Shulgin had a stroke, and he's in the hospital

Someone on his facebook posted R.I.P.?

 

I dont see that...
You know this is his official facebook right?

 

Oh thanks, it was on his fan page I guess look up Alexander shulgin on fb some idiot said rip Alexander shulgin blahdy blah blah blah

 

Thank God!

 

This was posted on Sasha's facebook today:

Dear Everybody,
Sasha came home Wednesday night. Attached to his left foot is a most extraordinary invention called a Wound Vacuum, not very large at all -- it's mostly a piece of special black sponge which is fitted to the wound, held to it by thin see-through film which extends well beyond the ulcer(s) to wrap around... the leg. A thin tube extends from the middle of the wrapping, down to a dainty black purse-like box which hums away, maintaining a complete vacuum. The purpose of this miraculous contraption is to draw out fluids which tend to build up in the injured area, causing swelling and inflammation, and also to encourage blood to move into the field of battle. Without blood flow, healing cannot take place, and healing (not only in the general sense of the word, but in the very specific sense of the coming together of the edges of a wound, the forming of granulation tissue, and eventually the reforming of healthy skin over the ulcer) is the thing we've been waiting for during the past six months.
We are very lucky people. We've got a plucky British woman, cheerful and efficient, funny and optimistic, who comes for the night watch, helps with Sasha's dinner (he's still being hand-fed), brushes his teeth and checks to see that the nether regions are dry before he goes to sleep, after which she curls up on our long, very comfy couch and doesn't stir unless Sasha wakes up, or the 5:30 alarm goes off, at which time she looks for me and, if necessary, knocks on my bedroom door to wake me up. Then we both change the King's diaper (he often sleeps through all this), tuck him back into his blankets, and go back to sleep. Which reminds me, I'd better take an intermission, and get some sleep before my own alarm goes off in four and a half hours. I'll continue this tomorrow, I promise. Ann

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Thanks for sharing that!!!

 

does anyone know the source of this ulcer on his foot? i mean..a stroke at 85 isn't all that surprising. i dunno how common this other thing is though, and a small part of me can't help but think it has something to do with vasoconstriction from all the chemicals.

sounds like he's doing alright, but i hope he gets well.

 

Source is the US government imo.

;P

 

damn, im glad he is home with both feet
it does upset me to read that the shulgin's are having financial difficulty after all they have done for the universe, I gotta donate some money for all the beautiful moments Alexander and Ann Shulgin have helped me experience.

 

These Updates have been posted on his facebook the past few days:

11/30
Dear Loyal Friends,
I beg your forgiveness for having left you in the dark the last three days; I can only say that, despite having help round the clock, I've found myself, by 8 or 9 p.m., utterly exhausted and wanting only to collapse in bed. By morning, I'm okay -- even my slight emphysema has cleared up. But at nig...ht? Holy Toledo, as the ancient ones used to say. I think I've been working harder at a thousand little things than I realized. If it weren't for the really wonderful people coming in to take care of Sasha, I can't imagine -- well, anyway. Enough.
Sasha is getting better. Slowly, slowly, his strength is returning. The Achilles tendon wound, when the Wound Vac. is taken off for changing (every three days) is looking beautiful, clean and beginning to show "granulation tissue," which apparently means it's going to heal, says the doctor. Amputation is fading into the shadows as a threat. Not entirely gone, yet, but fading. Another kind of threat has also retreated, due to the ingestion of what is known around here as the Big Guns -- a glass of prune juice.
The doctor has ordered that Sasha be helped onto his feet three times a day, even if he takes only a few steps. He's going to eat his meals sitting in a chair or wheelchair, from now on. It's amazing how fast the legs lose strength, when you lie in a bed for a week or more. However, it's even more amazing how quickly that strength returns, when the patient makes those thigh muscles work to push him into standing position!
We take him into San Francisco to see one of the terrific surgeons who saved his foot last week -- on Wednesday, and based on what he sees, he'll tell us what happens next and how soon. We're expecting (and hoping) that the wound will be healing sufficiently, within the next two weeks or so, to allow a skin graft to be put in place. But none of us can predict anything until the surgeon and our new, already beloved doctor have examined the foot carefully and come to their conclusions. But it's looking really, really good right now.
We'll tell you what happens on Wednesday. If I don't manage to, Greg or Tania certainly will. And I apologize again for leaving you all wondering and worrying.
Now, back to bed. Speech therapist comes tomorrow morning at 9, to watch Sasha eat breakfast, probably to evaluate his swallowing, etc. His speech is improving already, believe it or not. That man has an amazing life-force.
Goodnight, love and blessings to you all. Ann


12/1
Greg (who was away with Tania for four days and is now back home) told me today about the help you have been sending us (he is taking care of the contributions that have been coming in), and about so many of you who have very little to spare -- especially in this difficult economy -- but... who have nonetheless sent us something to express love and gratitude to Sasha. I don't know what to say, except Thank You, and thank you again, and please, please don't send what you can't afford; if you're out of a job, wait until you're back on your feet and comfortable. We are very lucky, very blessed, in so many ways; Sasha's stroke was mild, and the effects are beginning to show signs of healing. We're also blessed by having wonderful, patient, loving and good-humored people giving Sasha round-the-clock care. They are being paid, of course, but any one of them COULD have turned out to be difficult or impatient or short-tempered, but instead, they are all easy to work with and affectionate and uncomplaining under even the most trying circumstances. And, as is always the case in situations like ours, there are moments that would try the patience of Mother Theresa herself.


Tomorrow, we take Sasha to San Francisco, to see one of the two surgeons who worked on his left foot and -- quite probably -- saved it from amputation. He will evaluate it and give us some idea of what the next step is, and how soon (presumably a skin graft).


Sasha is more alert, beginning to make puns again, and anxious to get out of bed (until he's actually out of bed, when he discovers that he actually appreciates the bed more than he realized), and his appetite is good again (there was one bad day when he ate very little, but only one). His food is still being pureed, but that probably won't be for long, since his swallowing is improving. His speech is clearer, already, and a speech therapist will be coming once or twice a week for a while. There are moments when the nerve pain breaks through, but his pain medication is really good, and the bad moments don't last long, thank heaven.


I'll keep the reports coming, except when I simply can't, but those difficult days are coming less frequently, and I can almost always write just before going to bed.


Bless all of you, and thank you so much for everything you're doing, and for showing so much love to this extraordinary and delightful man (and I say this as his wife of almost thirty years). If healing continues as we believe it will, it won't be very long until Sasha will be able to get back to the lab and back to work doing what he loves most in life, with our good friend, Paul, being his co-chemist (and furnishing good eyesight).


Goodnight -- Ann

12/3
For the first time since the stroke, Sasha was able to join me for dinner at the dining room table. His color and sense of humor have returned. Afterwards, he had a painful night. Ann was with him from 4am until ??? They are both resting now. Despite difficulty, Sasha is healing. Your gifts have a tremendous impac...t. And I would like to expand the fundraising campaign; please spread the word. Thank you. ~ gregM

 

lol damn these psychedelics Brotherans love to push some heavy numbers. I'd like to be out by 65-70ish. But 85 after all those chemicals? Not bad not bad gotta give him some respect

 

These reports are pure inspiration. How difficult to be going through this for both of them, but what a great and positive attitude. The love between these two is touching and inspiring, even to an old far who has been with her own husband for well over 22 years.

I am so very pleased that he is recovering function so very quickly. It took a long time for my paternal grandfather, though almost everything did eventually come back.

The face that Dr. Shulgin is making puns is extremely good news. Sounds like his mind is intact in there even if he's having trouble with speech and movement. The fact that he still desires to return to the lab is an extremely hopeful piece of news. So often people who completely retire from doing what they love don't last that long . . .

 

Wow, so good to hear he's improving.

 

This is their first update in about 24 days.


"Well, hallelujah ladies and gentlemen! Facebook just sent us a letter of apology for disabling our account and, amazing as it seems, WE ARE BACK! Nice to be back among you all. ~ gregM (for Sasha & Ann)

Hi everybody,

Sasha, Tania and Ann just left The Farm and are headed to the hospital in San Francisco. Sasha is about to undergo the long awaited skin graft surgery. Now would be a wonderful time for you to, pretty please, send a surge of love and magic in Sasha's direction. Thank you

Also, Sasha still needs financial help so, ple...ase continue to send your contributions and to spread the word. There is a convenient donation button at our new Shulgin Legacy Project page ( http://shulginresearch.org/ ).

In addition, since we have been out of communication for a while, I've included Ann's last three updates below.

Thank you all for hanging in there with Sasha and Ann.

In gratitude. ~ gregM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2010 5:16 PM, PST

Dear Excellent and Superior Human Beans (also those entities who have migrated from other planets),

Merry Xmas, Happy Hannukah (slightly late) and Joyful Solstice (also slightly late, but who cares)! I hope you all slept well and long. This is going to be a very short but positive note, since I have to spend many hours today wrapping what used to be Xmas presents, but are now Happy New Year presents.

I think I probably failed to report on last Monday's good results of a barium swallow test that Sasha underwent. The results were that, apparently, he no longer lets thin fluid down his windpipe, as was the case right after the little stroke. Which means that he can now have water ("Tried it once; didn't care for it," he says), soup and just about anything else he wants, without thickening. The only favorite thing he can't have yet is red wine, which has been his favorite drug for many, many years. As long as he's on pain medications, even the least bit of alcohol causes discombobulization, so it will wait until this whole leg and foot thing is over, and things have returned to whatever passes for "normal" in this household.

Happy holidays, dear people. Take care of yourselves and try to avoid anyone with symptoms of a head cold, because the one going around here is highly contagious and you're better off without it, believe me!

Blessings and Thank You for being there -- Ann (and Sasha)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2010 4:56 PM, PST

Dear People Here, There and Everywhere,

Continuing the story of next week's skin-graft surgery: As I told you last time, they (the Medical They) were wanting to do the procedure next Wednesday, but it turned out they couldn't get a reservation at the hospital (I assume all the surgical rooms were filled, or something), so the new date is Tuesday, the 28th of December, at around 10 a.m. Sasha will go into the hospital the night before -- Monday evening, the 27th -- timing his arrival to avoid the nurse's shift change, which happens at 7 p.m. Which means we'll get him there around 8 p.m., when the nurses are fresh and relatively non-grumpy. This state of being is always helpful when one is a new patient (also fresh and non-grumpy). Especially when the patient (in this case, Sasha Shulgin, in case you're losing track ) has a tendency to correct people's English grammar, as well as to create puns of widely varying degrees of acceptability. The English grammar thing is invariably the same mistake, no matter what or where the hospital, and Sasha can always depend on a nurse, or orderly, or -- for that matter -- a doctor, to make that mistake: "Why don't you just lay back and relax, Doctor Shulgin (or Sasha)," or some version of the same thing. Sasha's response is instant and enthusiastic, "LIE, not LAY!" Almost always, this exchange takes place in a hallway, with Sasha on a moving gurney, surrounded by cheerful escapees from English 101. Being fresh and presumably well-slept, these angels of mercy always thank him for correcting their error, while I do my part, lifting my voice just enough to be heard by The Professor on his fast-moving gurney, "One of these days, Sasha, you'll correct the Wrong Person, and then, you'll be S-o-r-r-y!!!!" What I should say, of course, is "Next time, My Boy, wait until AFTER THE SURGERY before you insult the surgeon or the surgeon's girlfriend.

"Oh, well. (Sigh.)

The skin-graft is not guaranteed to take, unfortunately, but we hope and cross all available fingers and toes. All I know is that They will position his left leg in the air, or at least higher than his heart. This position will be held by the left leg for most of six days. Since elevating that leg under normal circumstances always causes Sasha extreme pain, the surgeon plans to do some kind of temporary nerve-block, as well as giving him interesting amounts of I.V. Dilaudid (or Dilauded? Deluded? Never mind.) This plan helps alleviate my considerable panic at the thought of what might otherwise happen. All of these medical procedures seem to be a constant battle between the rocks and hard places, an unending effort to keep the patient steady on his high-wire -- particularly when the patient is an older human, beset by several quite different physical problems all at once. What may require a thinning of the blood (trying to avoid a stroke) may work directly against a tendency to intestinal bleeding -- et and also cetera. And to think I actually spent several decades wishing I'd become a doctor! Holy Smokes, Batman!

What will happen when Sasha leaves the hospital, none of us know(s). We'll cross that whatsit when we come to it.

That's it for tonight, my friends. Stay safe, have a really happy holiday, and sleep late. Ann

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2010 12:39 AM, PST

Dear People,

The only reason for the silence of the past few days is that I became -- well -- sort of discouraged. Maybe a bit depressed. It happens sometimes. Today things changed for the better, because we saw the plastic surgeon again and he expressed approval and delight at the sight of Sasha's main wound (they call it an ulcer). It has lots and lots of granulation tissue, which is what we've all been waiting for. And he set a date for Sasha to go into hospital for the skin graft: Wednesday, December 29th. Next week. For about six days.

I'll continue this tomorrow, when I've had a good night's sleep. I promise I will write much more, but tonight I'm very tired, so bed is the best place for me to be, and I intend to wake up with some amount of energy and I will devote the day -- most of it -- to completing this report and also wrapping presents (which will be several days late for Xmas, but that's just the way it's going to be).

May you all sleep well, too. And forgive me again for failing to communicate for so long. I'll try not to let it happen again. No promises, but at least I'll really try.

Bless all of you ------- Ann"


Looks like he is going back under the knife tomorrow, send good vibes.