health at the next 'Copia  ;)

Glad your getting better, dd....slow and steady progress is a good thing ....sorta like the way we paddle and portage nowadays....hope to see you in a canoe next season...   8-)

So happy you're back DD!  Hope your recovery is speedy.

Glad to hear about the progress.  Hope to see you on another canoe trip.

Fantastic to hear from you Wayne. Maybe a nice plane ride and basecamp trip to Atikaki would be a good easing back into the routine.

Great news !!!  Maybe I need to think about wearing my bike helmet when I tackle snow/ice on my VERY steep driveway.

Very glad to hear you're getting things unscrambled, DD. You had us all worried.

PROTECT YOUR HEAD next time!

SO GOOD to hear things are coming together DD!

Great to hear.   [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Great to hear from you, Wayne!!!! Your resilience and positive attitude are truly inspiring.

And like everyone else, I hope we can see you next year some time. If a base camping trip is ever planned, count me in!
ml

Good to see you're back online Wayne.  I gotta admit, I was a bit worried for you.  You're attitude is great and that will serve you well.  Hope to see you canoeing or maybe at Copia next year.   :)

Great to hear that you are doing better.  This fall when I make my annual trek to Mission, TX for the winter maybe I can stop and see you.