X-Message-Number: 18431 Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 23:28:35 -0800 From: James Bryan Swayze <> Subject: Thanks to James Halperin and Kennita Watson References: <> > > > Message #18417 > From: > Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 10:42:03 EST > Subject: Halperin, Swayze > > James Halperin, whom most of you know as the author of THE FIRST IMMORTAL and > THE TRUTH MACHINE, has made a second generous donation to the James Swayze > Fund through the Society for Venturism. He doesn't seek publicity, but > permits it as a possible help in raising more of the needed money. Many > thanks again, Jim. > Many many thanks again Jim. I love both your books. Could there be another coming maybe? I try to get everyone I can to read at least "The First Immortal". It really got me fired up. I so very much hope the rumors of a mini series or movie are true so more will get fired up as well. Some days I reflect upon the winding trail that got me here and that will (I feel by now I can say will rather than might--we are so much closer now it seems) save my life and transport me to a relatively pain free and mobile future, and am simply astounded. I wonder how is it all possible... why me... am I dreaming? The how is easy, it's you and everyone else here. I won't ever be able to answer the why, that's in the hands of each of you. I just hope I'm not dreaming. If someone volunteers to pinch me just make sure it's where I can feel... hehe. Well humor aside thanks again Jim and thanks to all making it possible. James > Message #18420 > Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 20:01:43 -0800 > From: Kennita Watson <> > Subject: James' leg troubles > A catalog I get contains "anti embolism stockings"; it seems > something like that could help with blood pooling in your > legs. <snipped but saved> > Sounds good to me -- am I in the right ballpark? If you searched > you might be able to find them cheaper, and you might be able to > get a prescription for them, making them either insurance-coverable > or tax-deductible. Thanks Kennita for your thoughtfulness and time spent. Unfortunately I haven't been able to wear these kinds of stockings, at least the type I used to, in many years. Perhaps I should, and I will, see if they've been improved. However, the problem is that my blood and also lymph circulatory condition in my lower limbs is so poor that my skin suffers the least insult way too easily and then takes a long time to heal. The problem with these kinds of stockings is that they exert a constant pressure to squeeze the leg. My problem with them is the constant pressure ends up causing a pressure area dicubitis sore wherever there is a prominence. > > > On the other items you mention: I think even rocking back and > forth and side to side in your chair could help a little with > the recirculation and muscle contraction. Well rocking back and forth is not really possible for me. You see my bone disease that started soon after injury and sometimes plagues tall athletically active 18-30 year old males with spinal injuries, called Hetero Trophic Ossification--Atopic Bone Growth, has fused my hips so that I cannot move my hip joints and pelvis at all. My legs are frozen in place and my knees cannot come together or apart, absolutely solidly frozen in place. You may recall the surgery I had two years ago to remove a piece of this abnormal bone that had bridged my femur and fibia and tibia across my right knee making articulation of that knee impossible. I am told I am written of in Orthopedic journals because I am supposed to have the worst case of HO they know of. Someone else surpassed me bfor a while but ended their own life putting me back at the top... such a place of honor to be. Not! Any upper body rocking stops at the sacrum [sp?] which the bending of is the only thing that allows me to sit up straight though with some discomfort. For these reasons, and the fact they make it not possible for me to lift myself by pushing down upon the arm rests for a weight shift, I have been given a special wheelchair that "tilts in space" and reclines. It cost a whopping $25,000.00 but of course Medicare only paid $19,000.00 making my vendor eat their profits. These tilting and reclining actions are meant to lift my legs and shift my weight from my legs and bottom to my back but it still doesn't quite get my legs high enough to be level with my heart. There also is the social issue of people wondering what may be wrong when they see some guy reclined flat out in a wheelchair in public and I do get questioned so I tend not to just do it any old where. > And a blanket, > especially an electric one, could help keep your blood warm, or > help you get over chills in bed. I have an idea from yours here. Maybe electric socks. Hmmm, but I can't feel so if there's any chance of them getting too hot I could have worse problems. Some time ago I invented a stocking capable of squeezing and releasing sequentially along the leg to coax blood upward or in some other application in any direction needed. The problem is I don't have the clout to get some special material I need nor the money to make a prototype and certainly not enough to patent the thing. Several of our group have seen my drawing of my idea and felt it had promise but alas everyone has their own projects and or issues to deal with. I still have a standing offer to share fifty/fifty with anyone interested in making it real. The market would be anyone with circulatory issues, medical trauma, and the Air Force for an active and immediately responsive anti-G suit. The stockings could fit under the current pneumatic pressure anti-G suits and continue to coax more blood to the brain to prevent blackout. As you can see I have many issues to consider. I wish it all were simpler. Thanks again though for trying and I will look anyway and see if changes have been made to the available stockings. While I'm thanking, Kennita, thanks again also for your contribution to my fund. James -- My website: http://www.davidpascal.com/swayze A collection of photos of me and some of my artwork: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292752723&code=2039335&mode=invite A radio interview on Dr. J's ChangeSurfer Radio program with me and the father of cryonics Prof. Robert Ettinger, author of "The Prospect of Immortality": http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=3728 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18431