From Bart Klapinski

Thank-you to all those who have responded here on Stuka Stunt Works, the phone calls I received in the hospital and the cards and all your prayers.
I would have responded earlier to all of you, but I have had some reactions from the new medications I am on. My heart is healing extremely well and when they get my medications squared away I should be active again in the models.
Its times like these that one realizes just how wonderful a family I have in the Control Line community.

Thank-you All
Bart Klapinski

Don't rush it, buddy. Take it easy, and we'll see you again sometime.

Mike & JoAnn Keville

Being a duly initiated "Honorary Texan", having gone through the "rites of passage out in the front yard at the "Fishfly" will hold you in fine stead to recover quickly and be tougher than ever. Glad to hear you're doing so well.Continue to do so, please. Old "Four Dueces", the yeller Cub will be ready when you are! Best regards, Ol' Dad and Linda Bob

>Thank-you to all those who have responded here on Stuka
>Stunt Works, the phone calls I received in the hospital and
>the cards and all your prayers.
>I would have responded earlier to all of you, but I have had
>some reactions from the new medications I am on. My heart is
>healing extremely well and when they get my medications
>squared away I should be active again in the models.
>Its times like these that one realizes just how wonderful a
>family I have in the Control Line community.
>
>Thank-you All
>Bart Klapinski

Bart,

All I knew about your person was what I read at an FM article.

Before the old Ion was dead and the new Ion was ressurectet with Christ I wouldn't even bother about anyone but the old bastard Ion.

I was very touched by you having said that Christ was carriyng you all the way.

He still is, and always will, for all eternity.

To live is Christ, to die is gain, wrote Paul.

The only things that help me endure this dark world are Christ in me, the joy of loving my fellow men , and - maybe? - them little airmodels.

I hope that our fellow modelers that are already up there have, by this time, built a nice set of circles. I particurlarly will enjoy not having to use a chiken stick again, that became a rule for me since my new CB .46 stunnt gave me a whack the made me say some words that the Lord certainly didn't like too much...

God bless you!

In Christ,

Hey Klanski,

Good to see you in print!

Just hang in there and get the old ticker back up to speed and you'll be amazed at how much better you feel. After my little "surprise" visit to the local Bed and Fixit shop I couldn't believe the improvement in my overall feeling of fitness. I'm sure you're going to feel the same.

A general comment to my other stunt friends. If you're in the ballpark of "advanced middle age" like Bart and I, ask your Doctor to arrange for a stress echo test to check out the plumbing. I was fortunate that my warning signs preceded a "major" incident but was able to be corrected with fairly non-invasive angioplasty and stent insertion (sounds heavy but is done under local antesthetic with a plumbing tool of some sort).

Pretty much all of us have lived lives of dissolution to one degree or another when it comes to our diets...it's part of the few downsides of being an American...and the chances of significant artery blockage are quite high. In addition, you don't get a lot of symptomatic warning until the issue is beyond solution without surgery.

The stress echo test will let you find out before you have to get your friends all upset and worrying about you. Give it some thought.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-04-03 AT 09:25 PM (CST)
 
Hi Ted,
I had two stress echo tests a couple years ago. Dr. swore I had had a heart attack. Sent me to a specialist. Next up was the little camera up the vien into the heart. (my wife wrote the pamphlet that the hospital gives out on the procedure so I was "forewarned") The specialist, who I know pretty well, was talking and answering my questions while the short procedure was going on.
I asked him what those "lines" on the monitor was and he said your arteries, boy! I said, "how do they look?" He said, "clean as a baby's butt". What about the Heart attack y'all said I had? "Don't worry about it". Easier said than done, but the TWO echo tests showed the same thing. One thing it did for me was to really look at my life style, and change some things.

STILL, your advice is "spot on", and all of us DO need to take the precautions as we get a few flights under our belts. Heart disease is strikeing at much earlier ages than just a few decades ago.
Bill

Hey guys,

Bart, I am glad you are on your way to recovery! I ain't no expert pilot, but I've seen you fly a cuple of times and it's been just awesome! I've been through the major plumbing bypass operation, six bypasses about three yeas ago. It ain't no fun, but thank the good Lord, we know how to fix these kinds of problems, if they catch them in time. Today, the doctors will tell you it's a pretty routine operation....Ha...Maybe for the doctor!! Ted is quite right. The American diet is probably at least 50% of why us Americans had better take this stuff seriously when you get to be near the half century mark. Our food contains way too much saturated fat. Get your cholesterol checked! And, if it's too high, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I was really lucky. One good thing is it does give you a new outook and an appreciation for what's really important in life.

Get well fast, Bart.

Bart,
Take care, do what the Dr.s say, and get back into the circle when all is well!
Bill

I sent a card to Bart, and he was kind enough to thank me by sending a card to me! Goodness, I'll bet he got hundreds of cards, and it looks like he responded to every one. What a guy!