History

Sunday, June 6, 2004 9:30 AM PDT

Hello everyone, through heavy tears, I am so sorry to deliver this terrible news. I received a phone message from Uncle Sahng at 5:30am here in California informing me that JinHo has passed away. My grief is profound.

As the days go on, I will keep you informed of where to send condolences should you want to. All of your good thoughts, prayers and messages on the Caringbridge site have been so appreciated by JinHo and his family.

And, since this journal entry came so close after the last one late last night, I have included it below so you can understand a little of what was happening prior to Jin's passing.

Until later,

Brad Dechter
Bradmuzic@aol.com

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Saturday, June 5, 2004 11:30 PM PDT

Hello friends of JinHo,

It has been 2 days since I last reported here. After speaking with JinHo's Uncle Sahng and Dr. Lasky at UCLA, I am pained to report that JinHo's condition has rapidly deteriorated and his outlook for recovery very bleak. Dr. Lasky did finally have a phone conversation with Jin's doctor in Korea after it was reported to me that JinHo was experiencing respiratory failure and was breathing through a respirator. Dr. Lasky explained that JinHo has a pulmonary embolism which is a fairly common occurence in patients in Jin's condition. Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done because of his primary conditions of leukemia blast cells and Graft Versus Host Disease. He believes that Jin is getting as good quality care in this situation as he would at UCLA.

In addition, after a call just a short time ago with Uncle Sahng, it is reported that JinHo is experiencing major swelling in parts of his body and diminishment of normal bodily functions. At this point, they are trying to keep Jin as comfortable as possible, which means he is either asleep or unconscious most of the time. It is very difficult report the following: the doctors do not expect JinHo to live more than a week.

We can only hope now that, through some miracle, Jin's body can somehow combat this situation. Other than that, his family has been fervently praying for JinHo and asks, in whatever way we can, to concentrate our thoughts and prayers towards him.

I wish I could bring more positive news.

Until tomorrow,

Brad Dechter
Bradmuzic@aol.com

Thursday, June 3, 2004 9:30 PM PDT

Hello friends of JinHo,

I have heard nothing of any significance today. I did speak to a UCLA doctor who is still trying hard to make contact with the Korean doctors. As soon as I hear anything, I will resume this update.

I have just received a CD of JinHo performing the 1st movement of the Wieniawski Violin Concerto with the Idyllwild Arts Orchestra which we hope to soon have on the new JinHo website that is linked to the Caringbridge site you all know about. It will be a long download, but well worth the listen.

As always, I am doing my best to focus my positive thoughts and energy towards JinHo and I know you are doing the same.

Until the next time...

Brad Dechter
Bradmuzic@aol.com
(818)784-0598

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 10:30 PM PDT

Hi again to friends of Jin-Ho,

I am sorry to say that I have heard nothing yet from the UCLA doctors, so I will wait until I DO hear anything to say anymore about that.

I received an Email from Jean Moser regarding tonight's benefit concert in North Carolina. I quote:

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"What an amazing concert. The artists did a wonderful job and there were 156 people in attendance. At the end of the performance we had taken in over $3000. We have had a number of contributions from families at the school and expect that to continue to happen for the next few weeks.

In addition, the fellow who videotaped the performance is planning to make DVDs of the concert which we could sell. He offered to do that without charge which would make it possible for all proceeds to go to the Joo family."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What a nice report...congratulations and thanks to all involved!

Having been playing phone tag with Jin's Uncle Sahng, I have heard nothing in the past 2 days about how Jin is doing at the moment.

So, I hope to have more to report tomorrow.

In the meantime, as always, please keep Jin-Ho in your thoughts and please peruse or contribute to the Caringbridge website. (www.caringbridge.com/ca/jinhojoo)

Thanks,

Brad Dechter
Bradmuzic@aol.com
(818)784-0598

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 11:20pm PDT

Hi again friends of Jin-Ho,

We are making progress in our attempts to involve UCLA doctors in helping Jin-Ho. Today, Jin's Uncle Sahng delivered written lab reports to UCLA. In the meantime, I spoke to Dr. Lasky who in turn has now had an Email correspondence with Jin-Ho's Korean doctor. Dr. Lasky is Emailing back with some more questions, but he did say the information so far received is quite useful. I am hoping that, by sometime tomorrow (Wednesday), we may have some idea of possibilities for further/additional treatment methods. It is nice to finally make some headway (it now being 2 weeks since we've initiated this quest for information!).

I also received an Email from Jean Moser in North Carolina. She says that a radio interview taped today (with fellow music students) about Jin-Ho and tomorrow's benefit was very succesful. We thank all of the folks in North Carolina who are participating (either as organizers, performers or attendees) in this special benefit concert for Jin-Ho and wish all the best of success with the event. I look forward to posting a report about this in a couple of days.

I have a new information source to announce. My sister, Lesli Carroll, has graciously created a webpage totally devoted to Jin-Ho. It will ultimately contain more photos and, most importantly, some music clips of Jin-Ho performing. It is simply addressed as "jinhojoo.com" . There is not much there now except one solo recording Jin made last summer here in California. More on that site as it develops and a big thank you to Lesli!

Finally, on a personal note, today I attended a Hollywood film recording session that featured one of Jin-Ho's favorite violinists, Hilary Hahn. I showed her a photo taken of her, Jin-Ho and my son Graham 2 years ago. She fondly remembered them and then was saddened and deeply concerned about hearing of Jin's illness. She was very kind and promised to write a personal note to him.

Until tomorrow, please continue to hold Jin-Ho in your thoughts and keep checking the website (www.caringbridge.com/ca/jinhojoo) for updates, photos, guestbook entries and a weblink to the new Jin-Ho Joo webpage.

Thanks,

Brad Dechter
Bradmuzic@aol.com
(818)784-0598

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 1am PDT

Hi everyone,

I apologize for being late with this update (it's now really June 1, not May 31). Unfortunately, there's not much to report. I did learn that hospitals take the weekend off too. (Translation): I called the UCLA doctor to whom I was referred for the weekend. She offered no assistance and said looking at Jin's medical labs would have to wait until Tuesday. So, we wait...

I did have a nice phone conversation with Jenn Stublick, Jin's North Carolina dorm mom, who is traveling to Asia even as I write this. She will be in Korea on June 7 after spending a week in Japan. She will make an attempt to see JinHo while there.

So until tomorrow, that is all.

Once again, please keep JinHo in your thoughts and if you haven't done so already, please "sign" the guestbook at the CaringBridge website. It only take a few minutes and is so appreciated. (www.caringbridge.com/ca/jinhojoo)
Thanks,

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Sunday, May 30, 2004 8:23 PM PDT

Hello friends of Jin-Ho,

It's now 8pm on Sunday as I sit down to write this update. Being the Memorial Day weekend, things are a bit slow. I do have the lab reports ready for doctors at UCLA. I have attempted to make contact with the on-call doctor, but to no avail yet. I'm hoping we can communicate by tomorrow and then deliver these reports in person.

I have no more specific news about Jin since I spoke with him briefly via Instant Messenger last night. He was clearly tired but made a couple enthusiastic comments about a couple of things I told him. My son Graham also talked to him via Instant Messenger last night and also said that he was tired. With all that's going on with him, his weariness is to be expected. But, as I said yesterday, he was happy to see the messages that have been sent to him in the Caringbridge website.

Next week, Jenn Stublick, Jin-Ho's dorm mother at the North Carolina School of the Arts, is making a trip to Japan. While there, she will be making a sidetrip to attempt to see Jin. It will be great to have someone from here to see first hand how things seem to be. We look forward to a report from her as soon as possible!

And speaking of North Carolina, this seems to be a good moment to give more specific information about the benefit that is occuring next week for Jin. Here is the text of an Email I received today from Jean Moser:

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"The benefit concert is June 2, 7:30pm. It is being held at the church that Jin attended at the end of his time at NCSA. (Redeemer Presbyterian). His group, I Solisti Vivaldi will be performing. They will be doing one movement from each of the Seasons by Vivaldi. They will also play Quartet No. 8 by Shostakovich. Julie Hammarback and John Hammarback will play an offertory. (John is one of Jin's close friends here in Winston).

We are hoping to videotape the concert. A friend will plan to do it if nothing unexpected turns up and we will definitely send it snail mail, but we are working on doing it either by email or perhaps over a website if we can find one. We will also be recording the concert.

Tuesday morning the local NPR affiliate is going to do a 15-20 minute show that will feature the Shostakovitch quartet, John Hammarback and plans to call Jin and include his own interview. The concert will be announced at that time. If the execs give the ok, there may be a TV spot that evening. We won't know until probably lunch time.

In the meantime, letters have been sent to all high school parents who attend NCSA. An invitation was included and a request to contribute to the fund to help defray Jin's medical expenses. We have already begun receiving funds and look forward to many more being sent. Here's the address for anyone who would like to contribute to this fund: (Checks should be made to Bill Donahue with "Jin Ho Joo" printed in the memo area.)

Mail to:

NCSA
Office of Parent Relations
1533 South Main Street,
Winston-Salem, NC 27127"

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That about sums up today's news. I hope to have more information tomorrow regarding UCLA's involvement. Until then, as always, please keep Jin-Ho in your thoughts and prayers and please leave a message for him in the website guestbook area. Once again, the web address is:

"www.caringbridge.com/ca/jinhoo" .

Thanks,

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Saturday, May 29, 2004 11:05 PDT

Hello friends of Jin-Ho,

As reported yesterday, our biggest quest here in the U.S. was to get Jin-Ho's important lab results so that the UCLA doctors can review them. I'm happy to cautiously report that we seem to have some success on that issue. Jin-Ho's father faxed 13 pages of reports to Jin's Uncle Sahng here in the U.S., who in turn faxed them to me. There seem to be 3 sets of reports starting from his arrival in Korea on December 31, one from the middle of March, and one from last week. I am not sure if this is enough information or not, but we definitely have something now for the doctors here to look at!

I am hoping to speak to a doctor at UCLA tomorrow (Sunday) and deliver copies of these reports for examination.

According to Jin's uncle, it seems he may have contracted some sort of lung infection and may have to move back to the emergency room. I'm not sure what that specifically means. All of this information is third person and so exact details are hard to come by.

But now, the best thing has just happened...as I am writing this, I just received an Instant Message from Jin-Ho!! I am speaking to him as I write this and he is reading all of your messages on the webpage at Caringbridge. I am so excited...I have not had any personal communication with him since before the bone marrow transplant. He has just said that "everyone is bothering" him at the hospital, so it is hard for him to type. And now he says he needs to rest. Wow...so good to have even a brief talk with him.

So, until tomorrow, that is my report. I hope to have more tomorrow. In the meantime, please keep Jin-Ho in your thoughts and please, if you have not done so already, send him a message on the caringbridge website (caringbridge.com/ca/jinhojoo). It is quick and easy and so important.

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Friday, May 28, 2004 11:56 AM CDT

Hi friends of Jin Ho,

Yesterday I was not able to write an actual update, but I WAS able to set up the Caringbridge website. Hopefully, you all got the forwarded Email from the website itself. If not, here is the web address to access Jin's special website.

www.caringbridge.com/ca/jinhojoo

This will take you to the homepage where you see the latest journal update (that I will try to keep up) and also where you can leave a message in the guestbook as well as read messages from others. There is also a link to view older versions of the journal updates. And, I am attempting to add some photos to the photo album page. For now, I'm going to try to continue this mass Emailing to all of you in addition to the journal on the website, so you may encounter some redundancies in information. We'll see how this works as time goes on.

In the meantime, about 10 of you (and including people not even on this particular Email list) have left wonderful messages for Jin-Ho!! Thank you....and keep them coming. Don't be afraid to send another message a few days later. My goal today, among other things, is to make sure Jin actually starts getting these messages, as he has no computer access at the moment. But, through us and his uncle and his family in Korea, I know we can deliver them all to him. His uncle tells me that Jin is talking about getting back to the United States as soon as possible! And that was part of a conversation we had yesterday (Thursday) in which he said Jin-Ho was feeling better. Just wait until he reads all of your messages!

Now, on the medical front...as you may know, our goal for over a week has been to get Jin's specific medical (lab tests, etc.) to doctors at UCLA so that they can assist in Jin's treatment. So far, it has been very frustrating. Although Jin's father was able to obtain 200 pages of records and send them to us, the doctors at UCLA report that they do not contain any of the really important info! And, a Korean doctor at UCLA attempted to speak to Jin's doctor in Korea all week. When she finally got through yesterday, Jin's doctor revealed very little useful information. We are experience a difficulty of long distance communications and who knows what else. So, now we are hoping that Jin's father can obtain the specific information we need. Until that time, we in the U.S. have our hands tied as to how to actually help in a medical way. Today, Friday, I am planning a conference call with the UCLA doctors and my brother-in-law, Marshall Smith (who used to be an international immigration attorney and has much experience in dealing with different cultures, etc.), to map out a plan of action to make sure we obtain the necessary records and then move on to the specific help these doctors can offer.

So far, we have been so lucky that so many doctors at UCLA have given of their time, just based on my phone call for help: there is Dr. Moore, Dr. Lasky, Dr. Choi and Dr. Satake. It's nice to know that there are such caring people out there who will spend time out of compassion to help a stranger they have yet to meet!

So until we learn more from Jin-Ho's father, I won't have much more to report medically.

On a little sideline note that many of you may appreciate, I have a photo scanned into my computer that I once used as the desktop background that I have now started to use again. The photo is of Jin-Ho, my son Graham, and Hilary Hahn, the famous young virtuoso violinist who performed with the Idyllwild Arts Orchestra 2 years ago. As soon as I finish this Email, I am going back to my desk to orchestrate a film score that I'm working on that is going to feature Hilary as soloist! We record next week with her. I am going to share the photo with her and briefly tell her about Jin-Ho. My son Graham assures me that she'll remember him, as Jin was the concertmaster for that concert.

So, until the next time, that is my report for the day.

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Thursday, May 26, 2004 6:50 PM CDT

Hello friends of Jin...

After yesterday's long missive, I have very little to report. However, things are starting to move in a forward direction.

I had not heard from the UCLA doctor (Dr. Lasky) who was trying to contact Jin's Korean doctor, so I called him today at about 3pm. He apologized and said that he and associates made 2 phone calls, both unanswered, and sent an Email, also without response. They are going to make another attempt tonight to contact.

In the meantime, Jin's uncle Sahng received copies of Jin's medical records via FedEx (over 200 pages) and is delivering them in person to Dr. Lasky as I write this. This is a huge step forward, as the missing link for us here is specific medical information. Hopefully they will be able to get through on the phone and complete the picture so that a complete and accurate assessment can be made about Jin's condition and subsequent treatment options.

Yesterday, after sending the first of thses Emails, I received a call from our good friend Ann Behnke, Dean of Admissions at Idyllwild Arts. Her brother is currently in the recovery stage of bone marrow transplant, so she has much useful information and experience to offer (not to mention her always positive spirit and personality!). Among the items she shared was a special website devoted to people who are in the midst of dire illnesses, etc. It is called Caringbridge.com and allows the family of an ailing person to have a webpage devoted to updating information on his or her progress as WELL as allowing friends and other family to deliver messages to the patient from afar. I am going to see about setting this up within a couple of days. My sense is that Jinho could use a daily dose of correspondence from all of you and other friends. Though he cannot use a computer personally at the moment, we are hoping that Jin's sister, Min Young, can make this her project to retrieve the messages sent and pass them along to Jinho. More on that in a later Email...

As I wrap this up, I realize that my goal of brevity has not yet been achieved; thanks for bearing through these notes and thoughts! Please remember to include Jinho in your thoughts, prayers, meditations or any other way you choose to positively think about him.

More tomorrow...

Thanks,

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:31 PM CDT

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Thursday, May 25, 2004 6:43 PM CDT

Hello to friends of Jinho Joo,

I thought I would start a daily update about Jinho and and his status in a mass Emailing. At the risk of being redundant, I will tell a lot of the story today, to make sure you are up-to-date. If anyone would like further information or clarification, please Email and I will answer ASAP. And most important for all of us is to put good thoughts out there and share your concern with anyone who knows or knows of Jinho. And feel free to forward this Email and give me other names to add to the mailing list...

Last December, Jinho was diagnosed with a pre-leukemia condition called Myelodysplasia. After determing that his sister, Min Young, was a perfect bone marrow donor match, the doctors and family determined that Jinho could return to South Korea and have the medical procedures in Seoul near their home. With the "perfect donor match," the odds seemed good for a successful procedure and outcome and would afford Jinho's family the ability to be in their own home and not have to struggle with language barriers, etc. they would encounter in the U.S. In the best of circumstances, the entire process of preparation, treatment and recovery takes at least 9 months.

Last week, after hearing that Jinho was not doing well (apparently rejecting his March 29 bone marrow transplant), we decided to see if we could give his family assistance in the way of additional medical opinions from Los Angeles, with the ultimate possibility of flying Jinho here for treatment. Jinho's uncle, Sahng Cha, a resident of Santa Monica, has become my closest telephone friend over the past week and has been relaying information back and forth to Korea. Jin's family has accepted our offer of help and consequently, his doctor has also agreed to share information and accept help from the U.S.

In the meantime, in North Carolina, Jinho's host family, where he was attending the North Carolina School for the Arts, has been spearheading and organizing a big fundraiser to celebrate Jinho and his music and to help his family defray skyrocketing medical expenses. This will happen on June 1 and will include musical performances, recordings of Jinho performing and apparently some spots on National Public Radio and the local news. Jean Moser, Jinho's North Carolina "mom" has worked very hard to make this benefit happen. In addition, she has helped me with much information and also enlisted the help of some Korean friends to call Jinho's father and translate information.

On hearing of the Jinho's dire situation, I contacted a friend at the UCLA medical school who in turn put me in touch with Dr. Ted Moore, of the Juvenile Hematology/Oncology department. He has been very patient, caring and compasssionate and wants to do what he can to help. Since Dr. Moore had to leave this past Sunday for an annual 2 1/2 week volunteer medical trip to the Phillipines, he has briefed his whole department on Jinho's situation. I am now in contact with Dr. Lasky. As I write this, we are expecting Dr. Lasky and a current Resident Fellow, who happens to be Korean, to speak with Jinho's doctor sometime today.

So far, the information we have received has been very discouraging and difficult to comprehend or understand for us lay-people. We are hoping that the doctors at UCLA can determine exactly what's going on and translate for all of us here in the U.S. and hopefully offer some alternative strategies to the Korean doctors course of treatment.

Here's what we know specifically according to information received by Jinho's father, as related to Jin's uncle or to Jean Moser's Korean friends:

For about the past 3 weeks, Jinho's condition has deteriorated, as the rejection of the bone marrow continues while the myelodysplasia cells seem to still be growing. The rejection of the bone marrow transplant has manifested itself into a condition called Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), which occurs in 4 progressively worse stages. From what I hear, Jinho is at least in the second stage, as he has a rash over most of his body. According to Dr. Moore at UCLA, GVHD can actually be an effective condition to fight the "bad" bone marrow"; doctors actually induce the disease as a way to fight and hopefully cure a patient. It must be controlled carefully though, as more advanced stages of GVHD can be harmful to vital organs.
Jinho is most definitely uncomfortable much if not most of the time. He has been in and out of a coma twice, the rash is extremely irritating, he cannot sleep very well. Over the weekend, Jinho was in the emergency room with an uncontrollable high fever. It seems that it has subsided and he was eating yesterday morning. (A good sign)

So, we are now waiting for information from the doctors at UCLA. With any positive words, we are hoping that either they can help manage Jinho's treatment from afar and add to the knowledge of the Korean doctors or possibly figure out a way to get him here for his treatment. A long plane flight would be incredibly stressful and dangerous (Jin's natural defenses are virtually gone and any exposure to germs, bacteria, etc. can be harmful if not life-threatening). But, if somehow this DOES become an option, we are hoping to get help to fly him and his family here and get the best treatment possible.

To that end, my brother-in-law, Marshall Smith, has made strides with The City of Hope (which, along with UCLA, is the top institution in this area for treating Jinho's condition). He is in contact with a person there who has a plan in place and ready to go to consider accepting Jinho as a philanthropic case (i.e., paid for), which would certainly be a huge help to Jin and his family. A friend of Jean Moser's has already offered to help defray costs of a flight, if necessary.

All of this is pending the outcome of the UCLA/Korean doctor conversation.

As we know, this is a very stressful and difficult situation for all of us who know and love Jinho, but most of all for his family. Jinho's mother has been at his bedside at the hospital literally 24 hours a day. His father has been trying to maintain the family the best he can. I can only imagine how his sister, Min young, must be coping....difficult at best. As soon as we get our medical information and a plan in place, I want to continue on and focus on the emotional side of the situation. I am honestly not sure how much comprehension Jinho has of any of this at this time, nor his ability to focus on anything. But it is important for him and his family to know how much love and support there is for all of them. The benefit in North Carolina is a tremendous start.

So, as events progress daily, I will continue updates through these Emails. I know many, if not all of you, have already expressed support for Jinho through sending letters, cards, photos, etc. I think that we need to continue this on an ongoing basis through the duration of this ordeal. The more positive thoughts and feelings he has, the better he'll be able to cope and fight this battle. I, for one, cannot wait to hear him play violin again, or to have him escort me through the Korean grocery store, extolling the virtues of the dozens of types of Kim Chee on the shelf.

And finally, I promise to be more brief after this initial Emailing.

Thanks to all of you,

Brad Dechter
(818)784-0598

Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:31 PM CDT

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----End of History----