Current health status for Tom & Ann Taylor
Ann's Physical Condition
December 31, 2008
Many of you have followed Ann's orthopedic problems over the years, and she is very grateful for all your support. Here is her current status.
After multiple cortisteroid injections and extensive physical therapy, Ann is showing some improvement in her neck and back. Her rehabilitation program is continuing, and will help her preserve a moderate level of activity. As much as we all would like to reverse the clock, we know that preservation and minimizing the decline of her spine is the best option available to her at this time. With this in mind, her spinal specialist, Dr. Stanley Herring, Seattle, has directed her to keep her physical activity in the Greenway kitchen to a minimum, or better yet, not at all.
Now, to add to the condition, she has become Type II Diabetic. When the arthritis creates major pain during movement, which is often, her insulin ratio changes which causes her to have a serious reaction. It is not a safe situation for her to be cooking during that time.
In 2007, Ann cooked another 1500 dinners for boaters as her "Encore" performance. She was very happy to do it. She also recognized that this had to be her last year, as her back and neck were objecting strenuously. Although staff member Laura Scott was a jewel, the other kitchen help that was arranged for last season quit abruptly, so once again Ann had to do a great amount of the labor herself. That wasn't the plan.
Quite a few customers pitched in and helped Ann honor her reservations. She could not have done it without your help. She also had to stop serving lunch due to the loss of our employees.
So to preserve what Ann has in the way of a spine and neck structure, she must retire from her beloved kitchen, and hope that someone new can carry on her tradition of quality. She will be available for consultation. She is very grateful for the support and encouragement given to her by so many.
NOW FOR 2009, we believe we have someone to work with Ann who can do the work that Ann used to do with the same quality. Ann can "supervise". We plan to re-open the restaurant with a yet unspecified menu. Stay tuned..
Tom's Physical Condition
December 31, 2008
In February, 2007, Tom contracted a stray virus that damaged his otherwise good heart, causing a bundle-branch block and reducing the left ventricle output in his heart by 50%. The ejection fraction was 31%, whereas it should be 60%. During a routine angio-gram, Tom’s heart stopped twice, creating an emergency. His Cardiologist put him on heart slowing medication to allow the heart to heal a bit. During the summer of 2007, it did heal some and the ejection fraction climbed to 36% by November. The bundle-branch block is still there.
Now Tom was faced with a 1 in 3 chance of healing from this event. The other fix is a heart-transplant, but he has been told that his age of 70 is too old for it. So he must preserve what he has and try to heal the heart by not exerting it.
In a follow-up examination in June 2008, to everyone's astonishment, the heart had healed, providing proper numbers and a once-again working left bundle branch. The cardiologist, Dr. Loh of Pacific Northwest Cardiology in Skagit County, admitted that he had never seen anything quite like it. But we'll take it, however it happened. So far so good.
His prostate issues in 2004 were cured in November, 2004, by Dr. Lingeman at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, using a Holmium Laser to shrink the size of the prostate about 70% without damaging nerves or anything else. It is an extremely remarkable labor-intensive operation available only there. We are very grateful to the boater who told us about it.
Please E-mail us with your questions. greenwaysound@seanet.com
