Family Assistance Updates

CHESTER MASSEY: We visited with Ruth this morning by phone and she reports that Chester is slowly improving. He is getting up and moving around with the aid of a walker and Ruth walking along with him to keep him stable. They are going to therapy 3 times a week and they are working to build his strength back and to help him with his walking. Ruth feels that if he continues to improve, they hope to travel to Fredricksburg for the reunion. Continue to pray for Chester that he continues to improve and regain his good health and strength.

SAL GAMBINO: We also visited with Patti this morning by phone and she reports that Sal is much improved and that he is able to drive short trips near the house. She indicated that the loss of blood in surgery caused a slow recovery but he continues to improve each day and they also plan on being at the Fredricksburg reunion in a couple of weeks. We are thankful that his recovery is going well and prayerfully look forward to visiting with him at the reunion and that his recovery will be complete by then. Patti also reported that she will be going into the hospital on Oct 24^th for back surgery to relieve a pinched nerve. Then it will be Sal�s turn to nurse her back to good health. Continue to keep Sal and Patti in your daily prayers.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

ELAINE FOLTZ:   Wife of member, Larry D. Foltz of Wallis, has been diagnosed with cancer again. Elaine was treated for breast cancer some 11 years ago and has been in remission after being treated at that time. This spring she began to have a cough and lung problems which physicians treated as allergies. On 9-4-07 she was admitted to Memorial hospital where they found that the cancer had reappeared. Elaine will be treated initially at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Wharton.

Larry has asked that Elaine be placed on our prayer chain. Keep Elaine and Larry both in your prayers that her treatments would be successful and forever rid of this cancer.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

EDKER J. MIKEAL:   We delivered a wheelchair to the home of E.J. today. We visited with his wife, Sue, who requested the wheelchair in anticipation of E.J.�s expected dismissal on Wednesday from the Triumph Center in Webster. If he is dismissed, he will continue therapy and treatment for a bed sore wound by home health care providers. Sue stated that E.J. was alert, was eating good and wanting to get out, go home and sleep in his own bed. Please continue to pray for E.J., that he might get to come home and that his wounds would continue to heal.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

JAMES M. NORWOOD - (9-24-07 - Ed Rich to Forrest) Ed reports that Jim was involved in an auto accident and suffered a broken bone in his foot. He is currently at home recuperating.

SHERWOOD JETT ( UPDATE - (9-25-07 - Glen Purser to Forrest) We received info from Glen that Sherwood had been moved from the Hospital in Baytown to the Alexander Campus (Rehab and Therapy Center) on Jim Bowie St and Alexander St, Baytown, room #152 - 281-420-8640. He will have therapy each day from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. He has diabetes and he is almost blind. Eyesight fading and only can only see blurred images at a distance of approx 4 ft. away and does not have any feeling in his fingers.Keep Sherwood in your daily prayers.
-(9-21-07 - Glen Purser - Forrest) We received information from Glen that Sherwood fell and broke his leg. He is in the San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown in room #325 (Phone #281-428-4425) Stated that he would probably be in the hospital for about a month. UPDATE 9-23-07 -    We called the hospital and talked with Jeanette Jett and also Sherwood. He is doing pretty good and is walking a little with the aid of the nurses. He also has diabetes and this is hampering his healing process some. Jeanette stated that he would probably be moved soon the a rehab center and will notify us when and where he will be moved. Keep Sherwood in your daily prayers.

HANSFORD G. WHITAKER - (9-18-07 - Forrest) We visited with Hansford and he stated that he did have his prostate removed on June 4, 2007. He went on to say that he is doing good and since his surgery that he has trimmed approximately 2000 of his Christmas trees and has baled 1500 to 1600 rolls of hay, so evidently he IS doing well and we are thankful that he did have a full and rapid recovery.

AILENE COLLINS - (9-17-07 - Wife of Member John Collins - Forrest) We visited with John and he stated that Ailene has finished her radiation treatments but has had severe muscle spasms that the radiation caused. She is to go back to her Drs on 9-20-07 to get the results of the last PET scan to see if they got all the cancer cells. Keep the Collins family in your daily prayers.

D.A. 'HOOT' GIBSON - (9-17-07 - Forrest) Visited with "Hoot" by phone and he states that as far as he knows, he is cancer free, but has to see his Dr every 3 months for a check up. He went on to say that he has had a terrible problem with a kidney stone that the Dr states has been in his body possibly for several years. He was in S/W Herman Memorial for 3 days and they got part of the stone, and was sent home. He then went back as an out patient and they got some more of the stone BUT they did not get it all and states that tomorrow, 9-18-07, he is to go back in "day surgery" and they are going to try to get the rest of this stone. This is the Drs 3rd attempt at getting all of the stone and he does not understand just why they can't seem to get it all out.Keep "Hoot" in your daily prayers that the Drs will be successful and get it all this time..

GLEN GREIGER - 9-17-07 - Forrest) Visited also with Glen by phone and he had 6 to 8 inches of his colon removed due to a severe case of Diverticulitis. He stated that he was on a diet for 8 weeks and lost about 20 lbs during this illness and surgery. Says that he can eat almost anything he wants now with the exception of red meat, and he can eat red meat but very little of it.

GENE SHEPPARD - (9-14-07 - Forrest) We received a phone call from Gene and he has been home for a couple of weeks. He had a double by-pass surgery in the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, He then went to his daughter's home in Allen, TX (near Dallas) and stayed there recuperating for a couple of weeks or so, but he is now home and is doing fine and will be at the "Hill Country Reunion" on 10-13-07 in Fredericksburg.

E,J. MIKEAL - (Delvin Kendrick - 9-13-07) E.J. was transferred to the Triumph Hospital at (Clear Lake) 350 Blossom St., Webster, TX 77598 about a week ago. He is in Room #106 of the Intensive Care Unit. In addition to recuperating from surgery and bedsores, he now has an infection from an undetermined orgin that is being treated. He is eating and said they get him up some. He seems improved since the last time aI saw him. Keep E.J. in your daily prayers.

KENNETH L. SMITH - (9-13-07 - J.B. Haney to Forrest) J.B. reported that Kenneth wasK on his patio and attempted to move, he stumbled over his dog, fell to the floor and broke the femur bone up near where it connects to the pelvis. He went to Northwest Memorial Hospital where surgery was performed to correct the broken femur. He is now home recuperating. We called Kenneth and he stated that this occured on August 28, 2007 and that he doing really well healing and currently using a walker to walk and feels that within another week or so he will be able to walk just using a cane. He stated that he broke his left leg which is the same leg that he had surgery done on his knee about 3 months ago, but the knee was not injured in this fall. Keep Kenneth in your prayers for complete and rapid healing..

KEVIN D. TEMPLETON: Matt Perales reports that retired officer Kevin Templeton is in critical condition at M.D. Anderson Hospital in need of blood donors. Kevin retired in l998 from the Vice Division. This is all the information available at this time. We will develop more info today and it will be posted as it becomes available.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

RAYMOND E. DICKEL - (9-11-07 - Forrest) We received a phone call from Ray and he has had back problems for some time. The lower 5 vertebre in his back have been compressed and he has had his third back surgery to alleviate his pain and the compressed state on the 5th and last vertebre that was compressed. This surgery that is called "Kyphoplasty" and was done in Herman Hospital on August 17, 2007. He went on to say that this latest surgical proceedure is not healing as fast as the other two surgeries on his back. Please keep Ray in your daily prayers for complete healing and that his surgeries will eliminate his back problems.

DOYLE GREEN: (9-8-07 update) Progress report by Doyle�s wife, Judy. Friday, Doyle registered at MD Anderson Hospital and visited with hospital staff who will be involved in his treatment there. The oncologist stated that Doyle�s cancer, Multiple Myeloma, is a very rare form of cancer, very fast acting and must be dealt with very quickly. They will treat it very aggressively and it will require almost daily treatments at the hospital and in some cases two treatments a day. At some point he will be hospitalized for a 3-4 week period for heavy doses of chemo, bone marrow biopsy and the collection of stem cells. During this period, Judy will have to be with Doyle 24 hours a day to be sure he eats, drinks and sleeps properly and adequately. If all goes well, he could be released on out patient basis, but must live within 5 minutes of the hospital to return each day for treatment. Again he cannot be left alone during this period. It takes 4 months to see if this treatment works, if not they do it one more time. Doctors seem confident that they can do it the first time and Doyle is looking forward to going back to work next Feb or March. Continue to pray of Doyle and Judy and the MD Anderson staff as they begin their difficult and exhausting treatments.

CHESTER MASSEY: (9-8-07 update) Visited with Ruth this morning by phone and she reports that Chester is home recovering nicely but slowly and it is difficult for him to get up from a bed or chair due to weak knees and the surgery to his leg. He does move around with the aid of a walker and with Ruth by his side every step. She stated that it was unlikely that they would make the HPROA meeting next Thursday but that they plan on making the Fredricksburg reunion. Welcome home, Chester. Please keep praying for Chester and Ruth as the healing process continues.

SAL GAMBINO: (9-8-07 update) We talked to Sal this morning and he visited with his doctor yesterday and he was pleased with his recovery and progress. Sal stated that he was black and blue and plenty sore from surgery but that he was doing fine and slowly getting better each day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sal and Patti as he continues in recovery.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

CHESTER MASSEY: Just talked to Ruth Massey at the hospital and she reports that around 3AM this morning, Chester had a couple of episodes in which his heart stopped momentarily. This afternoon they implanted a pacemaker and at approximately 4PM he was back in his room resting and recovering from that little ordeal. Ruth is hoping that if all goes well throughout the night that he could still be able to go home tomorrow. She stated that three of his doctors have to OK his release and they would normally make their visits before lunch tomorrow. We offer our prayers that Chester would have a restful night and that he would be homeward bound tomorrow.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

OWEN GLOVER - (9-03-07 - Forrest) Visited with Owen by phone and he strates that he had knee replacement surgery, spent 3 days in the hospital, sent home and doing his own physical therapy. Doing really well and just needs a little more time healing. Keep Owen in your daily prayers.

CHESTER MASSEY: 9-2-07 We visited with Ruth this evening by phone and she reports that Chester had been up today walking around being escorted by two nurses. She also stated that Chester�s doctors were in earlier today and said that he could probably go home tomorrow. She says the surgery site has not been that painful for Chester and that he keeps it somewhat elevated to reduce any swelling. We pray for Chester�s continued healing and rehab and thankful that he will get to go home tomorrow.

SAL GAMBINO: 9-3-07 UPDATE SAL Patti reports that Sal was released from the hospital and is now at home mending with some soreness. Sal and Patti extends their heart felt thanks for the prayers lifted up for them. 9-2-07 We spoke with Sal this evening by phone in his hospital room and he sounded great and you could tell he was elated that he was going home tomorrow. He had taken solid foods today and was told that if all went well he could go home and eat a normal diet. Again, we pray for Sal�s continued recovery and give thanks for his healing and for Patti and other caregivers in the hospital. We will check back on Sal in 3-4 days and post an update at that time.

Nelson Foehner, FAC

ROY LECOMPTE - 9-2-07 (Forrest) Spoke with Roy by phone and he got out of Herman Hospital on 8-27-07. Stated that he would enter into physical therapy treatment in Clear Lake on 9-04-07. Says he is still pretty sore from the motorcycle accident but that he is "getting by". Keep Roy in your daily prayers..