Bill Kirchner's health -- Fine player, bandleader,

[Larry Kart]

I've sent a check:

Dear Friends of Bill Kirchner and Judy Kahn:

Your friends need your help.

All of you know about Bill’s longstanding health problems. Some of you know that for the best part of this past year, things have been especially difficult. First, Bill endured a summer of radiation to address the re-growth of his spinal cord tumor. The radiation caused disintegration of protective sheaths around his spinal cord, which sent him to the ER in October. Then came increasingly debilitating pain and stiffness, followed by severely swollen legs and feet. When his good leg buckled under him two weeks ago, he was rushed to the ER and admitted to the hospital for four days. The problem was Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT), serious blood clots deep in the veins in both legs that might break off and travel, causing dangerous risks to major organs; even with blood thinner medication, these could take months to dissolve. Now Bill and Judy are in the exhausting process of sorting contradictory medical opinions on why all this happened and what to do next, including the possibility of another spinal surgery. Bill has been told to keep moving, but on a very limited basis.

Bill is having so much trouble getting around that he's using a cane all the time now, and walking only with great effort and poor balance. Since he’s lost his ability to travel on his own, it’s now necessary for him to be “delivered” door to door for his medical appointments and teaching duties at three universities.

As a freelancer, Judy must take work when it comes or risk losing jobs, contacts, health insurance, and her share of their income. It is impossible for her to be "on call" to chauffeur Bill. So far, they have been blessed with generous friends pitching in, but this situation may go on for months.

The only reasonable solution is to hire transportation to fill in the gaps. Our first thought was to organize a benefit concert, but that takes time, and Bill needs help immediately. So we’ve decided to approach Bill’s friends, colleagues, and admirers directly. That’s what this e-mail is about.

We urge you to send a check to help defray these expenses—and to forward this e-mail to anyone whom you think would be willing to do the same.

Our goal is to raise enough money to see our dear friends through the worst of the weeks and months to come, in the hope that Bill’s health will improve to the point where he can once again take public transportation and get around on his own.

If you’re one of the many people who’s listened to Bill’s music, tuned in one of his broadcasts, or read a set of his liner notes, you’ve gotten a sense of what a compassionate guy he is. Bill and Judy have been generous to many of us through the years. Now it’s our turn to help them.

Please make your checks out to Judy Kahn, and send them directly to this address:

Bill Kirchner and Judy Kahn

269 Audley Street

South Orange, NJ 07079

Then pass the word.

You can make a big difference in your friends’ lives—but please don’t wait. They need you now.

Many thanks for any help you can give.

Sincerely,

TERRY TEACHOUT

JUDITH SCHLESINGER

JIM FERGUSON

P.S. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at:

Terry Teachout, TerryTeachout@earthlink.net

Judith Schlesinger, shrinktunes@optonline.net

Jim Ferguson, JimFerguson1@comcast.net

[Free For All]

Very sorry to hear about this. I plan to send something.

Deep Venous Thrombosis is what killed that reporter David Bloom, wasn't it?

[Larry Kart]

Very sorry to hear about this. I plan to send something.

Deep Venous Thrombosis is what killed that reporter David Bloom, wasn't it?

Yes:

http://www.clotcare.com/clotcare/dvtstorymelaniebloom.aspx

[makpjazz57]

Larry,

Sad to hear of this, but thanks for letting us know - my check will be in the mail tomorrow.

Marla