mr.scottnewman
Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2008
- Messages
- 30
Yes, this is the real Scott Newman--and I'd take anything to be back getting your barbs from a few months ago--and having a good time with all of it.
Problem is, I'm not joking around much these days.
Matt McHale, a former baseball writer and deputy sports editor at the Los Angeles Daily News, suffered a heart attack, and needed to be defibrillated back to life--after he took a buyout from the paper, and returned home to Connecticut, around June 6. Since then, he's lapsed into a coma and suffered a stroke.
There is some good news. His condition has stabilized, although he's still in the ICU and he faces a long unknown journey to recovery.
Here is an email update from a former colleague of his, Gary Shepard ...
Everyone,
I want you to know that I had the opportunity to visit Matt this morning in Connecticut. First the good news, although he is still in the ICU, his
condition has stablized. The sad news is that he has appeared to have suffered
a stroke according to his brain scan (his doctors think it may have been before
his heart attack.) He is able to recognize people for a limited time and he
tries to reply when asked simple and direct questions but his speech is
extremely slurred and difficult to understand. He was in and mostly out on his
level of attention and being able to maintain eye contact. To be fair, he had
just awoke at 8 a.m..
Matt has an extremely long recovery period ahead of him. The doctor told me
that they are going to put a feeding tube in later today, so they no longer
have to feed him through his nose. They expect he will be discharged out of the
ICU and placed in a long term care facility in about another week.
He still has not gotten out of bed and as some of you know he had been walking with the aid of crutches for the last year due to the devastating affects of
his diabities. He also appears to have limited movement of his arms, hands and
fingers.
It is really tough for all of us because we can't pick up the phone and give
him our good wishes. I know though I was there and he acknowledged me with a
big smile, but will he even remember that tomorrow?
His nurses tell me he has and continues to improve everyday. For instance,
last week he was unable to smile. For that we should all be all grateful as
well as hopeful.
Matt apparently had a bet with the doctor that the Lakers would win by 10
points last night and he did understand that they lost last night. If he only
knew.....
So in short, Matt must have to overcome both very large mental and physical
problems. He is facing a long and challenging recovery period. The doctors say
they still do not know how much Matt will be able to return to his "normal"
self.
Please continue to keep Matt in your thoughts and prayers. We all should learn
from this and enjoy everyday with our family and friends because you never
know...
All the best and Happy Fathers Day to you Dads.
Gary
Shepard Insurance Agency
I remained close to Matt well after I left the business, and he is the godfather of my daughter, Bianca, who will celebrate her 16th birthday next month. In a business that we all know is often callous, he's perhaps the nicest person you'll ever come across--and while his disheveled appearance and disorganization are as much a part of baseball lore as Dodger dogs, and the Green Monster, there are few more dedicated, or who care more about this business than Matt.
I am going to visit him this weekend--and will report back--hopefully with some good news.
Thanks for your time, and prayers.
Scott Newman
Problem is, I'm not joking around much these days.
Matt McHale, a former baseball writer and deputy sports editor at the Los Angeles Daily News, suffered a heart attack, and needed to be defibrillated back to life--after he took a buyout from the paper, and returned home to Connecticut, around June 6. Since then, he's lapsed into a coma and suffered a stroke.
There is some good news. His condition has stabilized, although he's still in the ICU and he faces a long unknown journey to recovery.
Here is an email update from a former colleague of his, Gary Shepard ...
Everyone,
I want you to know that I had the opportunity to visit Matt this morning in Connecticut. First the good news, although he is still in the ICU, his
condition has stablized. The sad news is that he has appeared to have suffered
a stroke according to his brain scan (his doctors think it may have been before
his heart attack.) He is able to recognize people for a limited time and he
tries to reply when asked simple and direct questions but his speech is
extremely slurred and difficult to understand. He was in and mostly out on his
level of attention and being able to maintain eye contact. To be fair, he had
just awoke at 8 a.m..
Matt has an extremely long recovery period ahead of him. The doctor told me
that they are going to put a feeding tube in later today, so they no longer
have to feed him through his nose. They expect he will be discharged out of the
ICU and placed in a long term care facility in about another week.
He still has not gotten out of bed and as some of you know he had been walking with the aid of crutches for the last year due to the devastating affects of
his diabities. He also appears to have limited movement of his arms, hands and
fingers.
It is really tough for all of us because we can't pick up the phone and give
him our good wishes. I know though I was there and he acknowledged me with a
big smile, but will he even remember that tomorrow?
His nurses tell me he has and continues to improve everyday. For instance,
last week he was unable to smile. For that we should all be all grateful as
well as hopeful.
Matt apparently had a bet with the doctor that the Lakers would win by 10
points last night and he did understand that they lost last night. If he only
knew.....
So in short, Matt must have to overcome both very large mental and physical
problems. He is facing a long and challenging recovery period. The doctors say
they still do not know how much Matt will be able to return to his "normal"
self.
Please continue to keep Matt in your thoughts and prayers. We all should learn
from this and enjoy everyday with our family and friends because you never
know...
All the best and Happy Fathers Day to you Dads.
Gary
Shepard Insurance Agency
I remained close to Matt well after I left the business, and he is the godfather of my daughter, Bianca, who will celebrate her 16th birthday next month. In a business that we all know is often callous, he's perhaps the nicest person you'll ever come across--and while his disheveled appearance and disorganization are as much a part of baseball lore as Dodger dogs, and the Green Monster, there are few more dedicated, or who care more about this business than Matt.
I am going to visit him this weekend--and will report back--hopefully with some good news.
Thanks for your time, and prayers.
Scott Newman
