Amen. We could not ask for a better (or more opinionated :-)) guy to run this group. The opinionated part comes with age. I'm there myself. Best of luck Pat!
Pat-
> I have been around since your life-changing event on Black Thursday,
> and I want to express that you have been more of a public servant
> than the ones that I elect.
> My advice: "be strong."
> Bob Weller
> From Patrick Townsend, Wed, 22 Feb 2006 21:00:00
>> Earlier today, Wednesday, I had a very bad incident. During the night,
>> I was up and down a few times, feeling absolutely awful with chest
>> pains, much shortness of breath and much coughing and gagging. When my
>> 'keepers' came around this morning and saw how absolutely awful I
>> looked and sounded, they insisted I had to go to the hospital ASAP. So
>> I was taken to Mercy Hospital here in Independence, where a decision
>> was reached that (whatever else is wrong with me) I have a very bad
>> case of bronchitis and my lungs are not in good shape. I was put on
>> 'breathing treatments' with oxygen and ambuterol (?) I have to smoke a
>> pipe with some liquid pumped into it and an oxygen combination hooked
>> to a compressor. As if I do not have enough pains in the ass! I had
>> sincerely hoped to continue my role here as editor _at least_ through
>> sometime in August, and I will continue as best I am able. But, if you
>> do not see me around for a few days at a time then it either means I
>> am back in the hospital again, or else I totally croaked. I hope to
>> be able to give you a few days notice before the latter, at
>> least. Those of you who remember me prior to Black Thursday, in
>> November, 1999 (the aneuyrsm day) will recall I have been continually
>> dizzy since that time, and am due for a new brain shunt anyway, but
>> I am not sure if it is worth the time and money for a trip all the way
>> up to Topeka (or down to Tulsa) -- the nearest brain surgeons -- to
>> have it done. Anyway, that's where things are at here; I'll try to
>> stay in touch as much as I can. I am back home from the hospital,
>> where I was at all day Wednesday. PAT]