This is not a racing post, though it has a a minor racing connection.
25, years ago, In 1987, I was diagnosed with periodontal disease, which basically is a deterioration of the gum tissue and was referred to a Periodontist in Charlotte, Dr. William C. James. Dr. James transplanted tissue from the roof of my mouth to all four gum/tooth quadrants and I have seen him 4 times yearly now for twenty-five years.
During my initial surgical visit in 1987, while under nitrous oxide, I managed to severely bite the finger of my dental technician.
Much to my chagrin, that young lady turned out to be the then wife of Joey Knuckles, at the time crew chief for Davey Allison on the #28 Ranier-Lundy Ford, before the team was sold to Robert Yates. That is the racing connection, unless you also consider the nitrous oxide to be racing related.
Today, I learned that my Periodontist had an awful accident while vacationing at Myrtle Beach.
On September 6, while body surfing, Dr. James encountered a large wave and hit his head on the ocean floor, resulting in a broken neck and paralysis. His wife saw him floating and called for help. As fate would have it, two doctors rescued Dr. James who was not breathing and had turned blue. They administered CPR and saved him.
10 years ago, at a church league softball game in Charlotte, it was Dr. James who administered CPR and saved the opposing pitcher after he was hit in the heart by a line drive.
For many years, Dr. James has made several trips a year to Haiti where he provides free dental services. His daughter, Lauren, in fact, is director of a free medical care facility in Haiti.
Dr. James has had spinal surgery and was finally removed from his ventilator this past Friday. On Tuesday of this week, after insertion of a smaller tracheal tube, he was able to tell his wife he loved her for the first time since his September 6th accident.
Today, Dr. James was scheduled to be flown back to Charlotte where he will be at Carolinas Medical Center Rehabilitation Hospital.
As you say your prayers, please remember this kind and decent man and his family who need all the strength they can muster.
There is a special web site Caring Bridge where additional information and updated postings are made:
www.CaringBridge.org/visit/WilliamCJames
Dr. William C. (Bill) James & wife, Linda
From the Caring Bridge Site:
Background Story
While body surfing at Myrtle Beach on September 6, 2012 Bill was hit by a wave and hit his head on the bottom of the sea. He was unconscious and breathing in sea water when his wife Linda discovered him floating in the waves. She screamed for help and 2 men (later to be discovered as doctors) pulled him to shore. He was blue from lack of oxygen and not breathing. They immediately began CPR and called 911. Bill was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center and was diagnosed with a C-4 spinal cord injury and ruptured disc. He was put on a ventilator due to the water in his lungs and severity of his injuries. After CT scans and an MRI, he was stabilized with an Aspen neck collar and put on high doses of antibiotics to fight pneumonia. Bill was also given steroids by the trauma doctors to try to decrease swelling around the spinal cord. Within hours of the injury, Bill was moving his arms. He does not appear to have any severing of the cord but does have significant swelling and bruising. On Monday September 10, 2012 Bill will undergo a discectomy and fusion of the C-4 vertebrae and possibly those above and below it. At this time we also hope that he will have the ventilator removed. As his sensation and movement begins to return, the ventilator agitates him more and more. Please continue to pray for his recovery, strength and peace during this time. Linda and Lindsey have been by his bedside night and day. As he continues to get stronger the Lord seems to be working miracles left and right. Praise the Lord!!
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/03/16 06:14:41PM