An Update (June 26th, 2004) - (See Bill Ruck in Athens - CGC #634)
(From an email received via Phil Kane )
Siobhan Ruck sent this on Friday:
Well, I thought Bill would be communicating with everyone
directly by email at this point by now. Hoping to have him
online very soon. (Some of you have seen him or talked to him, so
please excuse the duplication.)
Since he got back to SF, he's been through a battery of tests,
xrays and MRIs. The main problem now is his right knee. It was
still draining when he arrived, so they cultured a sample and
discovered a low-grade infection. That led to surgery this
morning, where they also confirmed what they'd expected from the
xrays - the bottom end of the femur was really shattered, and it
seems that there just isn't enough bone left to knit back
together. So he'll have at least one more operation on this
knee, probably to do a bone graft from his hip.
This means he won't actually move to the rehab ward for a little
while longer (they don't like to keep moving people between the
rehab and surgery recovery floors), but they are giving him
physical therapy. He has been fitted with a leg brace to help
with bearing weight on his left leg, and he can get himself into
and out of a wheelchair on his own. Still, we're looking at a
few more weeks before he can come home.
I hope this is the last update from me, and that he'll be able to
email you directly very soon. In the meantime, he's available by
phone (mian number is 415 668-1000) or you can send emails here.
Siobhan
Note from Phil: I spoke with BIll this afternoon (Saturday).
He is in
great spirits and is very thankful for the e-mails and cards. He
expects to be back on line in a week or so.
An Update (June 21st, 2004) - Bill Ruck in Athens (CGC #634)
(From an email received via Phil Kane, "BILL RUCK IS BACK IN S.F." )
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004, Bill Ruck's wife wrote:
After getting a call at midnight Friday saying that Bill would not be
home on Saturday after all, things briefly looked bleak. But the Air
France pilot who decided not to let Bill and the medical escort on
board the plane actually ended up doing them a favor. Instead, they
flew British Airways on Sunday, first class, with only one stop in
London - six hours less in transit, and much nicer accommodations.
Bill got to St. Mary's around 5:30 in very good spirits and still
fairly energetic after the flight. He's getting a new set of xrays
and tests tomorrow so they've got a baseline for him, and then he
should be moving to the intensive rehab floor.
We're hoping he'll have email access by mid-week, so you can send
messages to billruck@earthlink.net. (After a month's worth of
messages his box may be full, so just try again if you get a bounce,
or you can still send things to me and I'll print 'em and bring when I
visit.) If you want to call, the main number is 415 668-1000.
Thanks for all your emails, messages and cards. They really helped
him a lot during the down moments in Athens, and he keeps them all at
his bedside.
Siobhan
An Update (June 19th, 2004) - Bill Ruck in Athens (CGC #634)
(From an email received via Phil Kane )
On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 08:38:22 -0700, Siobhan Ruck wrote:
Any of you who are soccer fans are probably know about Euro Cup 2004.
I was made aware of it because it means that there are no seats
available on flights from Athens until next week. Just broke the news
to Bill an hour ago, and he's disappointed, to say the least. Bob Dixon
from NBC said, "I saw Bill last night and he keeps looking better
and better. He can lift his legs much higher now, and if boredom was
an energy source he would be walking home now."
On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 17:50:28 -0700, Siobhan Ruck wrote:
Well, after a week of wheel-spinning, it seems like things are
finally getting rolling for Bill's return. The date hasn't been
finalized yet, but he should be back in SF by this time next week. I
won't be going over to accompany him on the trip; instead, he will be
travelling with a nurse or paramedic (a great relief). Once he's
back, he will be going to St. Mary's Medical Center in their intensive
rehab unit. He will probably be there for about two weeks (?) and
will be getting approx 3 hours rehab every day - more than he's had in
the past two weeks total.
He should have email access once he's there, though he will have to
wade through a month's worth of messages at the start so I'd suggest
waiting a few days after his return before sending messages to him
directly.
Once I have his arrival date and more specific contact info, I'll
send it around.
An Update (May 28, 2004) - Bill Ruck in Athens (CGC #634)
(From an email received 5/28/2004 )
Good News from Siobhan about Bill:
Technical update first, via Dr. Bensadoun:
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 11:57 AM
Good afternoon,
Our patient is now at the AMC clinic and has already been seen
by several specialists (cardiologist-cardiothoracic
surgeon-orthopedic surgeon-Intensives). According to
Dr. Azassos (?spelling), the cardiothoracic surgeon, Bill is in a
good condition and no further surgery is required. His lungs
are expended (no more pneumothorax), no complication of his
6th/7th/8th ribs fractures, good oxygenation (100%) and his
left inferior limb does not need further surgery. He does not
think Bill requires to be in ICU anymore and he should be
moved to a normal ward soon (over the weekend). Rehab will
start then.
My next medical contact will be on Monday with Dr. Azassos.
Communication with the medical team is now much easier
(language and availability).
-----------------------------------------------
Just to clarify, my trip isn't due to a dire turn of events.
It's just that they'll be weaning him from the meds (so he'll
start realizing he's hurt), starting therapy/rehab, and he'll
be finding out that he's returning home. After talking to the
guys there, it seemed important to be there for the next few
days. It will still be at least two weeks, probably more,
before he can fly home. I'll come back for a few days, get
things better organized for his return on this end, and then
return to Athens so I can accompany him home. If things got
really good, really fast, and he could return before the 10th,
I'd just stay to make the trip.
Email access will be sporadic.
Thanks again for all good wishes. It helps a lot.
Siobhan
Phil Kane's note ---
Thanks to all to whom this reaches for your interest and friendship
with Bill. Having lived halfway around the world from family
members who went through serious medical events, it's not easy in
spite of modern communications. I know that both he and Siobhan
appreciate it all.
Phil Kane - SBE Chap. 124 Vice Chair
From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
An Update (May 27, 2004) - Bill Ruck in Athens (CGC #634)
(From an email received 5/27/2004)
Bill Ruck's wife wrote today:
Didn't get a doctor's report today as I'd hoped. From the other
guys, I found out that his lung is a little bit of a concern
(though improving), but the orthopedic stuff is progressing well.
He was still in the ICU, as of 8:00 this morning our time (6:00
pm their time). Hoping that tomorrow might be the big move.
I have talked to the NBC/GE corporate doctor in Paris (he called
just as I was about to get on the GG Bridge - I managed to pull
over to take the call in a nick of time). He said that Bill is
in the best public hospital in Athens, that his doctor is very
good, and that the orthopedic treatment is at the same level he'd
get in the US. NBC and AF Associates have been great and are
making sure that he is getting good care. The rest of the crew
have been very helpful, and have been keeping me in the loop as
much as possible. They have made a very difficult situation
much easier. If anyone has ideas on how to say thanks to them,
be sure and let me know.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who has sent messages of
encouragement, good wishes and prayers to Bill. I have been
consolidating them and sending them via his roommate. The guys
said that he really brightened at receiving the first batch. I
will continue to forward your messages via his roommate until he
is able to check email on his own.
In addition to his condition report, a few other answers -
Don't know if he will be able to do any work or if he will be
heading home as soon as he's allowed to travel. It may be a few
weeks before we know for sure.
Still don't know when I'm headed over, and probably won't know
until early next week. If he's returning stateside, it will
probably be timed so that I can accompany him on his flights. If
not, then whenever it will provide the most help to him there. A
family member is headed to Europe on business and is trying to
rearrange his schedule to get there a few days early so he can
get to Athens next week.
I'm sending him a FedEx package at the end of the week or over
the weekend. If you'd like to send a card, mail it to me at our
home, or at his PO Box. If it gets here in time, I'll send with
the FedEx. If it gets here later, I'll hand carry or send with
another FedEx later. If you want to send something bulky, email
me. Give me an idea what you want to send, if possible, so I can
let them know what to look for. (Remember that whatever you send
may need to come back here eventually.)
As for the accident itself, details are a little sketchy, but
basically he was hit as he was crossing the street from the
Olympics complex, headed back the apartment. Guessing by the
time of his last email on Friday, it may have been dusk or
twilight. The guy (in a car, not a truck) never saw him. The
driver was, from all I've heard, devastated - he called for an
ambulance, stayed there with Bill until it came, then followed
the ambulance back to the hospital and stayed for many hours to
find out Bill's condition.
I don't know which hip/leg/lung was injured. I'm assuming it was
all on the same side, but could be wrong about that. I've been
keeping communications brief with the guys over there, and
haven't asked about these kinds of details since they seemed less
crucial to understanding what's going on.
PLEASE feel free to email me with any questions or with messages
to forward on to Bill. Also, please forward this to any others
who may want news/updates. I don't really know the wider
engineering circle, so your help in getting the word out is much
appreciated. I hope to have another update in the next day or
so, especially if he moves out of ICU.
Siobhan <siobhanruck@mindspring.com>
More as it happens.
--
via
Phil Kane - SBE Chap. 124 Vice Chair