November 25, 2020

Today is a day for true THANKSGIVING.  As you know, I spent 19 days at OLOL Hospital and nearly four weeks at the Neuromedical Center Inpatient hospital for Guillain Barre Syndrome treatment.  Many of these weeks were spent in the ICU and on a ventilator, which supported my life while the GBS treatment went to work healing my paralyzed body.  During this time, I had my wife, Carolyn, by my side and constantly watching over me, my daughters visiting and the prayer’s of all of my friends, family and my patient’s vigilantly praying for God to heal me.  It made a difference, because I am here today to give my own thanksgiving for all of you and the prayers and love you extended to me.

The rehabilitation recovery was much more rapid than everanticipated; many with GBS are not walking until months after diagnosis, and here I am walking, driving, and gradually returning to a full life.  I admit that sometimes I question if it was God’s grace, the support of Carolyn and my daughters, my friends and family, my incredibly devoted patients, or just my sheer determination to get better – that brings me to where I am today, which is almost fully healed.  I have a wonderful life, and believe that it was all of these things, and most especially God,and the incredible amount of prayers ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES that healed me, so I thank each of you – from the bottom of my heart for praying and willing me back to health.

This has been a humbling experience.  The physical losses and adaptation to starting life over with no physical abilities is humbling and yet gratifying as I achieve each and every step to healing – and when I say “step”, I mean literally, learning to walk all over again.  I will always be GRATEFUL and HUMBLED for this experience and the support offered by each of you, and my family and caretakers.  Carolyn is one in ten million; I do not know how I would have made it without her and my daughters.  Thank you for supporting my family – the meals, the hugs, the calls, the patient drawings, and get-well cards, and most especially the gratifying remarks I have read on CaringBridge.  I love all of you and thank you for your support.

Please let me take a moment to thank the medical caretakers at each medical facility.  I received excellent care for which I give a THANK YOU to all of those that provided me with such care – without your care, I could not be here today.

Lastly, GREAT NEWS – I am returning to work this Monday, November 30th – and I look forward to seeing the faces of so many that I have missed!  

Love, Dr. Bucky

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” - 2 Corinthians 4:15 (NIV)