Just a quick note.  First of all, we want to thank those who've already been so kind as to write out checks and forward them to our new Brooks Family Foundation for RSD/CRPS!  You will, of course, receive formal acknowledgement to use for your tax records. We were thrilled to have received donations already in the mail and in person over the weekend, since we just announced it this week!!  I cannot tell you how much this means to us and will mean to others as the funds are put to work.  

We had another great pleasure today.  We drove to the Central Jersey shore area and had a lovely afternoon and evening with the Hopkins family.  Judy looks teriffic!   We had a great time with her, her parents Linda and Bob, and even got to meet her older brother, Charlie (Remember, each girl has an older sibling - one Charlie and one Carly?)!  It was so good to see them all - not just at treatment time!  We laughed through the day, and listened to the girls' recall  their ketamine hallucinations - they must have been so scary at the time; thank goodness we are able to laugh about them now!!   The girls are reaching the point where they are beginning to view us as their "wardens" as Tracy called us.   They are wanting more and more time on their own, and are enjoying being out in the world again.   We went out for a wonderful dinner at Carmine's in Asbury Park - an area that has definitely improved since I last rode through it many years ago.  Rick proposed a toast to both girls at dinner tonight.  He related 2007 as the worst year we ever experienced (and he included my bout with cancer in that when Tracy challenged him point-blank) and at the end the best!!  Tracy went to Germany in excruciating pain, not helped by any amount of pain meds, wheelchair bound or walking only with help on both sides, and is now off all meds and walking independently and very well!!  And she's planning on being back to teaching soon.  Could a bad year end any better than that??  We so look forward to 2008, as do Judy and her family!!

Again, we thank the three doctors who played such important roles in this:  Dr. Randy Rosenberg for being the first to finally diagnose Tracy after nine years of suffering, Dr. Robert Schwartzman for development of the cooperative experimental protocol for the ketamine coma and continuing to watch over both our Tracy and Judy, and to Dr. Hans-Peter Rohr, the anesthesiologist in Germany who oversaw their treatment there.  G-d bless these physicians - all so true to their oaths, and may our Foundation grow to establish enough funding to help further the research so that one day soon there will be easier, safer treatments for RSD/CRPS.  

Tracy's cousins Mindy and (her 16 year old daughter) Danielle came in from Freehold to visit on Saturday, and we out to lunch.  Guess who drove to the restaurant - yes, it was TRACY!!  (Next time, it'll be you, Danielle!).  It was so good seeing them!   

 

Tomorrow (now today as I see it is past midnight) marks the last day of 2007.  If you are planning to join our fight against RSD and haven't yet responded, we hope you'll write your check today to get your deduction for this year's taxes!!  

For those of you who've sent e-mails to me or to Carly to help out with fund-raising and awareness, we will begin working on planning in the next few weeks.  We will be in contact with you.  Anyone else who's interested, please let me know.  Ideas are coming in and we so appreciate them!  We do need your help!!  Anyone with media ties, please let us know!!  This is so important to raise awareness!! 

If you'd like to be added to my e-mail updates, please forward your e-mail address to gayle.brooks@verizon.net

So you don't have to look back to prior updates for our Foundation address, it is:
                        Brooks Family Foundation for RSD/CRPS
                        832 Second Street Pike - Suite 3
                        Richboro, PA   18954-1098
            
HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!  

Love, Gayle