Bad news

[W1IA]

Awww Hell!! I spoke with Vortex last week Paul. Please Give Carol my best and if there is anything I can do please contact me. I am speechless
Brent

I just got word that Derb has called Frank at home to say goodbye, but of course Frank's in the hospital and did not receive the message Derb left on the machine.

Carol called me Tuesday night to pass along her deep appreciation at all the calls about Frank that she's been getting, but asks PLEASE now hold off as she devotes as much time as possible to getting Frank well. "It's just too overwhelming," she said, almost apologetically, what with Frank's crisis, and knowing Joe/IBX is in the hospital, and now here's friend Derb saying he doesn't have very long and is going into hospice, and really hopes to talk once more to Frank.

About Frank, here are details in an update she asked me to distribute, to hopefully drain down some of the calls she's been getting.

Frank is stable, has been moved OUT of intensive care and into medium-care at Franklin Square Hospital.  He is recovering after doctors "banded" two additional veins that were under pressure as a result of Frank's condition. The active bleeding has been stopped. One source of that bleeding was an earlier vein that had popped but is now repaired.

"He's very weak right now," Carol said, "but they hope to get some food in him tomorrow."
Those who know Frank realize the value of THAT plan.

"He should be out by Friday and back home," she said, adding that his blood quality is looking better (his chemistry has been bad).  "He's in good spirits, and laughing" Carol said, and that many of his "ham friends' have visited.  PLEASE DO NOT CALL him at the hospital, but he can accept visitors just about any time, she said. He's on the 5th Floor.

Carol's not sure Frank can take this latest turn for Derb.  I said he'd probably be pissed if he DIDN'T get to talk with him again. And she said Glo is leaning the same way. So the two women will talk some more and try to make something happen there.  

Updates as they happen.

[SM6OID]

Derb, I'll tell you a story....

I once knew a man, at the age of 65 he got very bad news, the doc gave him 2 months, maximum.
He told me what was about to happen, but he also said with a firm voice while looking me deep into the eys, "I'll keep the engine running as long as there is gas in the tank, trust me!"

However, as always, eventually death caught him...

At the age of 89, while walking in the woods, a tree fell down on him.
The engine stopped at once.

From this we learn that sometimes strange things happens, and I don't mean the thing about the tree.
Derb, I wish you and your family the best of luck, and I will keep me fingers crossed.
Then, maybe you will fall down from the antenna tower when you are 101 years old?
Keep the filaments lit!

/Morgan

[wb2fof]

Derb,
I know it's tough, but keep fighting. Prove them wrong.
Bob WB2FOF

[KA3VID]

Tim,we love ya and hope only the best for you and Glo. Best wishes bro.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Hello Derb,
              You have always been one of my favorite people on the air, and a real inspiration with some of your FB OB style tranmitters.

I heard that you and Frank, KB3AHE were able to have a nice talk while Frank was still in the hospital. I'm very glad to hear that the both of you were able to hook up on the telephone.

Let me know if these is anything you'd like to have that may be lurking down my basement shack. I'd be glad to send it to you.

Prayers and best wishes to you and your XYL.

Joe Cro N3IBX

[N5RLR]

I can only echo what has already been said.

Tim, I pray for you, Glo, and your family.  As good as they are, may a Miracle prove the doctors wrong; and you continue to grace the lives whom you touch for a long time to come.

Maranatha, good sir.

[The Slab Bacon]

While I was in the hospital (just got home this evening) my wife reluctantly called me to tell me about a message on our answering machine when she got home from visiting me. It was simply "Pick up, Bro,.......... Pick up Bro".

A long and tearful phone call to Gloria confirmed her suspicions and she very reluctantly called me to tell me.

Luckily KB3NQD was still in my room and volunteered his cell fone for me to call Timmy. (No long distance on hospital room phones) A lenghty call to Timmy left  me totally in tears and reduced me to tears for the rest of the night.

He was actually handling it better than I did. (I was falling apart, because of my own health issues, I couldn't even get our there to see him or help him.)

He is very much at peace with his fate and is handling it very well. Better than I took his news of immenant demise. It was just a little more than I could take, and I fell apart, big time! He says that he is looking forward to his in-home hospice care to be able to spend absolutely as much time with his most wonderful wife, Gloria as he possibly can before he goes away. He has the courage of a Roman Gladiator! ! !

I have known N3DRB up close and personally for well in excess of 20 years. We have survived both good times and bad times together. We have both hugged each other and cursed each other, but most important of all we have always forgiven each other's faults and remained good close friends through all of it. And believe it or not, It all started over a smoked out DX-100

I am having much difficulty choking back the tears while typing this. Timmy, you will always be loved by and never be forgotten by any of us that knew you.

Godspeed, my brother!!

Just keep on wavin yo hand in the breeze, cause I'll always have a grip on yo lip my brother!!

                                        Be Yo Big Bother
                                                              Sometimes called the Slab Bacon

[W1RC]

DRB - I want to add my own sentiments to everything that has already been said by your many friends from the Yay-Em community....................

If it is true that a man's wealth is determined by the number of friends they have, you are a very rich man!

Tim, I well recall hanging out with you at FAR-Fest (no relation to NEAR-Fest!) at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds at Gaithersburg MD in the mid to late 1990s and remember the fun times we had there before that great hamfester went south.  (Actually I believe that Bowie MD is east of G'burg but I never went there). Those were good times with memories to be cherished.  Now we are trying very hard to keep that tradition alive twice a year at Deerfield NH and I think to a point we have been successful. 

Cynthia (VE2KW) remembers you from Gaithersburg in the '90s and she is pulling for you too.

As expressed by your numerous other friends here, keep up the fight and hang in there.  Doctors are not always right and even if they think they are, unexplained miracles do happen but you must have faith.  This bad news notwithstanding, Todd and I are still hoping to see you one day very soon at NEAR-Fest/Deerfield.  We are inviting you and Glo as our personal guests.  There is no time limit on this invite - come whenever you can make the trip.

73 for now.

MisterMike, W1RC

[kg8lb]

 Tim, we used to talk a lot a few years back . We have always enjoyed hearing you in the mix , a fair person and always entertaining. Kinda had our hopes up at the beginning that this would be no big deal and would soon be history, but then ?
  Very sorry to get the news of this turn .

[W1DAN]

Derb:

Thank you for sharing your health and personal situation with us.

While I have not spoken with you on the air many times, your presence here is warming.

I am glad you have your wife and family here. To me ham radio (especially AM'ers here) form an extended family. I am glad to have you and others as a member of my family.

With prayers and support, lets hope you can modulate AM again soon.

Thank you for being here.

Dan

[ve6pg]

..Tim..I am struck by the news...I was hoping that things would have improved, and I pray that things will get better...God bless my friend, you are in my thoughts...

..Tim..

..sk..

[WU2D]

Geez sorry Derb,

You have been swinging the monkey all along and beating this thing down and it is tough to take this news. I was the lucky guy and am 6 years in remission now but let me tell you, it changes how you live your life...

We are thinking of you and your family. Don't forget - whatever happens - you still strap around these parts! 

Mike WU2D

[Herb K2VH]

Tim,

We've never met, and it's been some time since we talked on radio.  Nonetheless, your news has struck me, and saddened me very much.  All I can do is pray, and I shall.  Try to keep your spirits up in the knowledge that you have many friends all pulling for you.

de
K2VHerb

[wb4iuy]

Damn. Just saw this. Tim, my first contact wit you is logged on Christmas Day, 1993. Tim, I hope the docs are wrong. I've always enjoyed listening to you on the air. I hope to hear you back on the receiver, bro, on this side or the other.

Dave WB4IUY