As many of you know, Dad has scleroderma which is a progressive, noncurable autoimmune disorder that causes an increased production of collagen causing a hardening and tightening of the skin. He was diagnosed over 15 years ago, but the disease has started to affect his lungs resulting in labored breathing and fluid accumulation. Last year, he had drainage tubes inserted into the pleural space of his lungs to help alleviate some of the fluid that was building up. Deborah has been draining them about every other day. He is now getting supplemental oxygen which brings him some relief. His appetite is poor and his body is likely not absorbing the nutrients he is able to consume, so he has lost a lot of weight. This past Friday, he was admitted to the hospital with suspected pneumonia. He was also anemic, so they gave him some blood and started him on antibiotics for the pneumonia. While he was in the hospital they ran some tests on the accumulated lung fluid and found that he has an extremely rare bacterial infection called nocardia that is infecting his lungs. This would not be good news for a healthy individual, so it was really bad news for my Dad since he is so immunocompromised. Nocardiosis is very difficult to treat and the risk of serious side effects led us to decide not to pursue the long course of antibiotic therapy. Other aggressive measures were discussed with his physicians and Dad and Deborah decided that these would just decrease his quality of life rather than make anything better in the long run. The physicians agreed with us and on Monday night he was discharged home.
All of our immediate family are home in Copley and we decided to proceed with hospice care. We met with a hospice administrative nurse today and should meet his primary hospice caregiver within a few days.
Thank you to all of you for your calls, prayers and well wishes. We will be posting periodic updates on Dad's health. Please feel free to provide a comment on the blog. Certainly these will be shared with Dad.
Tracy
13 comments:
Dave,
I know I'm only one of many people at Smithers and at many other companies who are thinking about you right now. For as long as I've been with the company you've been the public face of Smithers to so many of our customers, and it seems like almost any time I meet what I think is a new customer, they ask me about you.
If there's a way to beat this, I know you'll find it. Whatever happens, I wish you well.
You have touched many people over the years and we are all pulling for you.
Jim McIntyre
Smithers Ravenna
Dave,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I struggle to find the right words to share, so bare with me. I have know you for over 12 years now and I have nothing but respect for you. There were many times you have pointed things out to me and I thought “ That can’t be!”. Although I hate to admit it, you were always right. You have taught me a lot about business and client interaction. I thank you for that.
Most people dream of being world famous. You truly are! How can I be on the phone with someone on the other side of the planet, then have them say “ How is Dave?”. It is amazing to me how many people in this world know your name. That is a great achievement!
God bless you and your family. Thank you so much.
Sean Connolly
Smithers Ravenna
David. just to let you know that you are in my prayers just would like to help. I have tears in my eyes i am writing this i hope you are in good the with the BIG MAN. I know Grace is there with your family, friends,ask her to give you a BIG HUGSSS! from all of us. A friends and BIL BERNARD.XXXXXX
Williams Family,
What A true blessing that all of you can be together at this time. You guys are the definition of FAMILY. Mom Williams, I bet that house is as cozy as I remember, probably more so now with all that extra love inside. Mr Williams, you always called me "kid" (or did you call everyone kid?).. LOVED IT! I can't tell you enough how important it was to me, growing up with Kristen seeing the importance of family in your home, I know now, as we get older, what an influence your loving family has had on my life. All of my love and prayers.
Love, Olivia aka - Lou*
P.S. I LOVE the picture on here!
"You've kept track
of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
each tear entered in Your ledger,
each ache written in Your book."
(Psalm 56:8)
Dear "Willy's,"
My thoughts and prayers are with your whole family. You all mean so much to me. We have had so many fantastic memories with Mr. Williams over the years...I could write a book on that! Some of my favorites...Mr. Williams driving us to school before his bible study class while Kristin and I jammed in the back seat to 104.1, Watching the tribe games on TV, Going to ski club all bundled up, Mr. Williams dancing with a broken leg for the Father/Daughter dance at Kristin and Nicks wedding, or just sitting in the living room chatting the night away (my favorite). Mr. Williams is such a special and unique man, and it goes to show from all of the heartfelt messages how much he is cared about. It is truly so wonderful you have all come together during this challenging time. It shows how close you are and have always been as a family. Cherish each and every one of your memories you have built over the years, those will last a lifetime. Remember how lucky you are to have such a loving and spiritual family, and how trying times like these bring everyone back to the basics. I love you all and I am thinking of you constantly.
Love,
Caitlin
Dear Dave, Debbie and Family,
How saddened we are to receive your e-mail. I still remember the first day I met you, I was working for CTI (Art Arfons Associates) and we were running a treadwear test for Smithers, that had to be around 1973 so we go back a long ways.
I remember you teaching us the proper way in measuring tires, who would have ever thought that project was the beginning of Smithers fleet testing which allowed Smithers to have treadwear test facilities in Ravenna OH, San Angelo TX, Pecos TX and Greenville SC.
Your contribution to the tire industry and Smithers has been insurmountable.
Over the years we certainly have had some fun times and stories that have given us a good laugh, like the time you borrowed the Buick Riviera and hauled a 12’ long 4x4 with it hanging out the passengers window and blowing out the back window after hitting a mail box, I’ll never forget that story. It was only about a month later when I borrowed the same car and had all kinds of electrical problems with it which Ken Cooper spent about a week diagnosing the problem by tearing out the complete dash board finding nothing wrong with it but discovered a penny inserted in the cigarette lighter in the back seat where my son Chad was sitting. The Riviera caused nothing but trouble for you and me, I wonder why Domeck ever bought that car?
Sharon and I are keeping you and your family in our prayers at this difficult time.
Love,
Doug & Sharon Van Arnam
I have many great memories of the Williams' family: family game night back when Tracy and I were in high school (I won't say how many years ago that was...) and Button, Button, Who's got the Button with my own children many years later. The biggest treat of all though was getting invited for Mr. Williams' famous Saturday morning pancakes. One time Dave and Deborah kept my 3 kids overnight. They awoke to Mr. Williams' pancakes, not just regular round ones, but pancakes poured in the shape of their initials! Anna, Anthony, and Maria still talk about Mr. Williams' amazing pancake feat.
Love, Jamie
Uncle Dave,
From my earliest memories of your dog Penny to Thanksgivings and road rallies to deep discussions about rubber chemicals - they are all good and truly memorable! Even Brandon talks about his time he spent with you on the golf course and the beach house. You have always made your mark wherever or with whomever you were with. People remember you and their conversations with you! Tracy, thank you for creating the blog – I know it is helpful to everyone and also to all of you to see how many people your Dad has touched. God Bless you, Uncle Dave, and your family too. Love, Nancy, Joe, Ashley & Brandon
David, my brother. What a joy through all of these years to be with you. As I think back on all of the adventures that we've shared together, I can only smile.
Skip Tyrell, you and Cream Demint. "Skip, get me a plate".
Falling Waters and white water rafting in PA.
Snow skiing in New Hampshire.
Water skiing at Lake George, CT
The summer olympics each year at Bayview beach.
Our famous, and most exciting trip, hitch hiking to CA and back.
There are so many more times where we've had so much fun, and I can only thank you over and over again for being there to share the memory. I love you.
Now we find ourselves here and this adventure isn't making me smile at all. I pray to the Lord that He lay His all knowing hands on you and take this sickness away from you so that we might go out and play some more.
May His comfort be with you and the family always.
Give me a call when you're feeling better and we'll get together somewhere. Maybe Nags Head.
God bless you Dave. You mean so very much to all of us.
Much love to my brother.
James -
Dave,
Do you remember that Easter season when Greg had broken up with me, and you and Deborah came to cheer me up? Somehow we decided to boil eggs for coloring, and Deborah and I were all worried how to do it without cracking them, and you just filled the pot with water and eggs and cranked the heat up, and not one egg broke.
Well, I look forward to Resurrection Day now more than ever, when we'll sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb, and we'll share greater stories still. Imagine that day. Praise be His name.
Later, my friend;
Jeani
I was remembering days gone by last night and I remembered the first time I heard Debra talk about Dave. It seemed he was having a hard time closing the deal on their relationship with "I Do." Debra was solidly in the "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it," stage. Needless to say I told her if this fellow can't make the commitment go find someone who would. THANK GOD SHE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME." You two were meant for each other. The rest as they say is history!
David Smith
Dave and Debbie,
I'm so sorry it so hard for people to get in touch with me these days. Because cell phones are published and that's all Margie and I have now.
But Barb Dalchuk got thru to me this morning and I wanted to write and let you both know that Margie and I will be praying for you. I'm sorry to hear that you're facing such a difficult battle health-wise these days. It is so easy for all of us to take good health for granted.
I hope you remember the apostle Paul's determination, which all of us need to make our own:
"I can do all things thru
Him who strengthens me."
Essentially, Paul was maintaining that he could face anything knowing that God was always infusing Him with strength. Plus, he's constantly infusing us with Psalm 23-type hope of a real-life, pulsating, and vibrant relationship with God.
By the way, my cell phone # is 614-256-1010 and my e-mail address is kenjbrown@aol.com. Please feel free to contact me. We love you both and we're sorry that we get to see each other so infrequently. God bless you both.
Pastor Ken Brown
Hey Dave and Debra-It's a beautiful day here in Vienna WV. Phyllis is packing to head back to WV Wesleyan tomorrow. It's a sure bet we won't be able to get every thing in one car-maybe not even a u-haul. I think about and offer up short prayers daily for you both. I hope your both having a good day. Read a funny thing in ESPN the magazine the other day...a comment on Jim Tressels troubles-Liar,liar vest on fire.Don't tell Denby I said that-I hear he takes his OSU football pretty serious.
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