Memorial fund for "Big Bob"
Donation protected
Our dad, Robert V. Friesen "Big Bob" lived in Van Vleck since 1985 with our mom Betty. Just before Thanksgiving, our dad started suffering a migrane that he was unable to get relief from, and a few days later, on December 1st, he was admitted to ICU in Matagorda General Hospital in Bay City. Once there, he had slipped into a coma, put on a ventilator, and it was soon determined that he would need more extensive care in a facility that could run tests on site.
After he was transferred to St. Luke's in Houston, countless more tests were performed, including lumbar punctures, several EEG's, MRI's, CT scans, chest x-rays, blood tests, blood transfusions, and plasma exchanges. Sadly, in the process, he developed Pneumonia, Guillian Barre` (Amsan), and neurologically declined dramatically. Initially, the doctors thought he had suffered a stoke, his temperature and blood pressure were unstable, that he might have a stomach bleed, and he was suffering seisures. Most of the staff that came in contact with him at St. Luke's said that he was quite the "mystery man" because his symptoms weren't textbook, and he was near impossible to diagnose.
After two weeks of being under the care of the outstanding ICU, Resperatory, and Neurology staff at St. Luke's, the tests came by positive for West Nile Virus, and we were told that our dad would never make even a partial recovery. The combination of Guillian Barre` and West Nile had done tremendous nerve and brain damage, so the our mom, my brother and decided to release him from the body that served him for 73 years, on Wednesday, December 14th at 3:45 p.m.
Truly, he looked forward to the day that he would be able to go back to Heaven, since he had a near death experience following a heart attack in 1996. We felt priveledged to have been able to give him that, and although it was a difficult decision, we know it was the right thing.
The funds that we are requesting, will be used in many ways. The hospital bills are arriving, and there is an incredible amount of downsizing, liquidating, and repairs that need to be done on the home that he shared with our mother. In additon, our mother no longer has an income, and there were no savings for their retirement. Our goal is to move our mother closer to us in Austin so that we can look after her in her final years.
We certainly wish things would have turned out differently, and we never would have thought that a mosquito would have taken out our dad. We feel his presence and guidance every day, and thank you for taking the time to read through and consider our cause.
After he was transferred to St. Luke's in Houston, countless more tests were performed, including lumbar punctures, several EEG's, MRI's, CT scans, chest x-rays, blood tests, blood transfusions, and plasma exchanges. Sadly, in the process, he developed Pneumonia, Guillian Barre` (Amsan), and neurologically declined dramatically. Initially, the doctors thought he had suffered a stoke, his temperature and blood pressure were unstable, that he might have a stomach bleed, and he was suffering seisures. Most of the staff that came in contact with him at St. Luke's said that he was quite the "mystery man" because his symptoms weren't textbook, and he was near impossible to diagnose.
After two weeks of being under the care of the outstanding ICU, Resperatory, and Neurology staff at St. Luke's, the tests came by positive for West Nile Virus, and we were told that our dad would never make even a partial recovery. The combination of Guillian Barre` and West Nile had done tremendous nerve and brain damage, so the our mom, my brother and decided to release him from the body that served him for 73 years, on Wednesday, December 14th at 3:45 p.m.
Truly, he looked forward to the day that he would be able to go back to Heaven, since he had a near death experience following a heart attack in 1996. We felt priveledged to have been able to give him that, and although it was a difficult decision, we know it was the right thing.
The funds that we are requesting, will be used in many ways. The hospital bills are arriving, and there is an incredible amount of downsizing, liquidating, and repairs that need to be done on the home that he shared with our mother. In additon, our mother no longer has an income, and there were no savings for their retirement. Our goal is to move our mother closer to us in Austin so that we can look after her in her final years.
We certainly wish things would have turned out differently, and we never would have thought that a mosquito would have taken out our dad. We feel his presence and guidance every day, and thank you for taking the time to read through and consider our cause.
Organizer and beneficiary
Stephanie Schleicher
Organizer
Austin, TX
Betty Friesen
Beneficiary