Not really back

[Dave]

I will not be posting any more, so don't reply as I won't see it. However, I thought I owed an explanation to the fine folk here who regularly answer people's requests for help, and for whom I have admiration. On January 22, I had a terrible accident, my own stupidity, and came as close as I ever want to come. I was at the top of a ladder working by myself when I felt it start to slip. It takes slightly over a second to reach the ground. My face hit the ladder as it hit the ground. After some intensive operations, I spent 2.5 weeks under heavy sedation, in an induced coma in the Intensive Care unit, strapped down with all sorts of tubes and wires, and wearing a "collar" for a suspected broken neck [didn't happen], then another 1.5 weeks in the Trauma unit. I have been recouperating at home for the rest of the time, aside from several hospital trips for further checkup, my good wife being with me 24/7 from the start. She had arrived home and the ambulance followed her up the driveway. There will be many more hospital and other helpful places to attend over the next months. I had broken every bone in my face, quite literally, including a shattered forehead, and lost the sight in my left eye. Had my friend and neighbour not come over to see what I was doing, had the ambulance he called taken more than the ten minutes it took to speed there, I would not be here to write this. Genius surgeons did a fine reconstruction, but there are many other physical consequences due to a month on my back and reduction of the immune system. I caught strep throat from one return visit to the hospital, then from that scarlet fever. There is much muscle loss to regain as well. So ...life goes on, but I will not have the ability to spend time in this forum any more, or any others I attended.

So, I wish you all well. Do enjoy this short life. If you have anything you have wanted to do, then do it. I'm going to write that book I promised to do a while back. Do be careful!

David.

[TheGurkha]

Well, you say you won't see any replies, but maybe one day you'll drift through here and take a look around.

Tragic bad luck mate, hope it all goes well for you. Thanks for everything you've done here, too.

[Hagar Delest]

I reply anyway too, perhaps you'll see it in the future (I do hope). But it's mostly to say that I'm glad it hasn't been worse and to thank you also for all your contribution here! We'll miss our math teacher!

I wish you all the best for the recovery and the book.