*** PLEASE HELP ***

[Zethco]

I have just posted this on the other forum, but having been down and gone so long, I thought for all I know most of us come here now. So forgive the double posting please!

Please help initial:

Hello brothers,

It’s been over a year since I’ve been on the board. I am writing up a more detailed explaination of what’s happened to me but it’s taking a bit longer (complicated) and will post that later today.

In the meantime, here’s the short. I’ve been fighting for my life for the last year. Continuing to get worse, but thankfully I’ve had about a week of relief in that I can walk a little now and I can manage the pain enough to function at a basic level for a few mins or a few hours a day.

I’ve become very sick after a simple surgery. Became 90% paralyzed waist down in the beginning (Sept 08), 90% paralyzed entire body (beginning Jan 09). Heart issues, Lung issues, joint/tendons mostly destroyed in some places… etc. As I mentioned, I’ve been writing a more detailed explaination but it’s taking too long and I need to at least get my plea for help up first. So I will continue once I’ve posted this and will create a separate post with more detail by tonight.

I have lost everything due to this. I have been unable to care for my own basic needs like eating, showering, even going to the washroom. Lost my house to foreclosure, ALL my savings, job, cars, perfect credit now destroyed, etc. Lost EVERYTHING. Only left with the ZR1, a huge TV and clothes that no longer fit as I’ve lost about 40lbs of muscle alone. And still very ill, getting worse.

I am in California at the moment. A small, sleepy, harbor town called Dana Point, about 60 miles north of San Diego. The ONLY medical help for me other than the Mayo Clinic is here. My family and home (need to be out in the next month – foreclosed) is in Chicago. In Feb I had the ZR1 shipped here since it was much cheaper than renting a car (no money anyway) to use while I am here seeing the Neurologists and other Dr’s.

I need to and will be back in Cali as soon as possible, my ONLY medical treatment is here. Even Emergency Rooms in Chicago cannot help me, but more on that later. I will need a minor miracle to get my family and I moved here, as again, I’ve lost everything. AND am a pseudo-cripple. But I will hopefully find a way, I need to. Only a matter of weeks before I and my family are evicted from the home I built with my own 2 hands.

I need to get home to Chicago so I can sell what little I have left (TV, misc clothes, misc junk) before I go back to the Mayo Clinic on 25 Sept. I need to have the Z with me for a number of reasons, but transportation to the Mayo Clinic is just one of them.

I was last in Cali Feb/March, just before my first Mayo Clinic stay. After the Mayo Clinic visit (17 March – 25 March) I became gravely ill and hadn’t returned to Cali until mid August. My ZR1 was with a friend here in Dana Point while I was gone, but that friend had sadly passed away 2days before I returned. When I was here last, I bought replacement injectors (Thanks John!) but was too sick to do it and soon after I left Cali for the Mayo Clinic.

What was a small issue with sticking/leaking injectors has quickly become a major issue. The car had 4k miles with I bought it from Kevin in 2006. Put 4k miles on it here in Cali, mostly driving between SoCal/Palo Alto – Stanford/ San Francisco – UCSF. The Cali gas quickly finished off the original Multec’s and I cannot make it to Chicago without swapping them out.

I have the new injectors with me, gaskets (thanks Jerry!) will be here tomorrow morning. I have most of the tools I need, but I haven’t yet pulled the plenum myself and most of all, I’m not healthy enough anymore to do it myself. Not to mention, if I’m about to drive across country I need to be certain it’s done right. If I get stuck because I missed something, it could be life-threatening for me.

In short: Are there any of my Brothers here in SoCal who can and might be willing to lend a hand in changing my injectors? The car is drivable for a short distance. I’m confident I can drive an hour or so if need be to reach you.

I just really need help, and those who know me would tell you I’m the one who always helps. But somehow asking for help like this is one of the harder things I’ve done in a long time. Stupid, probably. But I’m just not wired to ask for help and I really need to get over that. Because I am now in desperate need of as much help as I can get. Not just with the injectors, but with so much else.

I will continue to write the more detailed explaination for post later today. Please know though, while this sounds terrible and it IS, I'm coping with it and I'm still me. I'm in unusually good spirits and am the happiest I've ever been. But all the happiness in the world won't make this go away enough. That said, I have not and will not let this or the medical establishment beat me. Even though I've lost EVERYTHING, I learned what's important in life. And that, I already have. My beautiful 2 year old Son, Aedan... He gives me all the strength I need. I promised him DaDa will walk and he'll get to ride on my shoulders again soon. I intend to keep my promise, but I need help from my friends and brothers.

Really, thank you in advance for any help you might be.

Michael

[Zethco]

Speaking of being thankful:

I want to publicly thank Jerry Downey of Jerry's Gaskets. Having lost everything and having spent literally my last dollar to pay for the Neurologists visit at Stanford (have to pay cash up front, insurance companies destroyed health care), my mother had FedEx'd me her credit card so I can get home. Which I might add doesn't lend well to a Man's pride.

Jerry's Gaskets isn't yet setup to take credit cards. Jerry insisted on sending these anyway, on faith and trust. Moreover, he also fronted the $70 FedEx shipping cost for Saturday Delivery. Out of kindness, trust and faith. He said not to worry, just send him a check when I get back to Chicago. Which I most certainly will.

Thank you Jerry for your kindness. I didn't ask, didn't at all even think of it and was ready to simply say thank you anyway and try to find alternate means. You insisted on helping, not even knowing much of the reason I was in need. Really, thank you.

Michael

[tccrab]

Micheal:

Would love to help you out, but am 600 miles north of you.
Wish you were closer, I'd do it for you.

Don't give up the faith, one of the Brothers closer to you will chime in soon.

As far as your illness, don't quit fighting.
It's always darkest before the dawn.

TomC
"Crabs"

[bdw18_123]

I sent you a PM on the "other" forum. I'm in central cali, but I would not mind the drive, and would like to help you out.

[Z Factor]

I am very sorry to hear about your medical problems Michael. Needless to say if you were in Florida I would help you out, so I am sure there will be someone out there that can assist you.
Keep us informed whenever you get a chance and feel up to it.

[Zethco]

Thanks Ben, I replied but will also post here as a pseudo update. An AB Brother David out East is working to make some calls to the local SoCal guys and hopefully there will be someone closer to the San Diego or LA area - I'm smack dab between them on Pacific Coast Hwy.

Nothing for sure as of yet, but I will of course keep posting updates.

I'd just hate to have someone drive that far if it might be done closer in a garage. But as I said in the PM just knowing people are genuinely willing to go that far to help means a lot.

So thank you all. By the responses here from those who remember me and wish me well, I am confident the Brotherhood will be able to lend a hand. And that's an amazing feeling. Really is.

[Pete]

If anybody can help Mike he and i would really apreciate it.
Mike is a very good guy.

Hope all goes well.

Wish the car was closer or here you know i'd jump on it like it was Pamela Anderson.

Mike,i'm a phone call away if you have any questions.

Hope to see you soon.
Pete

[ZZZZZR1]

Looks like we are set....


Brent has offered his garage in Redondo Beach and another member Ted is helping out as well!


Have to love this community.




David

[jonszr1]

i live a couple hundred miles away but would be more than happy to do this for you . dont know iff you remember me .i bought the borla exhaust . i also have alot of extra gaskets o ring secondary stuff that i will donate to you if needed . just let me know if there is something you need .

[Zethco]

Originally Posted by Pete

If anybody can help Mike he and i would really apreciate it.
Mike is a very good guy.

Hope all goes well.

Wish the car was closer or here you know i'd jump on it like it was Pamela Anderson.

Mike,i'm a phone call away if you have any questions.

Hope to see you soon.
Pete

Thank you Pete and tell the Green Beast we'll see it soon. It's a beautiful color and all, but not exactly Pamela Anderson. At least what's under it's hood is REAL ya know

I was just about to post the update but clearly I was slow. Thank you all so far and I've decided to finally create the website I set up months ago for this. It's just been something I haven't talked much about, ignoring it as best I could was how I was able to cope. But now I need far too much help, and I know there's others out there like me. So finally putting up the site/blog/etc will help others tremendously when they need it the most. The will needed to keep fighting to even be heard (much less helped) for this long is beyond description.

Add the surrounding devestation this caused the rest of my life and I can say without my Son, I can't say I would have been able to survive this. Amazing what having a Son does to a Man. And wouldn't you know it, it was you, Pete who promised me this boy would forever change me and make me the man I became.