RETIRED OFFICERS ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE
JANUARY 12, 2012
Don Alexander: (12-3-11) Guy McMememy reports that Don was released from the hospital and is at his son's home receiving home therapy. Don will visit with his cardiologist next week to set a date to replace a heart valve. Continue to pray for Don and family as he rehabs and prepares for another surgery. Update (11-22-11 (Nelson) Guy McMenemy reported yesterday that Don was recovering well from his heart surgery. Don did sit up in a chair yesterday and was expected to walk a short distance today. There is hope that he could be discharged to spend Christmas with his family. Continue to pray for Don. Update (12-27-11 Foehner) McMenemy reports that Don was released from hospital after heart surgery and spent Christmas with family. Don is feeling better with ultrasound and appointments with cardiologist next week. Continue to keep Don in your daily prayers.
Billy J. Todd (12-3-2011)(Delvin) I learned from Ed Rich that HPROA Member Billy J. Todd had recently been in the hospital. I called and talked to Billy & learned he had taken sick November 18th. He went to the emergency room on November 20th and ended up being admitted to St. Luke's Hospital. He had colitis, an ulcer, neuropathy, and some other health issues. He was discharged on November 23rd. He said he is feeling much better now. Please keep Billy in your prayers.
DAVID MASSEY (12-5-2011)(Delvin) I received an email from Nelson Zoch forwarding and email from Johnny Bonds advising that HPROA member Captain David Massey had a quadruple by-pass on November 2011 at St. Luke's Hospital and had some complications. I called and talked to David. He was in the process of discharging from the hospital. He had he had 7 stents previously. He said he was at home when the chest pain started and after having a heart cath, the by-pass surgery was performed. Please keep David & Cindy in your daily prayers.
Nicolette Bozeman - Deceased (12-5-2011)(Delvin) Received an email from Barbara Cotten passing along an email she received from HPROA member Michael Bozeman concerning his wife, Nicolette Bozeman who is also a retired officer and HPROA member. The email stated that he was writing on behalf of Nicky. He advised he had to fly Nicky back to Colorado from her Texas visit, as she began to become confused and her speech was deteriorating quickly. She had an MRI Brain scan which revealed two tumors, followed by a full body PET Scan. She also has cancer in her liver. She has elected to discontinue treatments and brain surgery, and wishes to hospice at home. Barbara said she talked to Michael this morning and he said Nicky is getting weaker and is very tired. Phone calls are welcomed early in the morning (7am-10am their time which is 1 hour behind our time). She is lucid in the mornings but by midmorning she is not as much. She has limited motor skills, so e-mail is not likely now. Michael can be reached at his home in Colorado (970-314-9409) or his cell (832-236-4276). I called and talked to Michael. He said that Nicky was first diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer a year and a half ago. She was undergoing treatment before this most recent occurrence and
diagnosis. He said the doctors have advised she probably will only live 4 - 6 weeks Please keep Nicky and Michael in your prayers. (Update)- (12-22-2011) (Kendrick) Received an email from Barbara Cotten saying she talked to Michael yesterday and he said Nicky had a good morning and was able to sit in her living room for a little bit. He said she is getting a little weaker but still has her great sense of humor and her spirits are good. Her daughter is there with them and his sister came in this week to help out. Phone calls are welcomed and morning is better as Nicky gets tired very easily and sleeps and rests after about 10:30. Please remember to keep Nicky and Michael in your prayers.
Paula Mitchell (12-7-2011)) Delvin) When talking to Barbara Cotton she told me HPROA member Paula Mitchell also had cancer. I called and talked to Paula. She said she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in April. She has renal cell carcinoma with sarcoma which is a very rare & aggressive type. She had the kidney removed and is getting scans bimonthly. Paula was very upbeat and said she is right spiritually so she is at peace with what is happening. Please remember Paula in your daily prayers.
Forrest Turbeville: (12-7-11)(Nelson) As many of you know, Forrest has been fighting an infection in his right eye for the last three weeks. They have used the strongest anti- biotics available to no avail. Tomorrow morning, a cornea specialist will perform surgery and remove the infected cornea and transplant a new one hoping that the infection is confined to the cornea itself and not affecting other parts of the eye. It will take time with continued medication to turn this around with another transplant likely in the future. Forrest has dealt with a great deal of pain and discomfort with more to come and it is exhausting for both Forrest and Sue. Please pray that surgery will be successful with minimal postoperative pain. You might try calling him at 281-356-8800 this weekend and give him a boost. UPDATE: Fehner) Forrest is back home this PM and resting. Sue reports that surgery went well and surgeon feels that infection appears to have been confined to cornea which was removed and replaced with new one. He will make return visit on Friday. Keep him in your prayers.Update (12-15-11 Foehner) Forrest is home recovering from a cornea transplant in his right eye. He is still administering medications to this eye every waking hour and being examined by his surgeon every other day. They did 2-3 sonagrams on that eye yesterday and injected a compounded antibiotic into the vitreous tissue of the eye to stop any infection. He is still in much discomfort and pain. Continue to pray for Forrest and Sue.
Mary E. Hodges - (12-8-2011) Delvin) Chuck Leonard advised he talked with Mary "Charlie" Hodges (surviving spouse of Ed "Bull" Hodges) yesterday. She has finished her chemo treatments and has 2 weeks of radiation treatments remaining. She continues to be in good spirits and is very upbeat. Please continue to keep "Charlie" in your daily prayers.
Deborah Santander - (12-8-2011) (Delvin) Received an email from Retiree Janice Fish advising that Retired Officer Deborah (Debbie) Santander is in St. Luke's Woodlands, Room 264,17200 St. Luke's Way, 936-266-2000. I called the hospital and talked to her son, Terry, who is here from Afghanistan. He said she went into a diabetic coma on December 1, 2011. It caused brain damage, and they don't know how long she was in that coma because it happened while she was sleeping. Her son, Greg, is also here from New Mexico. Terry said she was taken off life support yesterday, that she is holding her own, resting comfortably, but thus far unresponsive. Please keep Debbie and her family in your prayers.
Tommy G. Turner -12-10-2011 (Kendrick) Received an email from Tommy advising he has 5 more radiation treatments left of the 25 that were scheduled. He said the tiredness and nausea has begun to catch up with him this past week. He had a new chest CT scan done this past Tuesday and the nodules in his lungs have increased in size since he had the PET scan done in September. On Thursday he met with the pulmonary doctor who went over the results of the chest CT. He has referred him to a lung/heart surgeon at St. Luke's Hospital whom he will see on Tuesday, Dec 20. The surgeon will review his PET and CT scans and decide whether to do lung surgery or a needle biopsy. His pulmonary doctor is recommending surgery as the best option to remove the nodules and do the biopsies or anything else that might need to be done, all in one surgery procedure. He is most appreciative of your prayers, so please remember to keep Tommy and his family in your thoughts and prayers Update (12-22-2011) (Kendrick) Received an email from Tommy advising he has finished his radiation treatments on the 16th and is doing pretty well. Next, he will be having a lung thorascopic procedure done on January 5th at St Luke's, to biopsy and possibly remove a couple of the larger nodules that are in his right lung. Since he had the PET scan done in September, the two larger nodules have doubled in size as of his last chest CT on Dec 6. He is thankful for all the prayers and support from the members of the HPROA Please remember to keep Tommy and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Tommy G. Turner -Update (12-22-2011) (Kendrick) Received an email from Tommy advising he has finished his radiation treatments on the 16th and is doing pretty well. Next, he will be having a lung thorascopic procedure done on January 5th at St Luke's, to biopsy and possibly remove a couple of the larger nodules that are in his right lung. Since he had the PET scan done in September, the two larger nodules have doubled in size as of his last chest CT on Dec 6. He is thankful for all the prayers and support from the members of the HPROA. Please remember to keep Tommy and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
A.P. Smith on 12-16-11 \\( Forrest) There is not much new info I can give regards to my heart problem. Just got to wait and see if this medication will improve the pumping action of my left ventricle. Will take a few weeks or longer. Actually this COPD is also getting the best of me because it makes it hard to breathe and that plus the slow heart production it really gives me a problem and then too my pulse is too fast, according to my doctor, it runs 97 to 101 +Anyway I hope and pray they will get your eye fixed up. You have had a problem with that eye for a long time now.A.P. Smith
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Joseph G. Eckenrode - (12-23-11 - Forrest) We received a call from Edwanna, Joe's
wife and we discussed Joe"s medical condition that has plagued him through the past. She stated the following: About 6 years ago he had blood clot in the lungs and had triple by-pass 4 years ago. He had a defibrillator put in, the defibrillator seemed to work all right, but circulation in his legs was not working well at all. This leg circulation caused ulcers on his feet that they could not control to the point that doctors wanted to amputate his foot, Joe declined that procedure. Doctors could do no more for him due kidney failure and congestive heart problem. He is in stage 4-kidney failure but has declined dialysis treatment. Arthritis has deteriorated the cup in his left shoulder, Joe now has a dementia problem, and has "good and bad days" with this problem and Edwanna says she can see daily that his dementia is worsening. Home care comes every day and an Aid comes 3 times a week to care for Joe's personal hygiene. He is 88 years old and is serious condition, Please keep Joe, Edwanna and family in your daily prayers
Brenda Donavan:(12-24-11 Bostock) We visited with Brenda, surviving spouse of John Donavan and learned that her lung cancer has returned. They have found 2 spots on her lung and she is now beginning treatments. She sends Christmas wishes to all and ask for our prayers especially from her old Homicide friends. Keep Brenda in yours throughout this Christmas season
E-mail message as received from Georgia Gibson (12-27-11 - Forrest) My husband, HPROA Member, D.A. "Hoot" Gibson, became very ill in the first part of December and on Thursday, 12-15-11 he was rushed to a hospital in Richmond, TX suffering from chronic kidney failure and irregular heart rhythm, stayed in ICU for a few days, then was finally moved to a room. He stayed in Oakbend Hospital and was allowed to go home for Christmas on Thursday, 12-23-11, and is now at home and recovering nicely, but cannot go anywhere yet. At least he is home and will spend Christmas with our family. He will have to see his urologist and cardiologist regularly for a short time and hopefully will be back to normal within a few weeks. God has continued to bless us at this time. It is tough to be old, no doubt of that.
Again MERRY CHRISTMAS to the both of you in this joyous season.
Sherwood Jett:(1-1-12 - Nelson We just visited with Sherwood by phone. He is still at Green Acres, 281-420-5970, after leg amputation on 9-22 below the knee. He is fitted with artificial leg and in therapy 2 1/2 hrs each day. He is able to walk about 3/4 of city block with the aid of a walker. Pain free and doing good. Food is fair but would prefer a good old hamburger. Keep Sherwood in your prayers and give him a call.
Willard Walden: (1-2-12 - Nelson) Ida Bell Walden reported to Sue Gaines that Willard will be undergoing hernia surgery on Tues, 1-3-12 at St. Lukes and will likely stay overnight and released Wed. Keep Willard in your prayers. Update: (1-3-12 - Nelson)) Ida Belll Walden reports that Willard came through surgery fine and would be going home this afternoon. Continue to pray for his healing & recovery.
Doug Bostock: (1-2-12 - Nelson) Doug this evening and advised that he was admitted to Willowbrook Methodist hospital this morning with pneumonia. Receiving doses of antibiotics and breathing therapy and could possibly be released tomorrow. Lift up prayers for Doug Update (1-5-12 - Nelson)) We visited with Doug this morning and he is still in the hospital with an antibiotics thru IV and breathing therapy. Continues to improve with a chance of being released later today. Phone in room 713-737-8721. Continue to pray for Doug.
MORE SAYINGS BY THOMAS JEFFERSON
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from Who are willing to work those and give to those who would not
To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he believes and abhors is sinful and tyrannical
DEATHS DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2011
PAUL L. HASTINGS (MEMBER DECEMBER 3, 2011)
KELSEY ELIZABETH JANKOWSKI (G/DAUGHTER OF RETIRED MEMBER B.D FAIN - DECEMBER 8, 2011
NELDA WRIGHT (MOTHER OF SENIOR POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL L. WRIGHT) DECEMBER 8, 2011
EDGAR J. MIKAEL (RETIRED MEMBER) DECEMBER 12, 2011
EDNA ALICE KRAMER (MOTHER OF RETIRED MEMBER GLEN L, GRIEGER) DECEMBER 20, 2011
TERRY R. SHELL (WIDOW OF DECEASED OFFICER) MASON SHELL) DECEMBER 29, 2011
