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Ric Sorgel, a Remembrance

(From his official obituary) Richard ‘Ric’ William Sorgel of Mission Viejo, CA passed away on July 23rd at the age of 74. Ric was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to William and Mary (Selby) Sorgel. He is survived by his wife, Linda, and his two sons Kyle and Chase (Erin) Sorgel and three grandchildren: Peyton, Cooper, and […]

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A Bargain Basement Record Player That Really Works!

With Two-way Streaming, Line Outs, and Built-in Speakers Sometimes, you just want to grab an old LP copy of “Abbey Road” and enjoy it the way you first heard it — from a turntable or all-in-one vinyl player. Maybe you’d like to stream your lp vinyl into your favorite Bluetooth speaker or earphones. I have […]

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All-In-One Webcam, Mic, Light– MOVO WebMic HD Pro

Zoom meetings, web streaming, video podcasts, or providing opinions in chat groups or cable news stations all require three things: Expert Lighting Excellent Sound  High-Def, high quality video  So there’s a bunch of stuff you have to mix and match. Well, until now. Last fall, Movo, a company specializing in pro-style video and audio gear […]

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Bone Marrow Transplant: From Zero-Day to Happy Day (Today)

The Numbers Continue to Surprise and Pay Off! This BMT recovery thing really is a numbers game. They tell you everything. When I entered the hospital, I received four days of chemotherapy, which put my white blood cell count at around 0.0. “The better to introduce someone else’s bone marrow into your system, my dear.” […]

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Bone Marrow Transplant: Progress

Better Numbers and a “Boost” @faaphoto via Twenty20 The Bone Marrow Transplant recovery process is a game of numbers involving blood’s basic components: White Blood Cells: the core of your immune system Hemoglobin: red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body Platelets: instrumental in blood clotting. At the beginning of my post-hospital recovery, I was getting both […]

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Bone Marrow Transplants Aren’t Fun

But they can change your life. The author following a daily chemotherapy treatment prior to a bone marrow transplant. Head not yet shaved. Inthe fall of 2020, I walked into my Family Doctor’s office for my annual physical and walked out with bad news. My blood panel showed that I was low on iron. They […]

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Chaos, Curiosity, and Caregivers

Things that were a pain, and a look at the role of the “Caregiver” A hospital room is chaotic. There are doctors, nurses, and aids visiting you constantly, and the buzz of activity pretty much prevents you from watching or reading anything that isn’t short and self-contained. I brought along books and plenty of Netflix. […]

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Complications: The Story of My Heart

What I learned about My Heart 50 years after a First Grade Incident Typical Pacemaker My first neighborhood was Washington Heights, New York City, When I was six, I went to school for the first time. Our fathers took turns marching us (John Banks, Tommy Fallon, Joe Hornack, and me) from 179th Street and Wadsworth […]

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Deciding Whether a Bone Marrow Transplant Was Worth it for Me

A study of Time, Trust and Team-building. A final haircut before admission and chemotherapy. Nearly 1 hour north of where I lived, in a standalone Cancer Center apart from the massive Hospital complex, I met with the transplant program’s chief architect and leader. I cannot understate how important this meeting was, because the choices were […]

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