Day 11 & 12 (Today) Update

Day 11 (Yesterday):


Orgo II

I tried to read about phosphorous ylides and Wettig reactions but basically zoned out.  I finished reading Ch. 19 but I just couldn't seem to focus.  I tried to finish the OWL homework online today too but only managed to get through carboxylic acid nomenclature and a tutorial on the Wettig reaction.  Sigh.


"Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox"

I also watched this rather quirky but illuminating documentary ("Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox") on the late Dr. Emmanuel Bronner, the creator of those Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.  You know the peppermint soaps with the crazy labels:  "All One! All One! All One!"

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-dr-bronners-classic-liquid-soaps

It was quite entertaining.  The man escaped the Nazis from Germany only to be locked into a mental asylum in the U.S. and put there by his own sister!  He escapes to California where he sunbathes in the nude and preaches about "uniting Spaceship Earth" while selling his castille soap.  Brilliant.

http://brokelyn.com/tested-the-crazy-alleged-uses-of-dr-bronners-soap/

Disturbing Jewish Complex

One disturbing fact, was about how Dr. Bronner actually favored his youngest son who appeared to be Aryan since he had blonde hair and blue eyes.  He neglected his older son, Ralph, who took after himself and "looked Jewish" with dark brown hair and thick glasses (Dr. Bronner was legally blind).  Dr. Bronner developed a complex over his Jewish heritage in Germany.  When he tried to play with the neighborhood kids a group of them took a pail of piss and threw it at him and called him a "Jude (Jew)!"  In his labels and in his preaching, clearly the Jewish faith remains a strong part of his identity but in his unbalanced treatment of his children, it's also clear that deep down in his subconscious he bore a self-hatred for his Jewish heritage.

So it's ironic, that Jim (the favored Aryan child) grew up to completely dimiss his father's teachings as insane ramblings and it was Ralph, who has gone on to carry his father's legacy and spread not only the message of the Castille soap but also his father's message of unity and faith.

Dr. Bronner lost both of his parents to concentration camps and his sister thinks that trauma destabilized his psyche.  Dr. Bronner referred to his stint at the Elgin Mental Asylum as "a concentration camp" where he was forced to "mix cement like a slave" (the mental patients were forced to do labour as it was believed to help aid in their treatment).  He also had undergone shock therapy there.


The Groovy 60s

Apparently, during this time in the 60s, Dr. Bronner was a contemporary of Paul Bragg (the apple cider guy), so the heath movement was strong, especially on the West Coast.  It was said that Dr. Bronner was embraced by the counterculture, which is ironic since Dr. Bronner had this paranoia that the commies were out to get him.  He even called the FBI numerous times claiming that the communists were poisoning the public water supply with sodium fluoride.  (There are only a few American cities that have refused fluoridation of tap water, off the top of my head Ashland and Portland, OR have always refused fluoridation due to its toxic effects.)

One would think that Dr. Bronner would be more concerned about right-wing fascists due to his experience in Nazi Germany, who knows.

Ralph Bronner had this to say about the documentary.


More Netflix Streaming

OK so I got carried away with my synopsis of an interesting documentary... It's on Netflix streaming for those interested.  I've been watching a lot of Netflix lately.

I'd recommend "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil;" it's about these rednecks in West Virginia fighting off stupid preppy college kids. "Phase 7" is another quirky, funny horror movie (It's Argentinian).  Oh and I actually liked "Quarantine 2" and unlike the first one,"Quarantine" being a complete rip-off of the original Spanish movie, "[Rec]," "Quarantine 2" is completely different from "[Rec]2" and I think it's even better.


Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was hilarious.  I love horror/comedies.
"They hate my face!" LOL!


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Perspective

Day 12:

Now about my recovery.  Laying in bed all day has given me some lumbar back problems that I hope will go away once I start moving about some more.  At least I don't have to worry about bed sores developing.

My mom gave me some perspective too.  She said back when she broke her collar bone, she was forced to wear a torso cast and in the summer it was so sweltering and humid that it got itchy and she developed boils underneath the cast.  It also didn't heal properly because she was still made to do household chores like sweep the floor etc.

I also found out that my CrossFit coach was in an awful car crash, where his car had to be cut into and then he was medi-flighted out to a hospital.  He had two brain bleeds and was not breathing on his own. Then just today his wife said on Facebook that he has opened his eyes and even breathed for awhile without the machine.  The marvels of modern medicine.

So yes, I'm extremely lucky to have a brain that is functioning (more or less), a heart that beats, and lungs that work on their own.

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Surgical Footage (for the "Nip/Tuck" Fans Out There)

I've gotten to the point where I can now look at images and videos of the surgical operation that I underwent on Friday without getting too squeamish.  Perhaps, it's just morbid curiosity but I'd like to know exactly how I was repaired.

Part of me wants to give up Naturopathic Medicine and become an orthopedic surgeon now...especially since graduate students and professional students can no longer apply for subsidized loans I might as well be learning something that can truly help someone, right?  I don't know.  I was so sure about becoming an ND after India but now I'm not so sure...

This is a cool video showing the surgical repair using a "burrito technique," where the orthopedic surgeon places a graft jacket over the sewn tendon.

This, on the other hand, is just a really bizarre video since it has upbeat Greek music playing to a seemingly more gruesome repair of the torn achilles.

Rubber Ducky (Day 10)

It's the Little Things...

I don't think I've ever been so thrilled at the prospect of taking a bath.

This must be some grand scheme by the universe to teach me gratitude or something.

I'm never going to take for granted hot running water and soap again, especially shampoo!  My head was so itchy after several days without a shower!  It was interesting having to take a bath sitting in a chair in a bathtub with one leg all wrapped up and hanging out over the edge LOL.  Now I know what it feels like to be an old man in a retirement home getting a sponge bath (or conversely a swaddling baby...).

A few days ago, I was ecstatic at being able to poo and now I'm thrilled that I can take a bath. It's like I'm a baby again!

Next step is being able to walk again...but that probably won't be in the horizon for the next few months.

It truly is remarkable how you feel after a hot bath though.  It's as if shedding all those dead skin cells, dirt, grime, and hair externally also leads to an internal renewal process.  Shedding the old shell and emerging a new rejuvenated you.

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List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

(4/9/12 Updated) Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):

Jessica Wang
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

Total Amount Raised To Date (including the $ spent for surgery, so far):  $1,955.58


Close to 2 grand after a week of fundraising is amazing!  I am so grateful to everyone who donated and those who helped in non-monetary ways as well.

The Breakdown:

Faith Surgical Center Fees:  $2,000
Surgeon's Fee (with the 30% discount):  $878.00
Anesthesiologist Fee:  $250.00
Orthopedic Consultation Fee:  $125.00
Previous Ortho. Office Visit: $78.00
Crutches: $32.00
Prescription Meds:  $22.00

Total Surgical Cost To Date*:  $3,385

*The anesthesiologist office warned that the bill may be raised retroactively if the surgery took longer than expected.  Also, I'm not sure if they charged for those shots of Demerol, cortisone, etc.  I won't know until they send the bills in the mail.


I'm just amazed that 57.8% of the surgical bill (that we know of) was covered by fundraising done in a week.  And it's all thanks to y'all.

The need for donations is no longer urgent since the surgery has been done and they require payment beforehand but it would be appreciated if the surgical fees could be defrayed and the future follow-up visits and physical therapy costs could be cushioned as well.


No One Is Forcing You To Donate; Private Message Me If You Want A Reimbursement

Again, I don't think I can stress this enough, only donate if you are freely willing and able.
(I would much rather you not donate, than try and hold me in your debt or blame me for any future financial troubles for taking your $20 to put towards surgery...)

For those that for whatever reason regret giving a PayPal donation should step forward and let me know and I will gladly reimburse them, no questions asked.

I sincerely dislike passive aggressiveness, so instead of bearing a grudge against me behind closed doors or expressing dissatisfaction in other insidious ways, just spit it out and I'll appreciate the initial gesture and sentiment, nonetheless, since you helped me through a very hard time.  I promise I won't hold it against you.  I've forgiven much worse, believe me.  I also understand firsthand what it's like to be between a rock and a hard place, so don't fear, you'll have a sympathetic ear.


Thank You

For those that have donated freely out of the abundance in their heart, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart and have all the confidence in the world that material and spiritual abundance flows both from you and to you for the rest of your days.

The Morning After (Surgery; Day 8)

Once again, I'm tired and in pain, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.


Eating is a Chore

It's extremely awkward eating while laying prone.  I've made a compromise to sit up and try and keep my leg semi-propped up (those yoga classes paid off finally).  It still hurts but it's better than letting my foot just rest comfortably on the floor in a seated position.


Logistics of Pissing (The Female Persuasion Is the Key)

It's not that bad using the restroom.  I just sit down like a woman instead of trying to keep balance on one leg and giving the toilet seat and rug a golden shower.  (Now I know why y'all get mad about keeping the lid down!)

Oh and I dunno if this it TMI, but I've also been constipated ever since I started taking the Vicodin.  I'm going to try and eat more raw salads and see if that helps.  Meh...I've never had this issue before, but my dad said the nurse warned that this could happen.


Smellin' Like the Filthy, Rank Dog That I Am

I haven't showered or bathed in 2, maybe 3 days now and I'm sure I smell like a rank, mountain man...but oh well, it's not like I'm entertaining guests in my condition.  And according to Alex, a man's rank B.O. attracts the opposite sex with his pheromones (I'm not holding my breath on that one).

When it gets so bad that I can't even stand my own odor, I'll probably have to figure out the logistics of crawling into a tub with my injured leg hanging off the edge.  (And no I don't have someone in mind to help me with this endeavor.)


Reason for the Cortisone Shot to the Bum!

The scars have mostly all but faded but there are still remnants on my upper right arm (yes, it looks like some bulbous fat thing but that's actually my arm.)  The scratches on my belly have already faded away.  I have fast healing abilities!  Let's hope that applies to the poorly vascularized Achilles tendon as well.


Keep Dat Foot Up, Son!

Whenever I have to stand up to go to the bathroom or let my foot drop down, the pain comes rushing back as the blood pools and collects in the ankle that has been operated on, so I try my best to keep it elevated above my heart at all times.  This means I'm basically an invalid at age 26.

It's a gorgeous day out and I'm stuck here looking out from my bedside perch by the window.

Free Mystic Tan (From the Knee Down)!

FYI:  My skin isn't naturally that orange-y...they covered my leg and even the toes in some reddish-orange disinfectant, probably something like iodine. It stained my skin.

So now I have a free mystic tan on my right leg (below the knee) from Faith Surgical Center! Yay! ;-p


Why the Hard Splint?

A friend just commented that he was surprised that I will need a cast put on after this hard splint is removed.  From my limited knowledge, it's because my tendon has contracted so much and they had to pull it and then sew it together.  It's really taut right now, hence the extreme PAIN.  (Someone f'n get me some codeine or oxycontin please!  LOL...I'm actually kinda serious. Vicodin is not doing it for me.)  If it wasn't held in place by a hard splint and/or a cast, then I may accidentally flex my foot back and rip apart the fragilely-held together strands that are holding my ruptured Achilles together now.  Right now, the splint is keeping my foot in the awkward position where the foot is angled down (like when a woman wears high heels), which doesn't exert pressure on the achilles tendon.  (So now I know what it feels like to pee like a woman and to wear heels...)

The hard splint was put on to allow for some swelling post-surgery.  After a week and the swelling subsides, then a hard cast can be put on and that will be left for around 2 months to let my tendon fuse together on its own.  This is slow work though since tendons and ligaments are not highly vascularized like bones and muscles (thinking back to A&P class...I think that's right?).  After the cast is removed, then I will wear a boot for a month or so.  Then I believe finally, I can start physical therapy.  Dr. Hanssen said that recovery will be 3 to 4 months and he warned of a 20% reduction in strength but I'm hoping with proper nutrition, rest, and physical therapy I can beat the odds and get it back up to 100%.

(Beastmodal told me that he has set PRs after his surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon so there's hope for me yet.  He did say that his calf muscle is weaker but he feels like his tendon is back to where it was.)


School Next Week?

I doubt I'll be leaving the house next week due to the pain and since just letting the foot drop below my heart increases the pain.  I seriously hope I don't wind up failing Organic Chemistry II because of this.  I've already failed the past 2 quizzes and then having to miss the quiz next week would not be ideal.  Then I would miss the 3 hour lab and all those hours of lecture as well.  I'm way behind in guitar class too.  Oh well.  I think I'll pop some more pills pass out and hope for the best...

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This Would Have All Been for Naught,  If Not or Y'all!

I've spent nearly the whole fund on the surgeon and anesthesiologist already (father paid for the facility fees) but I was reminded by Ted that I'll have to still pay for follow-up visits and a long physical therapy, so I'll still be accepting donations.  Thank y'all for continuing to express your generosity with your pocketbook (#PayItForward).

Updated List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):
*
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

*Vast majority of donations ranged from $20 -50, so I needed to make a judgement call and have a cut off point for this second list (right below top contributors).  Since the amount donated could be any amount you typed in, it was hard making that decision.

There were amounts such as $40 and $60, etc.  Just know that whatever amount you contributed, you definitely helped tremendously and you are greatly valued and loved.  Thank you all.  Even to those who did not contribute and helped out in non-monetary ways as well.  Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers.

I promise whatever you dole out will come back to you double or triple-fold at least.  It's an undeniable fact of life.  Those who are perceptive enough already know this.  Skeptics will discover it eventually as well...that karma is as real as electricity.  We're all connected on this Earth and every action has a reaction (e.g., the holographic universe, Indra's Net, and all that jazz ... a friendly suggestion — watch "What the Bleep Do We Know?").

Whatever we do for (or to) another, we ultimately do for (or to) ourself.

I still need to calculate the fund amount since most of it has already been spent on the surgery... I'll post that later (my mind is foggy after taking that Hydrocodone + Acetaminophen + Ibuprofen).  (Around $200- $300 has been added to the pot since then though.)

If you don't see your name on this list, know that I still greatly value your contribution and that every bit counts, even the single digit donations.  I just wanted to provide more praise and recognition to those that went above and beyond the call of duty.  I promise to include the entire list of contributors eventually.

Post-Surgery Update!

This will be very brief because it's hard for me to type with the laptop on my belly (I have to remain prone in order to keep the right leg elevated above my heart).

So I have been sleeping off and on for about 5 hrs after coming home from surgery...I'm awake now.


Morphine is Weaksauce

After surgery I was in so much pain that my whole body was being racked by violent and uncontrollable tremors.  It hurt so much that the sweet nurse, Rosemary, gave me something similar to Demerol (I think she said Thalide or Thalidol?  I googled that and it's not right, so I'm not sure. I was in and out at that point so I couldn't think straight.)  I asked Rosemary why the morphine was not working:  "I'm not a junkie."  She said, "No, you are just in too much pain."


Blood Pressure Through the Roof!

My body could not handle the pain threshold so my blood pressure was dangerously high and I could see the concern in the nurse's face.  She told me that the opiate she was injecting into my IV was "extremely dangerous" but at that point I just wanted the pain to subside.

 The nurses told me that Dr. Hanssen had paid me a visit before he left for his next surgery appointment but I have no recollection of it at all.  My father tried to explain to me what the doc said...apparently my tendon had contracted so much (after nearly a month) that he had to go to extreme lengths to connect the ends.  He normally uses 2 to 4 threads to sew the ruptured tendon together but required 6 threads for my injury.  I doubt that's the correct terminology but that's what my dad said to me more or less.  All I know is that it hurt like a motherf*cker!!

The nurses were very conservative with the Demerol (Like I said don't know exactly what opiate it was but I overheard another nurse saying to give me Demerol, so I'll just say that.  Rosemary told me that it was a "top-shelf painkiller" and that it is "several times the potency of morphine.")  Each time they gave me an injection it was only 0.5 milligrams.  Eventually after like 4 or 5 injections (so 2.5 mg ?) of Demerol, my blood pressure came back down to normal.  (I was trying to control the pain by focusing on my breathing by doing deep diaphragmatic breathing but that only gets you so far.  I needed hardcore drugs, man!)


Cortisone Shot to the Ass!

I had an allergic reaction to the medication and was scratching all over until I had visible scars, so she gave me a cortisone shot in my bum.  (She was so skilled, I barely felt the needle at all!)  Rosemary told me in the future to tell them that I am most likely allergic to morphine.  


Vicodin & Vomiting Time!

When I was finally allowed to go home, I took 2 Vicodins (Hydrocodone) in the car after eating a sandwich.  (Another nurse told me that I needed to get the vicodin in my system ASAP since my body would metabolize the Demerol quickly and I needed to get the Vicodin to cover that ensuing pain.)  When I got home, I was so nauseous that I threw it all up.  The fluid and particles rushing out with so much force that I couldn't even hold back; I basically opened my mouth and it came shooting out like a fire hydrant!  LOL.  It went all over the Persian rug.  I was concerned that I threw up the Vicodin too, so later when the pain came rushing back with a vengeance, I took an Aleve and that actually helped (my dad didn't want me to risk taking another Vicodin).


ER

Oh yeah, one thing that scared me was that Rosemary told me that if the pain returns to high levels even with the Hydrocodone, then I need to go to the ER immediately.   She said, "You don't want to lose your foot!" She said there's a risk that if the foot swells to the point where the skin can no longer accomodate it, then circulation would be cut off and the foot may be lost.  Yikes!

What an ordeal.


Fasting

I had to fast from midnight to 1 PM last night and then today after eating a sandwich I barfed it up.  It's currently 10 'til 10 PM but I almost don't even want to eat anything because I don't want to feel that nausea again.  Blah.  Funny thing is that before the surgery started, I kept thinking about sinking my teeth into a juicy, rare T-bone steak.

But I guess I'll have to eat something since I need to take my next dosage of Vicodin and Benadryl (to help with the nausea).  Let's hope it stays down this time.

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Future Physical Therapy Sessions (aka Continued Need for Contributions to the Fund)

Clearly, as I've already had my surgery it's no longer a pressing matter but I'm going to leave the donate button up since I'll still need to have follow-up visits and eventually start seeing a physical therapist.  That may add up to a pretty penny, so I'll appreciate any additional help from peeps.


Refunds Will Be Kept Discreet

Again, no pressure and no obligation at all.  As I touched upon in the previous post...I would much rather you NOT donate at all than do so out of a feeling of obligation and then wind up bearing ill will or resentment towards me!  Either donate freely and with joy or don't do so at all.  No hard feelings.  If you have already done so and regret it.  I will find a way to return it to you and I promise I'll be discreet about it.  No one will know and we'll still be friends. =)  I appreciate the initial sentiment to help a fellow brother out, in any case.


Drugs, Baby!

Alright, now that I just took a Hydrocodone & Acetamitophen and a Benadryl.  I feel kinda sleepy.  I'm going to watch "Role Models" DVD, which I got at Redbox on the way home.  Peace out, y'all!  Stay safe out there.

Day 3 Update

FREE BEER:

Alex Holliday, my brother from another mother, has agreed to provide FREE BEER to anyone who donates to the cause! Definitely take advantage of that amazing deal. (Unfortunately for us stateside folks, his restaurant, "The Drunken Monkey," is located in Taipei, Taiwan near Guting MRT station. So as for you expats and locals on the island of debauchery and hedonism — I'm definitely jealous!)
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My (Pathetic) Personal Efforts at Paying Off Surgery Expenses:

I went to the Collin County Health Dept.'s Indigent Health Services this morning in McKinney and was basically told that I would most likely qualify due to my income level but a case worker can take up to 14 days to evaluate an application. And then after approval I would have to see their approved physician and then that physician would decide whether or not I needed surgery; I can't afford to wait that long.

I then had to rush off to class in Frisco but there was a traffic accident on the highway on US-75 and traffic crawled to a halt. Took nearly an hour to get to Frisco. I forgot about that one stretch of 35 mph zone though a neighborhood and these Frisco cops were OUT of their squad cars hidden in the bushes by a small neighborhood road with their radar guns! They caught me going at 47 mph in a 35 mph zone. I didn't even realize what happened at first when they signalled me to pull over... When it rains, it pours.

Then, that afternoon I went in person to Plano Medical Center today (since the financial aid folks were not answering their phones) and found out that their hospital fees are dramatically cheaper than Methodist Richardson Medical Center; however, this would mean I need to find another orthopaedic surgeon all over again (one that can operate at PMC) and then have a consultation and then schedule a surgery date. Delaying the surgery may not be wise though.

Currently, I have this Thursday morning as the surgery date but if I choose to save $ and go to PMC that means the Methodist doc won't be available for surgery (if things fall apart) until April 17th (ironically my birthday) and that would be too late. That would mean about 5 weeks from the time of my surgery increasing chances of complications.

It's a lot to think about.  I honestly cannot wait for this to end.  It's ridiculous that Methodist Richardson Medical Center is charging nearly 3x the price as Plano Medical Center when I believe they are both owned by HCA. Also, that they don't even have a process to refer specialists for patients.  I was even pushed in a wheelchair by a PMC greeter to the ER to ask for a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon and they just told me to look it up myself online (even though the website doesn't list sub-specialities for orthopaedic surgeons; they told me to call them then).

Oh even worse, I was coming downstairs when I accidentally stumbled and hurt my injured foot. Now I'm wearing the ankle brace again and it hurts to walk (there wasn't much pain before).  I'm hoping another minor tendon wasn't ruptured.  Hence, I accepted being wheeled around in a wheelchair when offered hah.
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Well, enough depressing issues to discuss.

Moving on to Why This Fundraising Effort is Still Alive and Kicking!


(Tentative*) Fund Goal Amount: $7,500

 (*Dr.'s office still hasn't given me the exact cost of the anesthesiologist and I was too busy running errands and getting speeding tickets to call and ask before they closed at 2 PM.)

Current Fund Amount: $1,560.00 (as of 6:50 PM)


The donations have slowed somewhat but I'm still keeping hope as larger donations are coming in just at a slower rate.

Also, the T-shirt design is going to take longer than expected since the talent has informed me, rather brusquely, that the deadline I set was unreasonable and inhumane.  I guess I'm not dealing with sweatshop laborers. :-p  So designs will most likely be submitted one week from now.  This means that donations and T-shirt sales will most likely continue post-surgery due to the imminent surgery date and postponement of T-shirt sales.  (Obviously, the top contributors will be mailed T-shirts after they are made.)  In the meantime, donations are still encouraged.


Updated list of Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):


*
Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Jonathan Ko
Alexander Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon


(*Once again, let me know if you wish to have your surname removed or wish to remain anonymous.  I will eventually post everyone's names even those donating $5, unless there are objections.  There were also quite a number of contributions that were very close to triple digits and I may post those names for recognition as well.)


I cannot thank y'all enough!  This has been a very trying process and I'd think I'd have a nervous breakdown if not for the support and love I feel from my friends and even strangers.


When Push Comes to Shove:

I'm really impressed and honored by how my friends are pulling through by contributing with their unique talents.  Laura Ng has decided to contribute not with her purse but with her artistic talents.  Alex Holliday has decided to show his generosity through a substantial donation as well as using his successful restaurant in order to raise awareness as well as create monetary as well as gastronomic incentive.   Even another close friend, Ted Glomski, who used his tech saavy to introduce me to the notion of fundraising with PayPal.  Jonathan Ko, another tech whiz, helped raise awareness for the cause by posting on Reddit (click on that hyperlink, and 'upvote!' =)).

The creativity and ingenuity of my friends never ceases to amaze me, which is why through this sh*tstorm, I can still keep heart.

Day 2 Update on the Fundraiser!

I honestly had no idea if this would be successful or not, but the CrossFit community and the community at large has shown its true colors and embraced a fellow brother in need.

Tremendous gratitude from the bottom of my heart.

The Repair Kyle's Achilles Fund stands at a very respectable $899.34 so far (as of 1:17 PM, 4/1/12). I wish there was a way to display the amount in the pot in real time so these updates weren't necessary. I'm looking into checking out other websites to do this more effectively. Chris suggested in the comments, I check out Kickstarter. I will look into that shortly.

Jorge also mentioned an issue with using Amex and Mastercard to contribute.  From my knowledge, you are able to donate even without a PayPal account and I know those who have done so successfully; however, he told me he had to create a PayPal account to successfully donate.

The (Tentative) Goal Amount: $7,500

Current Fund Amount: 899.34 $980.97 $1,000.09 $1,096.89  $1,245.28  $1,360.00 (as of 9:45 AM)

Seems like a long way to go but with less than a day's progress. I think that's spectacular. Thank you to everyone who has helped spread the word.

I'm not sure if this is the right move but I feel like I should give a shout-out to those who went above and beyond the call of duty.  While, I certainly appreciate any amount that can be given, even single digits, I'm in awe and extremely humbled by those who have donated in the 3 digits!  Thus, the gold members, the top contributors, so far in order of generosity:

*
Jorge Salhuana
Jonathan Ko
Alexander Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon

Clearly, with a grand in the fund.  It shows that the vast majority of donators are contributing $10 or $20 bucks and that's absolutely brilliant to be honest.  My heart leaps for joy even when I see the $10 donation!  However, I felt I had to do something for the above individuals, who didn't ask or expect praise or recognition when they made their generous donations.

(*If you would like to remain an anonymous donor or if you don't want your surname displayed please let me know and I will remove your name ASAP!  Perhaps, I should include the names of all donators?
If people think this is a tacky move, I will delete this portion as well.  Forgive me for my ignorance, I'm just trying to show my gratitude in any fashion I can think of.)


Also, if there are other ideas for fundraising.  I'm open to 'em!  I was thinking of possibly selling American Apparel T-shirts? Anyone good at art design?  (I'd like to provide a product/service in return for the donations.)  Obviously, you would be compensated a certain percentage for each transaction.


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9:09 PM Update:  The T-shirt idea is in the works and I have currently artists coming up with designs.  I will post about this hopefully tomorrow (or the near future) when designs have been selected and then I can figure out the logistics of imprinting the designs on T-shirts and selling them.

I might even post all the available designs by all artists and let y'all choose your favorites!  Put it up to a vote.  I may even accept all designs if there's a demand but that may be difficult to execute, so it may be most expedient to narrow it down to the top 2 (3?) best designs.


So far it seems we have artistic talent coming from the Deep South (Atlanta, GA), Brazil, and a local Texan as well.  May the best artist win!

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Godspeed and God bless.