Two years ago, the doctors gave me one to two years to live. I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis due to asbestosis. My asbestos exposure took place when I was just 18 years old and in the US Navy aboard the USS Newport News (CA-148), a heavy cruiser with a peacetime crew of about 1,700. As a young man, I, along with many others, were often given what we referred to as shit jobs, one of which was removing asbestos from steam pipes and replacing it with new asbestos. At the time, no one knew just how deadly this stuff was, therefore, we didn't wear any protective gear. There were times when the asbestos dust was so thick that I could not see the person 10 feet away grinding the asbestos off the steam pipes. I only did this for two weeks, but the exposure was intense during that time.
Two days ago, I visited my pulmonary doctor, had some pulmonary function tests performed, and the test revealed that with the new, and very expensive medications I am now on, my airways have opened up a bit and I have a small, but significant improvement in air flow and the ability to diffuse oxygen into my bloodstream. Unfortunately, my residual lung volume has decreased by 40 percent during the past six months since I went on this medication. While my vital capacity has not really improved by much, I can breathe a little easier, which makes life a bit better for this 77 year old fart.
I have been having serious thoughts about taking my boat south this coming October to the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas and spending the winter in the land of sunshine, swaying palm trees, sugar white sand, turquoise colored waters and Jimmy Buffett music. When I told the doctor about this he said "Mr Diamond, keep on trucking while you can still keep on trucking. I see far too many patients that are in your situation that get the news about their lung condition, then sit in a recliner and watch TV until they die a year later. I would urge you do make the trip." Well, this is the good news.
The bad news is that I will be spending a lot less time on the Internet and the various forums, including this one. Yes, I will check in from time to time, but not three times a day as I have done over these many years. I'll be on the boat, getting it ready for the trip, fixing minor things that need fixing, and just watching the world go by from the deck of the boat, which is a nice way to watch the sun go down every evening.
So, if you don't see me around here very often, don't despair - I ain't dead yet! You can still email me if you have some questions about your Yamaha arranger keyboards, and I will do my level best to come up with a solution to your problems.
All the best,
Gary
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