1. DEATH. Cora May Goulder of Wichita Falls, Texas passed away Tuesday this week. Cora is my wife's stepmother (my stepmom-in-law?) and she practically raised my wife so they were fairly close. My wife went to Texas last week after we were told that Cora would not last until Christmas. Nobody has been able to contact my brother-in-law, Monty Buchanan of New York City, about this. I paid a people search service to locate him but all phone numbers are old or disconnected.
2. GIMP. My daughter was born with talipes equinovarus -- clubfoot. She was treated non-surgically with the "Ponseti method" by the man himself: Dr. Ignacio Ponseti at the University of Iowa Health Care Center in Iowa City. Dr. Ponseti is one of the most amazing people I've been blessed to meet. He got his start in medicine during the Spanish Civil War, went to Mexico as a refugee, and immigrated into Iowa where he had to start over with his M.D. While surgical correction became the accepted method of clubfoot treatment, Ponseti developed his method, quietly practicing it in Iowa and teaching it to his students at the medical college. In the 90s, doctors started noticing that children treated surgically had very limited function in their feet when they became adults, and a large percentage of them require further corrective surgery later in life. In the meantime, clubfoot patients from Iowa did nearly as well as a control group with no clubfoot deformity (78% vs 85%) later in life. These studies were just coming out when my daughter was born, and today doctors who see her are amazed at her flexibility and function. Dr. Ponseti, who has been practicing medicine in Iowa since 1948, continues to practice and teach today.
3. TAMU. I was a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Cadet Corp at Texas A&M University. I was in Air Force ROTC Squadron "Seagrams" 7, which was disbanded while I was there because of persistent hazing and drunkenness. I cannot recite the Four Fish Answers today, though I still do know my old student ID -- 8401404.
4. HOLY. I was Saved in a Pentecostal church in Texas -- fully dunked in a tank of water in the name of the Lord Jesus, filled with His Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, the whole bit Hallelujah. I've even been a Pentecostal minister, but I tend to put people to sleep when I speak. Today, I'm happysitting jumping in the pews. Yes, I often ride my bike to church. This church in Urbana even installed a shower (partly) to accommodate me, and I use the locker room and showers at my current church. Merry Christmas.
5. LATE BLOOMER. I was the last kid who learned to ride a bike in my neighborhood in San Diego, California. I think I was in third grade when I finally managed to ride without training wheels.
2. GIMP. My daughter was born with talipes equinovarus -- clubfoot. She was treated non-surgically with the "Ponseti method" by the man himself: Dr. Ignacio Ponseti at the University of Iowa Health Care Center in Iowa City. Dr. Ponseti is one of the most amazing people I've been blessed to meet. He got his start in medicine during the Spanish Civil War, went to Mexico as a refugee, and immigrated into Iowa where he had to start over with his M.D. While surgical correction became the accepted method of clubfoot treatment, Ponseti developed his method, quietly practicing it in Iowa and teaching it to his students at the medical college. In the 90s, doctors started noticing that children treated surgically had very limited function in their feet when they became adults, and a large percentage of them require further corrective surgery later in life. In the meantime, clubfoot patients from Iowa did nearly as well as a control group with no clubfoot deformity (78% vs 85%) later in life. These studies were just coming out when my daughter was born, and today doctors who see her are amazed at her flexibility and function. Dr. Ponseti, who has been practicing medicine in Iowa since 1948, continues to practice and teach today.
3. TAMU. I was a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Cadet Corp at Texas A&M University. I was in Air Force ROTC Squadron "Seagrams" 7, which was disbanded while I was there because of persistent hazing and drunkenness. I cannot recite the Four Fish Answers today, though I still do know my old student ID -- 8401404.
4. HOLY. I was Saved in a Pentecostal church in Texas -- fully dunked in a tank of water in the name of the Lord Jesus, filled with His Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, the whole bit Hallelujah. I've even been a Pentecostal minister, but I tend to put people to sleep when I speak. Today, I'm happy
5. LATE BLOOMER. I was the last kid who learned to ride a bike in my neighborhood in San Diego, California. I think I was in third grade when I finally managed to ride without training wheels.
Tagging these folks next:
Carmen
Tom
Donna
Kiril
Tim.
"......but I tend to put people to sleep when I speak"
ReplyDeleteI'm listening.
Wow, that is great stuff. I am so sorry for your wife's loss though and I wish her and your family well right now. I hope her brother can be found too. Your daughter is now one of my heroes- such bravery is amazing.
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays friend and thank you for sharing.
I'm truly amazed and astounded by everything.... especially that you're an Aggie. I used to live in Austin and heard some very interesting stories from my UT acquiantances.
ReplyDeleteMy best to you and your family...
Did you ever find your brother-in-law? I knew a Monty Buchanan in NYC. He lived with me for about Three months in Fall 2006. He was a round 40 years old. Does this sound like this could be your brother-in-law?
ReplyDeleteI last saw him May 2008 in Manhattan.
Contact me if this is your guy
Hi Matthew and thanks!! Monty would be 41 now. I don't have access to your contact info through Blogger -- can you please contact me at this page? THANKS!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI sent you a message thru the page you posted. I sent you Monty's current cell phone number and email address.
If you didn't get them, leave me another message.
I'm sure your Monty is the same one I know.