Text 21185, 88 rader
Skriven 2006-07-19 15:10:52 av Alan Hess
     Kommentar till en text av Stan Hardegree
Ärende: Re: Middle East Crisis
==============================
Whilst masticating on <Jul 18 06>, Stan Hardegree (1:275/311)
wrote to Jeff Binkley:

SH> *** Note to Alan Hess - skip this part.

I couldn't - and small corrections are required.  :)

SH> Alan is the son of two Jews who managed to escape Hitler's 
SH> insanity and Eichman's "solution," though not easily.  The 
SH> Hesses, not yet married,  were among those who sought to flee 
SH> Europe and the Holocaust aboard the St. Louis, a ship denied 
SH> berth by both Cuba and the United States (something about the 
SH> country's Jew quota).  Both were returned to Europe, Mr. Hess to 
SH> Holland and Mrs. Hess to England.  After the war, the couple 
SH> reunited, made their way to the United States and settled in Baltimore.  

Not quite - they came to Baltimore separately.  My mother from England with her
parents in 1940 when their quota numbers came up; my father six months after
landing in Holland (his parents and three siblings were already here.)  They
met again in Baltimore (on the boat, my mother at 14 didn't know what boys
were, thanks to her mother.  Times were certainly different.)  They married in
1959.

SH> Mr. Hess died too young of heart failure in 1966, 
SH> while Alan was still a boy.  Alan said, "My dad's brothers and 
SH> sisters got the message, got Pacemakers, and are all healthy in 
SH> their 80s."

That's "were healthy."  All three have passed away, but did live to 80 and
beyond (his sister to 91.)  My father was the youngest of the four, but his
heart problems showed up before any did in his siblings, so he died at 42.  His
doctor didn't recognize that it was heart trouble, but even if he did, in 1966
there would have been little, if anything, that could have been done.

SH> In 1981, Alan was diving with some friends near Baltimore when it 
SH> happened. His memory is sketchy about the details, but somehow 

Near Annapolis.  Hit an unidentified floating object.  Crushed C-5 verterbra,
broke C-6, pushed C-6 onto C-7.  Flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

SH> Alan hit his head while diving, breaking his neck.  He told me 
SH> that after the dive, he watched his arms fall useless as he sank 
SH> in water over his head.  Alan said that his friends were on the 
SH> dock and not paying attention to his rather dire situation - he prepared 

It was quite calm and peaceful, actually,  I didn't let myself panic (years of
swimming lessons), fought to keep from inhaling water, and, when I realized I
wasn't going to swim to the surface for air, said my goodbyes and eventually
blacked out.

SH> to drown, to die.  His next memory was of being taken from the scene 
SH> aboard a helicopter.  At the hospital, Alan's doctor said flatly, "You are 
SH> paralyzed and it is hopeless."

I woke up on the dock, after my friend pulled me out of the river and did some
CPR  - I even told the paramedics I wasn't going with them, as I had dinner
plans (we were going to the Middleton Tavern in downtown Annapolis.)  The
helicopter ride was like being on a flying mixmaster, even tied down on a
stretcher.

Doctor used contractions - "You're" and "it's."  25 years later, he's still
right, and, even with research, that likely won't change for me (by the time a
treatment is available, I'll be so old and so long post-injury that I wouldn't
be a good candidate.)  :(

SH> This is the history that Alan cared to relate to me during our 
SH> short time together.

I'd have related more (the central pain syndrome and other joys - spinal cord
injury is more than meets the eye.)  Time was limiting, and I didn't just want
to talk about me (poor host behavior.)  I was hoping Derrick wasn't bored - you
and I had years of FidoNet in common, and did some talking about that, but he
didn't know me from Adam.
  
SH> On our way home, Derrick remarked at Alan's courage and his sense 
SH> of humor, which we got a large dose of during the afternoon.  
SH> Alan and I don't see eye to eye on most things political, but I 
SH> consider it an honor to call him my friend.  He is a really good guy.

Thank you.  You're pretty good yourself.  And neither of us have horns and a
tail (even though I'm a son of the Damned!)  :)

SH> Great trip. 

Sounds like it.  I'm glad I was a positive part.  *adh*

--- Msged/2 6.0.1
 * Origin: tncbbs.no-ip.com - Try the CROSSFIRE echo - all welcome (1:261/1000)