"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine
Thank you to all the brave men and women who are fighting and have fought and died for this county and a special thanks to those heroes whose faces we no longer see and voices we no longer hear.
MH
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
New Breakthrough
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/05/19/paralyzed-man-freely-moves-getting-implant/
I love the fact that Dr. McDonald was the go-to voice of authority on this issue, even though he wasn't involved in this case.
Paralyzed Man Freely Moves After Getting Implant
Published May 19, 2011
| Associated Press
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LONDON – After Rob Summers was paralyzed below the chest in a car accident in 2006, his doctors told him he would never stand again. They were wrong.
Despite intensive physical therapy for three years, Summers' condition hadn't improved. So in 2009, doctors implanted an electrical stimulator onto the lining of his spinal cord to try waking up his damaged nervous system. Within days, Summers, 25, stood without help. Months later, he wiggled his toes, moved his knees, ankles and hips, and was able to take a few steps on a treadmill.
"It was the most incredible feeling," said Summers, of Portland, Oregon. "After not being able to move for four years, I thought things could finally change."
Still, despite his renewed optimism, Summers can't stand when he's not in a therapy session with the stimulator turned on, and he normally gets around in a wheelchair. Doctors are currently limiting his use of the device to several hours at a time.
His case is described in a paper published Friday in the journal, Lancet. The research was paid for by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
This 2010 photo provided by Rob Summers shows Summers, center, receiving intensive physical therapy in Louisville, Ky. Summers was paralyzed below the neck in a 2006 car accident and in 2009, doctors decided to implant an electrical stimulator onto his spinal cord to try waking up his damaged nervous system. Summers is now able to stand and move during therapy sessions with the stimulator turned on. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Rob Summers)
For years, certain people with incomplete spinal cord injuries, who have some control of their limbs, have experienced some improvement after experiments to electrically stimulate their muscles. But such progress had not been seen before in someone with a complete spinal cord injury.
"This is not a cure, but it could lead to improved functionality in some patients," said Gregoire Courtine, head of experimental neurorehabilitation at the University of Zurich. He was not connected to Summers' case. Courtine cautioned Summers' recovery didn't make any difference to the patient's daily life and that more research was needed to help paralyzed people regain enough mobility to make a difference in their normal routines.
The electrical stimulator surgeons implanted onto Summers' spinal cord is usually used to relieve pain and can cost up to $20,000. Summers' doctors implanted it lower than normal, onto the very bottom of his vertebrae.
"The stimulator sends a general signal to the spinal cord to walk or stand," said Dr. Susan Harkema, rehabilitation research director at the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center in Louisville and the Lancet study's lead author.
Harkema and her colleagues were surprised Summers was able to voluntarily move his legs. "That tells us we can access the circuitry of the nervous system, which opens up a whole new avenue for us to address paralysis," Harkema said. She said prescribing drugs might also speed recovery.
Dr. John McDonald, director of the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, said the strategy could be rapidly adopted for the 10 to 15 percent of paralyzed patients who might benefit. He was not connected to the Summers case.
"There is no question we will do this for our patients," he said. McDonald added that since the electrical stimulators are already approved for pain relief, it shouldn't be difficult to also study them to help some patients regain movement.
For now, Summers does about two hours a day of physical therapy.
"My ultimate goal is to walk and run again," he said. "I believe anything is possible and that I will get out of my wheelchair one day."
That's nice...MH
I love the fact that Dr. McDonald was the go-to voice of authority on this issue, even though he wasn't involved in this case.
Paralyzed Man Freely Moves After Getting Implant
Published May 19, 2011
| Associated Press
Print Email Share Comments (14)
Text Size
LONDON – After Rob Summers was paralyzed below the chest in a car accident in 2006, his doctors told him he would never stand again. They were wrong.
Despite intensive physical therapy for three years, Summers' condition hadn't improved. So in 2009, doctors implanted an electrical stimulator onto the lining of his spinal cord to try waking up his damaged nervous system. Within days, Summers, 25, stood without help. Months later, he wiggled his toes, moved his knees, ankles and hips, and was able to take a few steps on a treadmill.
"It was the most incredible feeling," said Summers, of Portland, Oregon. "After not being able to move for four years, I thought things could finally change."
Still, despite his renewed optimism, Summers can't stand when he's not in a therapy session with the stimulator turned on, and he normally gets around in a wheelchair. Doctors are currently limiting his use of the device to several hours at a time.
His case is described in a paper published Friday in the journal, Lancet. The research was paid for by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
This 2010 photo provided by Rob Summers shows Summers, center, receiving intensive physical therapy in Louisville, Ky. Summers was paralyzed below the neck in a 2006 car accident and in 2009, doctors decided to implant an electrical stimulator onto his spinal cord to try waking up his damaged nervous system. Summers is now able to stand and move during therapy sessions with the stimulator turned on. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Rob Summers)
For years, certain people with incomplete spinal cord injuries, who have some control of their limbs, have experienced some improvement after experiments to electrically stimulate their muscles. But such progress had not been seen before in someone with a complete spinal cord injury.
"This is not a cure, but it could lead to improved functionality in some patients," said Gregoire Courtine, head of experimental neurorehabilitation at the University of Zurich. He was not connected to Summers' case. Courtine cautioned Summers' recovery didn't make any difference to the patient's daily life and that more research was needed to help paralyzed people regain enough mobility to make a difference in their normal routines.
The electrical stimulator surgeons implanted onto Summers' spinal cord is usually used to relieve pain and can cost up to $20,000. Summers' doctors implanted it lower than normal, onto the very bottom of his vertebrae.
"The stimulator sends a general signal to the spinal cord to walk or stand," said Dr. Susan Harkema, rehabilitation research director at the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center in Louisville and the Lancet study's lead author.
Harkema and her colleagues were surprised Summers was able to voluntarily move his legs. "That tells us we can access the circuitry of the nervous system, which opens up a whole new avenue for us to address paralysis," Harkema said. She said prescribing drugs might also speed recovery.
Dr. John McDonald, director of the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, said the strategy could be rapidly adopted for the 10 to 15 percent of paralyzed patients who might benefit. He was not connected to the Summers case.
"There is no question we will do this for our patients," he said. McDonald added that since the electrical stimulators are already approved for pain relief, it shouldn't be difficult to also study them to help some patients regain movement.
For now, Summers does about two hours a day of physical therapy.
"My ultimate goal is to walk and run again," he said. "I believe anything is possible and that I will get out of my wheelchair one day."
That's nice...MH
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Ohhhhhhhhh Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
It is not uncommon to hear of the untimely demise of talent in the world of professional wrestling. The past few years have been filled with the demise of some of the best to ever step inside of the squared circle. But, it is different when it is an ICON that you grew up watching. Someone you made a connection with. This past Friday, the wrestling universe lost one of the all time greats in the Macho Man Randy Savage!
Say what you want about professional wrestling, I am not here to defend it or beat it down either way. What I do wish to do is take the time to acknowledge a man who gave his all to an art he had his life embedded within...wrestling. Randy Savage WAS wrestling...whether it was for Vince's WWE(WWF back in his day) or Ted's WCW, Randy gave it his all!
Randy was larger than life. His entrance music...his ring attire...his promos...his manager Miss Elizabeth or Sensational Sherrie...and his in ring work were top notch. A better heel in my opinion than a face, Randy stood out among his peers. He had IT.
I was not always a Savage fan. My man was the Ultimate Warrior and I couldn't have been more pleased when Warrior took out Hogan at Wrestlemania VI. Warrior went on a run all the way into the Royal Rumble the following year. It was at that time that Savage was under the moniker of the Macho King and Warrior refused Savage a title shot. Thus, Savage cost Warrior the title at the Royal Rumble and my hatred of Savage truly began...I was unaware at this time that wrestling was scripted.
The two ended up squaring off at Wrestlemania in a retirement match. Savage brutally beat on the Warrior, but Warrior would not go down. After 5 elbow drops...Warrior bounced back...press slammed Savage...and pinned him. Savage had to retire.
Sherrie, his manager at the time, came out and began to beat down Savage. Who came in and made the save? Miss Elizabeth! Randy and Liz went on to get married at SummerSlam(though they were already married in real life) and Savage became forgiven in my heart.
Savage went on from there to have a pretty successful career in the WWE and WCW. He even eventually ended up in Hollywood appearing as Buzzsaw in Spiderman. Though he eventually walked away from wrestling and seemed to disappear from television, he never faded from the memory of his fans.
Like him or hate him, Randy Savage left a lasting impression on the wrestling community. His trademark voice and appearance are unrepeatable today. He will truly be missed by his family, friends, and fans.
So take the time today....raise a Slim Jim...and snap into it in honor of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
Ohhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhh! DIG IT!
I'm thinking...JM
Say what you want about professional wrestling, I am not here to defend it or beat it down either way. What I do wish to do is take the time to acknowledge a man who gave his all to an art he had his life embedded within...wrestling. Randy Savage WAS wrestling...whether it was for Vince's WWE(WWF back in his day) or Ted's WCW, Randy gave it his all!
Randy was larger than life. His entrance music...his ring attire...his promos...his manager Miss Elizabeth or Sensational Sherrie...and his in ring work were top notch. A better heel in my opinion than a face, Randy stood out among his peers. He had IT.
I was not always a Savage fan. My man was the Ultimate Warrior and I couldn't have been more pleased when Warrior took out Hogan at Wrestlemania VI. Warrior went on a run all the way into the Royal Rumble the following year. It was at that time that Savage was under the moniker of the Macho King and Warrior refused Savage a title shot. Thus, Savage cost Warrior the title at the Royal Rumble and my hatred of Savage truly began...I was unaware at this time that wrestling was scripted.
The two ended up squaring off at Wrestlemania in a retirement match. Savage brutally beat on the Warrior, but Warrior would not go down. After 5 elbow drops...Warrior bounced back...press slammed Savage...and pinned him. Savage had to retire.
Sherrie, his manager at the time, came out and began to beat down Savage. Who came in and made the save? Miss Elizabeth! Randy and Liz went on to get married at SummerSlam(though they were already married in real life) and Savage became forgiven in my heart.
Savage went on from there to have a pretty successful career in the WWE and WCW. He even eventually ended up in Hollywood appearing as Buzzsaw in Spiderman. Though he eventually walked away from wrestling and seemed to disappear from television, he never faded from the memory of his fans.
Like him or hate him, Randy Savage left a lasting impression on the wrestling community. His trademark voice and appearance are unrepeatable today. He will truly be missed by his family, friends, and fans.
So take the time today....raise a Slim Jim...and snap into it in honor of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
Ohhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhh! DIG IT!
I'm thinking...JM
Friday, May 20, 2011
THE Macho Man
You couldn't be a teenage boy in the 80's and not watch wrestling. If you were watching wrestling you couldn't help but be impressed by "Macho Man" Randy Savage. He was the consumate professional in and out of the ring.
He was just masterful on the mic. I loved hearing him do promos and interviews. You never knew what he was going to come out with and it was usually spot on, with his signature voice. "You're mustache is crooked." "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" "I'm your friiiieeeennnndddd." It's just a thing of beauty.
Inside the ring, he was legendary for his work ethic. He was known for going over his matches with his "opponent" for days before a big PPV match. Going through each move, step by step. Just so they could get it right and wow the crowds. Most stars would go over the opening, ending and any big turns, but wouldn't go through the entire match before hand. Just sort of winging it, but not Randall Mario Poffo. He knew the crowd had paid good money and he wasn't going to disappoint.
He wasn't the Hulkster, who was completely "over" with the fans, but who was/is? However, he could hold his own with anyone. They just don't make them like the King of Macho Madness anymore. He was The Rock before The Rock even knew where the kitchen was, let alone started cooking. Dig it?
Here's to you Macho, give Andre the big elbow drop in the giant ring upstairs.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah...MH
He was just masterful on the mic. I loved hearing him do promos and interviews. You never knew what he was going to come out with and it was usually spot on, with his signature voice. "You're mustache is crooked." "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" "I'm your friiiieeeennnndddd." It's just a thing of beauty.
Inside the ring, he was legendary for his work ethic. He was known for going over his matches with his "opponent" for days before a big PPV match. Going through each move, step by step. Just so they could get it right and wow the crowds. Most stars would go over the opening, ending and any big turns, but wouldn't go through the entire match before hand. Just sort of winging it, but not Randall Mario Poffo. He knew the crowd had paid good money and he wasn't going to disappoint.
He wasn't the Hulkster, who was completely "over" with the fans, but who was/is? However, he could hold his own with anyone. They just don't make them like the King of Macho Madness anymore. He was The Rock before The Rock even knew where the kitchen was, let alone started cooking. Dig it?
Here's to you Macho, give Andre the big elbow drop in the giant ring upstairs.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah...MH
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Mexican
Hanging out in Freeport the last couple of nights. I'm so proud of myself for avoiding the allure of the chimachanga!
That's nice...MH
That's nice...MH
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Fairwell to a Brother...
This Friday, my close friend and brother Clint McWilliams closes one chapter of his life and opens another as he moves from Illinois to Texas. I have known this young man for almost fifteen years. We have been through a heck of a lot together and in honor of Clint, I would like to present to you the TOP TEN CLINT MOMENTS OF ALL TIME!
10. Press slamming Clint over my head in Matt's swimming pool...he was acting all tough and after I got my hands on him he couldn't walk right for weeks!
9. The margarita at Red Lobster...normally Clint can only tolerate one sip of a beer...okay I exaggerate...two sips of a beer. This night he vowed to drink a WHOLE margarita. The result...Clint almost falling asleep at the table!
8. The day I helped Clint move out of his apartment near Rantoul to move to the Fairview Heights area...while locking up Clint broke the key off into his lock making his final day there take just a bit longer than planned.
7. The first night in Clint's new apartment..Clint managed to lock his keys in his new apartment and I had to break us in...with our Dave and Busters Game Card!
6. Clint's classic MASS TEXT messages...except they are usually only to THREE people!
5. The time Clint gave me a ride to work...just after he got his license...in his Volkswagen Rabbit...one of the most TERRIFYING experiences ever!!! White knuckle ride the whole way to work!
4. Moving Clint and not using bungee chords to strap stuff down but a giant industrial size roll of SARAN WRAP!!!
3. Telling Clint in order to start his job at Long John Silvers...he had to take off on a broom, run across Broadway, go into Wendys restaurant, ride the broom like a horse yelling "Yee Haw!", and then return back to Long John Silvers. For a moment...he almost did it!
2. The day a man walked into Long John Silvers and Clint yelled at the top of his lungs, "Hey...is that Garth Brooks?" Then he started to laugh that classic, LOUD laugh that only Clint knows how to do!
1. Finally...no kidding aside...just my friendship with this guy. It has been a heck of a ride. I am going to miss Clint greatly. We ALWAYS had fun when we were together and have been through a lot. He is not only my friend, but my brother!
Love ya Cletus and good luck in TEXAS!
Still Amazes Me!!!
John Carpenter change my life with a little movie called The Thing. This was one of the first horror movies that I ever got to watch...going around my parents wishes of course and getting up late at night to watch it on our old satellite dish. With rumors circulating of a PREQUEL in production, I took time to revisit this film. What more could one ask for...real visual effects no CGI crap, suspense, action, a classic musical score, Wilford Brimley before his oatmeal and diabetes commercial stage, and of course KURT RUSSELL at his finest! This video is NOT the actual film, but it beautifully sums up the entire film in about seven minutes in a very cool and interesting format. Enjoy this video and then head out to rent the Carpenter classic!
Friday, May 13, 2011
SOTD
In honor of the closing of the JMH Concert Church, I thought it would be appropriate to post a song from the first band JMH went to see. City of Love, uhhh, I mean Cry of Love. That whole night is etched in my memory like it was yesterday. If you remember this band's first album "Brother" topped my IF ONLY ONE CD list. This song kicks it off and this is an amazing live version. Simply one of the most effortless, smoothest guitar players I've seen. These guys were great live. Please enjoy.
That's nice...MH
That's nice...MH
An Era Comes to an End...
A sad day...a sad day indeed. The JMH Church, located in the great city of Nashville, Illinois, has apparently been sealed off. For how long? Who knows?
This church has been a staple in the lives of JMH for almost twenty years. We would stop at this church before EVERY concert, seeking God's protection for the event at hand. And it worked...several times our lives were in peril, but a higher power always seemed to be watching out for us. The church even played a part in an annual JMH Scavenger Hunt as we hid a clue behing the giant cross within. No one retrieved that clue, and for all we know, that clue is still stuck to the back of that cross.
We may never know why the city of Nashville decided to close her down, but we do know how special this place became to us. A landmark for what JMH stood for. So if the doors of this location are never opened again, I bid you farewell JMH Concert Church. You will ALWAYS hold a special place in our hearts!
I'm thinking...JM
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day!
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:30 - 31
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:30 - 31
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thank you
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and messages. It means so much to me. It's good to be home finally.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Fate
Look at us. Running around. Always rushed. Always late. Guess that's why they call it the human race. But sometimes, it slows down just enough for all the pieces to fall into place. Fate works it's magic. And you're connected.
Wally Mars
Wally Mars
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