Surreal experience

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Posted by Eric Johnson (66.14.247.58) on 10:43:40 07/10/04

Karl: It s been a long time since I contacted you but just wanted to tell you I look forward to my weekly Schlaging.

After we last spoke I was able to generate a lot of interest but no funding to look at Sage usage and cognitive issues. As we had discussed it would have been a tough study in any case.

2004 finds us in Wisconsin and back near our dear friends the Wynias. Clyde is still the zoo keeper or paleontologist at Jurustic Park and is as pleasant and happy a man as I have ever met. Nan melts glass and weaves her textiles. She and my wife Jo are dear friends and it was a pleasure to get them working together again.

We re back here after it was clear that my wife Jo would never be happy in AZ. I was creating a non profit lab that was to do BioBanking for a number of rare disease organizations and indigenous populations with the plan being to vest this biological resource with the owners ie the patients and isolated populations. It is a bid to address BioPiracy and expedite research into orphan diseases. We toyed with the idea of returning to our roots in Connecticut when I was offered space at Yale however, my old mentor in Marshfield, Jim Weber was creating a new for profit company at this same time and asked me to run his Diagnostics Division, offeing a safe haven for my fledgling non profit as well as a secure pay check, an not insignificant consideration with 3 kids still in school. This is where the whole story of return, contentment, promise and contentment goes tragic.

7 months after our return to what we thought would be the happiest years of our life, Jo was diagnosed with an aggressive, incurable and virtually untreatable stomach cancer. That was in April. After 4 months of horrific chemo, she is full time in the hospital and clearly, barring a miracle, terminal. The one bright spot in this and both Jo and I feel that its destiny is the fact that we are in Marshfield. It s the home of the Marshfield Clinic, state of the art medicine just 2 minutes away. With my connections in molecular Oncology at BNI/St Jos, at TGen and at the NCI at the NIH, we are absolutely clear that Jo has had every option and experimental potential explored. My job is 5 minutes a way and I can leave work, pick up the kids and see Jo all in 10 minute span. The community here has rallied around and we are being taken care of . This cover all aspect, from meals delivered to spiritual support.

In terms of Jo s care, the hospital here staffs a palliative care department. They are miraculous people. The act as facilitators between the medical staff and Jo and I. I m an extreme pain in the back side. I have just enough medical knowledge to ask the tough questions and make the physicians uncomfortable and a knowledge of the molecular state of the art that is years ahead of what the medical community is working with. They helped the staff to take the suggestions channeled to them by me from my outside advisors seriously when I was at first patronized and essentially ignored. They are the integrators of care and the advocates voice for Jo s wishes.

I m off in minute to a care conference arranged by Palliative that will bring Oncology, nursing, dietary, psych, and the family all together to help Jo make her needs and wishes clear. We ve done everything we can to help her beat this thing, now that its clear the cancer is winning they are here to help her die with dignity, a real tough call for a 46 year old mother of 3. I don t think anyone can help me say goodbye to my soul mate but they are there as much for me as for Jo.

Take care Eric Johnson

Dr. Eric W. Johnson, Director
Molecular Diagnostics and BioBanking
PreventionGenetics LLC
3700 Downwind Drive
Marshfield, WI 54449
715-387-0484
715-384-3661 FAX
eric.johnson@preventiongenetics.com
Web site: http://www.preventiongenetics.com

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Comments:	: Karl: It s been a long time since I contacted you but just wanted to tell you I look forward to my weekly Schlaging. : : After we last spoke I was able to generate a lot of interest but no funding to look at Sage usage and cognitive issues. As we had discussed it would have been a tough study in any case. : : 2004 finds us in Wisconsin and back near our dear friends the Wynias. Clyde is still the zoo keeper or paleontologist at Jurustic Park and is as pleasant and happy a man as I have ever met. Nan melts glass and weaves her textiles. She and my wife Jo are dear friends and it was a pleasure to get them working together again. : : We re back here after it was clear that my wife Jo would never be happy in AZ. I was creating a non profit lab that was to do BioBanking for a number of rare disease organizations and indigenous populations with the plan being to vest this biological resource with the owners ie the patients and isolated populations. It is a bid to address BioPiracy and expedite research into orphan diseases. We toyed with the idea of returning to our roots in Connecticut when I was offered space at Yale however, my old mentor in Marshfield, Jim Weber was creating a new for profit company at this same time and asked me to run his Diagnostics Division, offeing a safe haven for my fledgling non profit as well as a secure pay check, an not insignificant consideration with 3 kids still in school. This is where the whole story of return, contentment, promise and contentment goes tragic. : : 7 months after our return to what we thought would be the happiest years of our life, Jo was diagnosed with an aggressive, incurable and virtually untreatable stomach cancer. That was in April. After 4 months of horrific chemo, she is full time in the hospital and clearly, barring a miracle, terminal. The one bright spot in this and both Jo and I feel that its destiny is the fact that we are in Marshfield. It s the home of the Marshfield Clinic, state of the art medicine just 2 minutes away. With my connections in molecular Oncology at BNI/St Jos, at TGen and at the NCI at the NIH, we are absolutely clear that Jo has had every option and experimental potential explored. My job is 5 minutes a way and I can leave work, pick up the kids and see Jo all in 10 minute span. The community here has rallied around and we are being taken care of . This cover all aspect, from meals delivered to spiritual support. : : In terms of Jo s care, the hospital here staffs a palliative care department. They are miraculous people. The act as facilitators between the medical staff and Jo and I. I m an extreme pain in the back side. I have just enough medical knowledge to ask the tough questions and make the physicians uncomfortable and a knowledge of the molecular state of the art that is years ahead of what the medical community is working with. They helped the staff to take the suggestions channeled to them by me from my outside advisors seriously when I was at first patronized and essentially ignored. They are the integrators of care and the advocates voice for Jo s wishes. : : I m off in minute to a care conference arranged by Palliative that will bring Oncology, nursing, dietary, psych, and the family all together to help Jo make her needs and wishes clear. We ve done everything we can to help her beat this thing, now that its clear the cancer is winning they are here to help her die with dignity, a real tough call for a 46 year old mother of 3. I don t think anyone can help me say goodbye to my soul mate but they are there as much for me as for Jo. : : Take care Eric Johnson : : Dr. Eric W. Johnson, Director : Molecular Diagnostics and BioBanking : PreventionGenetics LLC : 3700 Downwind Drive : Marshfield, WI 54449 : 715-387-0484 : 715-384-3661 FAX : eric.johnson@preventiongenetics.com : Web site: http://www.preventiongenetics.com :
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Dr. Carl A. Hammerschlag, M.D., CPAE, psychiatrist and author, is a professional keynote and motivational speaker. He speaks on a variety of topics including healthcare, mind body and spirit, health and wellness, mental healing and leadership. He has delivered motivational and keynote speaches to corporate and business clients around the world.