Well, now, Don is in the hospital with chest pains. They are going to keep him overnight to do a stress test tomorrow. EKG was a bit abnormal. The good news is that if it's the heart, he had sense enough to call 911. I'm sure he'll be good as new soon because (if it's his heart) he caught it early but from firsthand experience, I know he's disappointed. I'm sure he'll do fine. I gotta run because I have to play his gig tonight for him.

Bill. I concur that it's good news that Don took the initiative to immediately call 911 and get to the hospital to get his symptoms treated right away. I trust the hospital & doc will be able to correctly diagnose and treat it properly. My prayers go out to Don for a speedy recovery. In the meantime Bill, go break a leg tonight. - Scott

Hope it's nothing serious but glad he sought out immediate medical attention. I walk around with a bottle of nitro pills constantly but so far so good. I'm also on the aspirin regimen but it's an uphill battle against this southern cooking.

Keep us informed on Don's condition. I've gotten quite used to his great sense of humor.

chas

Hope it's nothing too serious, Don. Hope your pal Hank is getting on ok, too.

Good thoughts coming from Dayton!

Get well, soon Don!

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Bill in Dayton

Nice Guy DonM and I haven't met with him, I can tell, get well soon Don.

Regards

Tony Hughes

Bill (semilive) ... please convey our best wishes to Don and to Susan also... Lydia will place his name on our Parish prayer list for good health ... hopefully it's nothing more than something he ate ...

He certainly has a good stand-in ...
t.

Glad to hear that Don made the right moves to get the care he needed. Here's wishing Don and Susan a speedy transition back to pain-free status!

Randy

Bill, Please extend my best wishes to Don.

Bill thank you for letting us know, and like Stephen said, extend my best wishes to Don and family.


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mdorantes

Please add me to the list of well wishers for Don to have a speedy recovery and get back on his feet
George Kaye

Me too...

Speedy recovery, and best wishes.

Sending "get well soon" thoughts down from Minnesota.

-mike

Get well Don!

Tom

Best prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery for Don.

Glenn

I just talked with Don, the stress test was canceled, but he is having a cardiac catherization in the morning. His enzyme tests was somewhat suspicious, EKG was fine, which translates to no ischemic heart muscle damage, but the possibility of a mild heart attack. Hopefully, those coronary arteries are the size of sewer pipes and wide open.

When he went to the emergency room early this morning he had recurring chest pains, which were to the point where he was highly concerned.

Hank had a transfusion this morning and is feeling a bit better. He is still in very critical condition, though.

Gary

Get Well Soon Don!!

Best wishes Don and thanks to Bill and Gary too for the first hand updates. Get plenty of rest after whatever procedure they have to do.

All the best with your health, Don...get back here soon.

Ian

Hi guys. Susan brought a laptop to the hospital for me.
I appreciate your support and prayers.
Nothing new to report until after the procedure in the morning.
I'm watching the Alabama-Texas game and trying not to worry too much.
This sure makes you take a long look at living habits.
Later,
DonM

I wish you a speedy recovery. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family

Don...
Just got back from a corporate gig and shocked to see this thread. You are in the best place to be right now. Been there...done that...and didn't have a computer. You are the lucky duck.

I'm thinking of you and wishing you the best.

Your buddy,
Eddie

Hi Don,

Sorry to hear about your time in the hospital. I was in 2 weeks ago for pneumonia. I wish you all the best. You are one great guy.

Joe

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Songman55
Joe Ayala

Best wishes, Don.

Don ... glad you are doing ok ... gotta start watching those post-gig dinners at Ernest's ...
Be well, my friend ...
t.

Hi Don,

When you start talking about that cute nurse instead of the Alabama-Texas game, I will know you are feeling better!

George
keyofg

All that golf can't be good for you, Don.

Wishing you a speedy recovery. And stay off the golf course!

Regards

Taike

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Bo pen nyang.

Wishing Don a speedy recovery.

don get well,wishing y0u speedy recovery, benno

Had two more episodes. Blood pressure went to 199, They gave me a nitro pill and it went down. The latest one was right after i talked to Bill on phone as he was driving home after covering for me.
I'm sure glad I am in the hospital. Nurse is just a few feet away.
Instead of dreading the procedure, I'm looking forward to getting to the bottom of this.
My wife is here, but she is sound asleep and she really needs the rest.
At least Alabama won "for me".
Later,
Your friend,
DonM

Well, the good news is that I actually accomplished the job. Me being the one who knows damn near nothing about sound and how to hook up all the thingamajigs. It took me about 45 minutes to disassemble all his stuff and put my stuff in, but I figured it out. Then, I slayed them.

I got $345 in tips, I got a free meal, free drinks from all the new fans I met and two ladies offered themselves to me. One didn't have any teeth. The other one, I took her up on it. Or down. Anyway, Don doesn't need that, as he is happily married to the saintess, Susan. What do you call a female Saint?

GIG RECAP: I was AMAZED at the vocal quality coming from those Bose Compacts. I don't sing THAT good. And my s900 did fine. I guess I used two or three midi's, the rest styles, and twice, the key (midi) surprised me. And this is after I have taken great care (preparing midi's) to make sure I start off in the right key. I don't understand why that happens but it just won't do. I don't know if I got a setting screwed up or what but it's not the first time. I'm expecting it to be Bb or whatever and it starts out in E.

But who cares. $345 in tips, free food, free booze, free women. My kind of gig. I won't tell Susan, she will worry that this happens to you all the time. I mean, the free womens.

Take your time, Don, you need to take it easy for a few weeks, I can handle it.

P.S. Don called me just before midnight and wanted an update! Haha, I said Man, you got moosishun's hours or what? This is the guy going under the knife in five hours. I think he was worried I would botch his gravy train, haha. I slayed them! $345 in tips! Free food, free booze, free womens. Did I tell y'all that?

EDIT: Wouldn't you know he upstaged me. I made my insightful post and then see that he just posted right before me. The nerve of that guy!

[This message has been edited by SemiLiveMusic (edited 01-07-2010).]

Get well soon Don !!!!!

Best wishes to you Don.
skude

Best wishes Don...
You take care... JDX.

Don,

here's hoping that it's nothing serious and you will get well soon. We all need you.

Andrea

Don, you are in my prayers. Best of luck to you.
Wally

Best wishes Don!

Get well soon! Hope you recover quickly.

Beakybird

Hey Don,
Hope your are fit for golf by the time this cold weather passes. Take it easy, Bill seems to be enjoying filling in for you.

Jay R

Don, speedy recovery.
Theodore

Don, I'm just one of many people you mean a lot to. Please let us know what's happening with you, when you can.


Russ

Best regards and wishes for speedy recocery from me too Don.

Cheers
GJ

I just got off the phone with Don's wife Susan. Don dodged a big bullet, his left, anterior descending coronary artery was 95% blocked, and the doctor said he was very close to having a massive heart attack.

A single, 5-mm stent was put in place, there was apparently no damage to the heart muscle, he will be heading home tomorrow and he's already complaining about having to lay still on his back.

The doctor said he has some other areas with blockages of about 50 percent, but those can be treated medically and do not require surgical intervention. Don will have to make some lifestyle changes, go on a serious diet, and unfortunately, watch what he eats at Ernest's Restaurant.

Glad everything worked out for him, and I'm really looking forward to meeting up with our MC of the Shreveport Jam again in a few weeks.

Good Luck,

Gary

Hello, this is Susan---Thanks, Gary, for posting the explanation on Don's procedure. Don will definitely make a full recovery. Oh, and Bill (Semi Live), Don wanted me to be sure to tell you that he is planning on being at work Monday night so, for you, the gravy train is empty! But.. you can have all the free booze and women you can get!

Rats.

Glad all is more or less well.

Susan... thank you for the update ... Man, it is hard to believe he was that close to a MUCH MORE SERIOUS problem, but will be up and about really soon ...
We've only met once and for too short a time, but Lydia and I love you guys and didn't want to even THINK about something really bad happening ...
I know you have a great support system with you, but please realize that you have a world of support here on S-Z as well, so if there is ANYTHING you need, please do not hesitate to ask ...
God Bless you both,
t.

semilive - $345 in TIPS ?!?!? ... man, I TOLD Don when I was down there I would do that gig just for tips and dinner !!! ... well, all things considered, maybe just for tips ...
Seriously, how many people were there to generate that much in tips, and do you have any idea what the average tip might have been?
t.

I just spoke with Don, he is still groggy but he'll be fine in a couple of hours. He thinks he already feels better, so, that's a good thing.

To everyone... I have been through this twice. Both Don and I were lucky. So far, haha. If you feel like you have a band around your chest, a tightness around your chest, maybe a bit difficult to get air... that is a classic symptom. Cal 911 if it happens to you. Don't wait or else you might end up like 40% of all people who have a heart attack -- first episode and they're dead.

By the way, second time it happened to me, it was not that feeling at all. It just felt like my heart was "heavy." A heavy feeling centered around the heart. It's human nature to deny and want to delay going in but try your best to overcome that and just make the call.

Get well soon, amigo.

Best regards from Brazil
Chico

Gary, Susan...
Thank you both for your update and explanations of Don's current condition. It is sounding very positive.

And Semi-Live Bill....since Don is coming back to work and you will have some extra time on your hands, I will resume giving all the gals down here your email address.

Eddie

Yo Don,
Get well!
Ciao,
Jerry

What a great "extended family"!
I can't thank you enough for your concern. I was very lucky to have good doctors that knew what I needed, despite my doubts.
And my Susan was by my side the entire time. She is now at work, by herself, at night, getting some things done that she had to neglect because of being with me.
If all goes well I'll be going home sometime tomorrow.
This will make the Arranger Jam even sweeter to me this year.
I talked with Hank's wife, Linda, earlier today and he is still fighting. He had a transfusion today because of low platelets. It would be a tremendous miracle if he could
make an appearance at the Jam, but maybe he can at least be where those that want to visit him for a while could. My little episode was extremely minor compared to what he has gone through.
DonM

Jann and I send our get well soon prayers to you. Jann had exactly the same procedure and stent 7 years ago and it hasn't even slowed her down. she did have to make a a couple life style changes and 4 meds for ever but no problems since. we sent you an email to your address that we use for you.
Hope to hear you are make home soon, back normal and doing your thing with some minor modifications
Go for it,
Your friends out in California.
Bebop and Jann who you have always been her favorite vocalist.

Good news, Don...

Here's to a healthy rest of 2010 for you and all my SZ friends...

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Bill in Dayton

Hi Don
here's a greeting for you from your best ever fan (fans actually) Eddie and Hilary Johnson from over the Pond.
It's so good to hear that you are recovering well. Hilary especially sends you her best wishes..she had a 4-valve replacement 10 years ago and has never looked back.
We have several friends with stents from long ago and they are good as new!
We love you , man.


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Eddie from Rotherham
Skype:eddiefromrotherham www.music2myears.plus.com

[This message has been edited by eddiefromrotherham (edited 01-09-2010).]

Sorry I'm getting to this thread late. Don, nothing beats, 1 -great cardiac care, 2- prayers, and 3- knowing when to seek both. I'm glad to hear you are doing better. Take care and God bless.

Cass

Just found out about you now, Don.
Best wishes to you.

Peter

Just found out about you now, Don.
Best wishes to you.

Peter

Just found out about you now, Don.
Best wishes to you.

Peter

Just found out about you now, Don.
Best wishes to you.

Peter

The Donald is home.

The miracles of modern medicine...
t.

Great News! From now on, it's "Better Living Through Chemistry"
Take it EZ Don.

As Bill said, I am home and I want to thank all of you once again for the prayers and support.
I plan to go back to work Monday night, although I will need some help setting up because I'm not supposed to lift anything over 10 pounds in weight for a while.
Next step is the JAM, coming up the 24th.
DonM

Don,
Sorry to hear you were in the hospital. You are a true gentleman and an asset to this community. Hope you get better soon, and maybe I will see you at the Jam later this month!
Ted S.
Fort Worth, TX

Hope you're doing well, Don. I'll be praying for your speedy recovery... and that Bill (SemiLive) will not become too enamoured with that cushy gig at Ernests... LOL! Seriously, it's great that you have friends to cover for you. I also hope Hank is better. There must be something "in the air" down there in NW Louisiana... 'cause all three of you, Don, Hank and Bill are having ticker trouble. The common denominator is "arranger keyboards."

Don,
Even though we havn't met...I have read a lot about you and folks that know you persnally and I want to say...glad you are doing better and may you continue to improve and God Bless.

Lee S.

Hi Don,
you sure gave everyone here a scare.
Just take it a bit easy, & make sure you look after yourself.

best wishes
Rikki