Coupe family friend in need of prayers

[Hankl]

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 6:51 AM, PDT


written by Karen Salvaggio

June 16, 2011
Andy will travel for his thrid radiation treatmenet today.....Just thirty-two to go.....He's a little more tired now that the treatments have begun, but overall, he continues to make incremental progress in his memory and speech progress. Andy's days are busy ones for sure, with physical therapy focusing on the re-development of neuro-muscular connections on the right side, and speech therapy focused on producing words.

Thanks to everyone that's visited over the last few days. Some very cool "**********" magazines (1973 vintage. SCCA) showed up in the room, and they have lots of great pictures and stories from events at Riverside Raceway and "vintage" pictures of racing in all these cars before they were "vintage." You guys sure had some great fun back in the '60's-80's with each other....Talk about livin' the life! Leon sent some very cool pictures which I need to scan and post.....Thanks Leon! I'll make sure they're in the room for everyone to enjoy!

Thanks again for everyone's support and love. I read your posts to Andy, and share all of your great memories with him every day. I know every one of you would be there with him in the room to enjoy stories of the good times if you could. Your love and kindness mean a lot to both of us. Warmest regards.....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2011 6:55 AM, PDT


written by Karen Salvaggio

June 17, 2011
Andy continues to have a busy daily schedule, which is good for the speech development, and for beginning the process of restoring his physical well-being, but it is somewhat tiring for him.....

He's still making small gains in word recognition. Last evening our good friend Lytle Thiesen brought a sketching device (kinda like an Etch-A-Sketch, only with a stylus pen), and we worked on word recognition and picture drawing....Andy, of course, enjoyed showing us that he could draw a model of a car......When asked if he could hold the pen so he could draw, he grabbed it with great enthusiasm and even clicked it several times to let us know, he "gets it." Following dinner, and after working with the sketch pad for some time, he dozed off for another well deserved rest after a long day.

Thanks to everyone for the great stories. Andy looks forward to hearing them each day, and they certainly serve to bring back many, many good memories. You guys sure had lots of fun back in the day......Father's Day BBQ slated for today, along with the daily therapies, including his afternoon radiation treatment.

Room Change: Visitors please note that Andy moved to Room 304a yesterday....Nice room, and again, very nice staff.

Thanks again for keeping Andy and all of us in your thoughts.....Your continued prayers and good wishes are truly appreciated....We hope you have a great weekend! Karen

Hank

[Russ Thompson]

Todays update sounds pretty good, Andy seems to be coming back to his joyful self! Keep it up Andy, we are all still pulling for you and the whole family.

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011 8:28 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

Father's Day Update
I want to begin with a "Thank you!" to the many good folks that have stopped by and visited Andy over these weeks, and to those sending continued good thoughts, prayers, and wishes through the Caring Bridge site. Please know each of your visits and posts here mean so much to Andy and to our family. We continue to be thankful for the outpouring of love and support from our extended family, which includes members from the Corvette, Factory Five Racing, Riverside International Automotive Museum, NASA, club racing worlds, as well as so many of my colleagues in the educational world. Your kindness is truly amazing!

Andy enjoyed his visit with good friends, and fellow Corvette racers Tex and Steve Schwab on Friday.....Tex brought a very nice, framed picture collage of the two of them from their racing days at Riverside, Ontario, Las Vegas, and so many more. Andy truly appreciates the many visits he's received from his long-time friends (and extended family) from the racing world, and it meant a lot to him to spend some time with Tex and Steve. I know he would enjoy a trip to Arizona more than you know....Thank you!

Andy also enjoyed a visit with the grandbabies (Evan and Kendall) yesterday, and will be celebrating Father's Day with them later today. Both babies love their Papa, and we know Evan would like nothing more than to be back out in the garage, playing with tools and crawling around the cars with his grandpa.

On the health and recovery front....The radiation treatments began last week, and are slated to continue for the better part of seven weeks. During the initial surgery, the neurosurgeon was able to remove a significant portion of the tumor, however, due to its location and proximity to the speech center, as well as they nature of the tumor itself, the tumor could not be completely removed. Chemo wafers were implated directly into the remaining tumor cells during the surgery, and these time-release agents have been working on limiting the growth in the weeks following. The latest scan indicated the tumor was stablized enough in location to begin radiation treatments.

As you might imagine, all of these changes (surgery, chemo wafers, and now radiation treatments) can and will have effects.....For those of you that have visited, you will note that Andy sleeps, a lot. He's also working very hard to recover movement and neuroconnections to the right side of his body, as well as with his speech therapy, and these are taxing to him as well. Throughout this process, we are working closely with the doctors and nursing staff to monitor his overall wellness through these therapies, and today it was noted he has developed a bit of a fever....The staff are in the process of evaluating the source so it can be effectively addressed

Andy is looking forward to a Father's Day visit with Evan and Kendall today (Tracy and Brandon too), and we wish all of you a great day with your families. While these are challenging days for our family, we continue to be overwhelmed by the endless love and support we've received from our amazing family and friends......Thank you!!! Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011 6:40 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 20, 2011
Today brought lots of sunshine to the Inland Empire, as well as a much better day for Andy. His fever broke by late Sunday afternoon, and he was able to be get a good night's sleep. While his daily physical therapy sessions focus on building the neurological connections with his right side, he also works the left side in these sessions, and his left arm and leg are really beginning to develop some strength. He's pretty good about balancing in the sitting position, which is progress as well. Radiation treatements resumed today, and he's down to 31 sessions to go. Andy was able to stay awake for the better part of the day, and really made an effort to interact and share his thoughts with everyone.

Andy's taken up humming tunes (not all of which we recognize), however this is a promising sign, in that the patterns and rhythms are good for the brain....The speech therapist is very encouraged with his progress there, and again, it may not be talking in sentences, but it's progress, and we certainly welcome progress in any form received. Little Woo! Hoos! over here.....The nurses all report that he's a pretty darn nice patient as well, and of course, he's already begun charming them....They are all very kind and celebrate the small, daily successes as well.

Janet, Mike, Larry, Craig, Ron, Lytle, Gina, George, Rich, Arlene, Tex, Steve, Mike, Marilee and everyone that's visited in the last few days.....Thank you!

Bob Bower.....Thanks for the crazy bird....It's whimisical, and adds some "fun" to the room.....

Thanks again to everyone for your continued prayers and good wishes. Warmest regards....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011 7:41 AM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 22, 2011
Andy had a great day yesterday.....He's feeling much better, and as we all know, life is just better when you feel good.....Lots of progress in physical therapy...Getting stronger and stronger....Yes Maxine, he still knows how to work it with the ladies, and he's learning some Dean Martin songs so he can charm them with his crooning....;Andy always told me that if he could have one gift, it would be to become a great singer...Well, I think he's living his dream...;.))

Tex.....Your days racing at Riverside with Andy are truly among his best memories....Those were days full of fun and great adventure for sure, and the stories are simply amazing....Andy's one of the most competitive people I know, and he's still a great driver in his own right, having secured top time at a Pole Postion event last year....Not much keeps him down, so I know he's looking forward to getting back out to the track.

Andy's niece, Gina, visits several times a week, and spends lots of quality time caring for her Uncle Andy. Gina, you are an amazingly kind person, and we are truly blessed to have you in our life...For those that don't know....Andy lost his mom at age nine, and in the years following, Andy lived with his sister Roses (Gina's mom). Roses, Andy and Gina have a very special bond, and we are grateful to the continued kindness extended from our Badagliacca (sp) and San Diego-based clan.....Thank you!

Best wishes and greatest thanks to everyone.....We hope you have a great day filled with wonderful new memories!! Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

Journal FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011 7:26 AM, PDT
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written by Karen Salvaggio

June 24, 2011
Andy's really enjoying all of the stories from his Corvettes Unlimited and Guldstrand Racing days....He's certainly enjoyed quite the life with these cars....Many of you know that besides racing his '59 Corvette at tracks like Riverside, Ontario, Las Vegas, and so many more back in the day, that later in his career, he joined the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) where he campiagned his Corvette in vintage racing here in Southern California. His big dream has always been to have his car at the Monterey Historics, which is a week-long classic car and vintage racing festival that is unmatched here in the United States. In our world, it's pretty much the crown jewel and pinnacle of acknowledgement in vintage racing...

We moved to Riverside some ten years ago, and in those years, Andy and I have been very fortunate to meet the good folks at the Riverside International Automotive Museum (RIAM). Talk about a great place! If you are a fan of the glory days of racing at Riverside, or just a car nut, this is the place for you! Outstanding collection of race cars, including the Dan Gurneys Eagles and so many others...Andy's 1959 Corvette C-Production racecar resides there now, and he truly enjoys having it on display among all those great racecars......http://www.riversideinternational.org/

A few days ago, I received a call from Bruce Ward, Director of the Museum with some very exciting news. It seems that the most distinguished classic car show held at the Monterey Historics, entitled "The Quail" is featuring cars from the Riverside International Automotive Museum, and yes, they have asked for Andy's '59 Corvette to be displayed at The Quail.....I wish everyone here could've seen Andy's face when I told him the news.....BIG smiles (a few tears), head nodding and his first Woo! Hoo!....Needless to say, he's a very happy man, and we will forever be grateful to our friends at the Riverside International Automotive Museum for this incredible opportunity....He sure would like to make the trip, so he's working toward the goal of seeing his car in Monterey in August.....Lofty goal for sure, but he's pretty darn motivated. :>)

Check it out: http://www.quaillodgeevents.com/pages/thequail.cgi

Today will be a very good day for Andy.....;.) Warmest regards...Karen

PS....Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, CA) is a legendary track, and Andy has some great stories about "The Corkscrew" (I know some of you do as well!)....I finally had my chance to run Laguna Seca last month (May 2011), and it was awesome!!! Here's a video from Sunday's race in the Big Bore Production group with SCCA Historics (great group of folks!)...On grid in the FFR Type-65 Coupe, and Andy's on the headset coaching (my awesome crew chief!)...This was my first trip to Laguna....What fun!! Finished on the podium.....Thought you might enjoy: http://www.vimeo.com/23143306

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 9:28 AM, PDT


written by Karen Salvaggio

June 25 Update.....Some Concerns
We are truly grateful for everyone's continued good wishes, prayers, and kind words. Saturday was a pretty rough day for Andy. With the loss of use of his right side following the surgery, the care team has been focusing the work of physical therapy into restoring nuero-connections and movement to his right arm and leg. In the day's and weeks following the surgery, Andy's experienced a degree of swelling in his right leg, and over the last three weeks, the swelling has been slowly diminishing. However, in the overnight hours of Friday-Saturday morning, the swelling in his right leg increased, and by Saturday morning, it was clear that the current remedies were not working, and the swelling had reached a level of concern.

After consulting with the doctors, the decision was made to have Andy evaluated further, and he was re-admitted to Riverside Community Hospital by early Saturday afternoon. An ultrasound indicated the development of a blood clot in his right leg, and he is currently undergoing treatment. As a bit of further information, the development of blood clots following surgery is not uncommon, especially if the person is not ambulatory, as the lack of movement is just not good for the circulation.

The typical course of treatment would be to administer blood thinners, but there's an artful balance which must be maintained when administering blood thinners following surgery, as coagulation of blood around the surgery site to promote healing is a good thing, but coagulation and the development of blood clots in other parts of the body can be a serious consequence. Andy's team of medical professionals have crafted a treatment plan, and he will remain in the hospital for several days....I'll update as things develop.

Thanks again for your continued prayers and good wishes....Warmest regards....Karen

Hank

[Dave Smith]

Hank, Continued thanks for keeping all updated.

[Hankl]

Anytime Dave,

I'm glad to keep all of the Forum Family up to date.

Hank

[Hankl]

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011 3:05 PM, PDT

written by Karen Salvaggio

June 27 Update
Andy was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in the right leg, which is the medical term for a blood clot. They started him on a blood thinner (anti-coagulant) yesterday, and doctors performed a minimally invasive procedure to insert an IVT (Inferior Vena Cava) filter, which for us car folks, is basically an in-line filter, to assure the clot does not move upward from his leg and into his lung. Catching the clot early, and addressing it with medication and a filter implant is another small medical miracle along the way....We will be following the results closely.

Andy's recovering from today's procedure, and will be returning to Community Care later this evening. Thanks to everyone for the continued good wishes....Hopefully, we've worked through this bump in the road, and he can get back on the road to recovery. Warmest regards...Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 4:55 PM, PDT


June 29 Update
The car show is slated for 4:30 - 6:30 PM on Saturday....I'm going to turn the reigns over to Andy's neice, Gina, as well his brother Mike, and our friends Ron, Lytle, Bill, and the rest of the FFR and Corvette crowd here in So Cal for the weekend.....Yours truly is taking a few days away (although I'll be in some very good car company)..;.))

Enjoy the show, and be sure to share some good times with family and friends over the holiday weekend. It's all those great memories that we've created with you, and that you've so warmly shared with us over the last few weeks, that have gotten us through this so far........Thanks again everyone!!! You guys are truly amazing!!!! Warmest regards....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2011 12:28 AM, PDT


Car Show Update
I spoke to Ron Morris near the end of the car show, and it sounds like they had a nice showing of cars, and that everyone had a great time. Andy was very fortunate to have a geat group of friends visiting for the show, and it sounds like he was even singing.

How blessed we are to be surrounded with such wonderful folks.....Special big thanks to all of our friends and loved ones that made the car show day such a special event for Andy. You are truly wonderful people!!!! Love and hugs! Karen

Hank

[riptide motorsport]

Have a happy 4th..........Steven

[Russ Thompson]

Yes indeed, happy 4th and it's great reading the updates about all of Andy's friends and how they are taking time to help and suport his recovery. Glad the car show turned out well.

[Hankl]

TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011 11:17 AM, PDT


July 5, 2011
Andy had a great time at the car show. Bob Bower posted a picture of Andy over on his Facebook page, and that "hat" is just too much....I think he liked his new "hair" too. ;.) Thanks again to Bob, Ron, Lytle, Janet, Mike and everyone that came out for the car show on Saturday. I know it lifted Andy's spirits.

I took Andy to the 4th of July fireworks last night, and he enjoyed going outside in the evening air. About twenty of the other residents also joined us on the sidewalk for the fireworks show from Mount Rubidoux, which could be seen from the north end of the Community Care facility. Tracy and our grandson Evan came down for the show as well, and it was a great way to end the day.

Andy will resume his radiation treatments today, as will his daily physical and speech therapy sessions. He's made some progress with his speech, and he's really working at stringing sentences together....It's all in there, and he's really working at it.

Tex and Maxine....Thanks again for the great stories and memories from the Corvette days...Andy remembers them like they were yesterday.....Some of you may know this, but we recently picked up a 1969 AMC AMX (390/4 speed car with the Go-Pcak option), that was bought in 1969 for the specific purpose (delete just about every option, add a roll hoop) of competing in the Solo I events at Riverside Raceway. The car was set-up by Dick Guldstrand and Gary Wheeler in 1969, and when I bought the car, it came with lots of results from events back in those days.....I found the car on E-Bay, and when I told Andy I was thinking about buying it, well, you can imagine "the look" I got....Once I showed him the ad and told him that Dick Guldstrand had set up the car, well, "the look" changed to a head nod....(Although I know he was saying "AMC... Yikes!....Another engine/driveline to learn....Well, Ollie, this is another fine mess you're getting us into"...;.)) We bought the car from Gary Croan, who owned it since 1972, and it will be moving to the front garage for some work later this month.....;.) (Andy's probably glad he's still "resting" for this one.)

Warmest regards, and thanks again everyone! Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011 7:27 AM, PDT

July 7, 2011
A pretty busy couple of days here, with some progress in physical therapy, and some news on the overall health front. Andy works very hard in his physical therapy sessions every day, and continues to make progress in gaining strength and balance. While some days are naturally better than others, on Tuesday he was able to stand on his own, and even managed four steps (with assistance of course), but this was wonderful progress, and he was very pleased to be up and moving.

Andy resumed his daily radiation treatments this week, which will continue throughout the month of July. We did notice on Monday evening however, that some swelling had developed around the site of the initial surgery, and Andy was sent for a CT scan late yesterday afternoon to determine the source of the swelling. We will look for the results later today, and will keep everyone posted on developments there.

Thanks again to everyone for your continued prayers and good wishes for Andy, and for all of us. You are indeed a wonderful group of guardian angels....Warmest regards and deepest appreciation......Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2011 6:57 PM, PDT


July 10, 2011
Good news on the health front.....The neurosurgeon read the CT scan and we received the report on Saturday that the swelling is "normal," and there's no need for further treatment at this time. The concern had been that, with the recent blood clot and the use of even a low level blood thinner, that there was a possiblity of internal bleeding, and we were very relieved to learn this is not the case. Whew!

Andy actually had very good weekend, enjoying much of his daytime hours up and about in his wheelchair visiting around the facility. He's making additional progress with his speech, and he was really "talking" up a storm when I told him about Tex, Maxine, Nancy and Navis' latest posts....Like you, he has so many great memories of all those days with the Corvette club.....I know he has lots of stories he's looking forward to sharing with you guys one day in the future as well.

It was great to see so many of our very good friends from Vettes R Us, Corvettes West, Corvette Super Sports, and so many other clubs this weekend at Big Bear Bash. Big Bear is a short drive up the hill from our home, and having been away from BBB for more than five years, it was great to be able to spend even a brief time with our good friends.

Andy and I attended this event every year for a number of years (and he attended in years past as well), and the memories will always be cherished. As a matter of fact, BBB was one of the very first events that Andy took me to back in 1994....We lived in the Antelope Valley at the time, and decided to take a drive up to Big Bear in Andy's 1956 Corvette one Saturday evening....We drove up the back way from the Lucerne Valley, and wouldn't you know it (as is always the case), it's pitch dark and we get to the east side of Big Bear City, and we loose the clutch in the car....We're in the middle of nowhere, and "McGyver" doesn't have a flashlight or any tools...Luckily, I have a pen light and Andy dives under the dash and tells me the pin in the clutch pedal is gone, and that it will work if we can rig it up.....We dig through some more junk in my purse, and find a clip that we "modify" and presto, we're on the road again......I should've know right then that this was going to be one big adventure!!! We went over to the convention center where the whole crew was enjoying the Saturday night banquet and dancing.....We said hello to a few folks and headed back down the hill around 10:00 PM....As I recall, the next day was the big Northridge quake, which shook like crazy up in Big Bear, and brought a rude awakending to our Corvette party-going friends....I'm sure many of you who were up there will recall that morning very well!!!

Thanks again for everyone's continued good wishes! Warmest regards....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2011 7:20 AM, PDT


July 13, 2011
Another busy day for Andy.....Up in the morning for another round of physical therapy, and then on to work with the great speech pathologists at Community Care. Andy's picked up a few more words, and he definately has the patterns of sentences down...He may not have the full vocabulary yet, but he knows what he wants to say, and as a group, we are still working on developing a communication system for all of us.

Andy's neice Gina (who is an angel on earth), makes the trip up from San Diego several days each week, and yesterday she rode along with him in the medical transport for his radiation treatment. After the treatment, Andy gets pretty cold, so we're sending a jacket along for him to wear (seems crazy when it's been 100+ degrees here in So Cal), and we know he'll be more comfortable on the trip home. We've also been encouraging Andy to drink lots of water, as the treatments can be somewhat dehydrating. We're at the halfway point in the radiation treatments, and are preparing for chemotherapy to begin within a brief time. We also know there will be another round of challenges when chemo begins, so while we're encouraged with the continued daily progress, we know there will be difficult days ahead as well.....All the more reason to appreciate the good days when we have them......

Thanks again everyone....We continue to be grateful for the support of a such a wonderful group of family and friends.....Best regards....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2011 8:34 AM, PDT


July 17, 2011
Andy's really enjoying the memories posted in the Guestbook, and we were thoroughly entertained with two great stories sent to us from one of our fellow Factory Five Racing car owners (whom, by the way, we've never met (lives on the East Coast), but has been following Andy's journals and reached out to us in kindness hoping to bring a smile to Andy (It worked!).....What an amazing community!!!! Thank you, thank you!! (Pehaps you'd like to share your stories in the Guestbook Dave! ;.)) I know our friends and family would enjoy them too!

Friday and Saturday were two very good days for Andy. While Friday afternoon was a little rough following the radiation treatment, Andy was up and around the facility all day yesterday, and he was feeling much better than previous days.......This is very good news, as we have a secret surprise planned for him later today, and with good luck, he'll feel well, and will have a very enjoyable day.

Thanks again to all of our amazing family and friends......Your kindness and continued words of encouragement and support are very much appreciated.....We hope you have a great weekend!! Best regards...Karen

Hank

[Russ Thompson]

I just read the lates update, sounds like Andy had a great day , he got to visit with friends and family at home for the day, what a great day!

[Dave Smith]

Yaeh Hank, again, thanks for the updates. Catching up on emails and such, i finally got around to posting in Andy's guestbook. I feel like a slacker, but it was always the sign-up that tripped me up. I read the well-wishes and it's really beautiful to see the community, friends, and family come together. Andy is a great guy and Karen is simply an amazing person. All of us are so lucky to have them as friends! thanks again for the updates brother!

[Hankl]

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 7:12 AM, PDT


July 20, 2011
This week has been a busy one for Andy.....Physical and speech therapy resumed on Monday, as did his daily trips to radiation treatments. Only ten trips to go, and Andy is certainly looking forward to the completion of those forty mile round trip rides to San Bernardino every day.

We also had an appointment with the oncologist on Monday, at which time the doctor reviewed Andy's radiation treatments, as well as checked the healing progress from the initial surgery. As has been discussed previously, the radiation treatments will serve to reduce the tumor following the surgery, however, Andy will also need chemotherapy as part of the larger treatment plan. An MRI is has been scheduled for early August, and chemo will begin shortly afterward and will continue for at least three months.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the faithful contingent of family members and friends who make the trip out to Riverside to visit with Andy on a daily/weekly basis. You are amazing....We also know so many more folks reading this would be there as well, if time and distance made it possible. Please know we're feeling the love, and thank each of you for your continued kind thoughts and prayers. Warmest regards....Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

Good Luck Jim Schenck & Factory Five Racing!!
Andy and I want to send along our very best wishes to Dave Smith and all of our friends at Factory Five Racing in their pursuit of the Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC) at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend. Jim Schenck is a lead engineer with Factory Five Racing, and you won't find a more passionate racer and talented engineer. He is the engineering mastermind behind the FFR Challenge Series in which we have had the very good fortune to compete for the last six years, and Jim not only designs the cars, but he also races them (very well by the way). His expertise from behind the digital (Solidworks) drawing board and behind the wheel, serve to create one wickedly fast and highly competitive racecar. The whole FFR group is amazing, and the Factory Five Challenge Series drivers are certainly among the finest individuals on the planet. We have been blessed to share the track in competition and comradiere with each of them over the years.

The FFR Challenge Series celebrated its tenth season in 2010, and one year ago this weekend, Andy and I made the trip back to VIR to run with the East Coast guys. I ran the Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC), as well as competed in the FFR Challenge Series races that weekend, and what a fantastic track, and what an amazingly talented group of drivers. For those of us that have been around racing for more than a day or two, we know that there's typically a life-cycle to any racing series, and as the competition develops, it takes time and effort to keep the series relevent on the racing landscape. 2012 will be a newly-defining year for the FFR Challenge Series, as the "next generation" of the FFR Challenge Series roadster will take to the track...With the input of Series competitors, and guidance from Series leaders, Jim and the good folks at Factory Five Racing (Jesper, Dave R., and all) have been burning the mighnight oil to further enhance the performance of what is already a truly great racecar. This weekend, Jim will test the newest set of specs, and Andy and I send our very best wishes for a great performance. Grassroots Motorsports Ultimate Track Car Challenge: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/UTCC2011/

Dave Smith......In light of the million (and one) things that must pull your energy every day, Andy and I send along our deepest appreciation for taking the time to send words of encouragement and kindness to us......You are truly amazing, and we look forward to the day when we can share good times and create even more memories in these great cars! To you, and all the great folks at Factory Five Racing, thanks for keeping the faith and making this dream come true for so many folks!!! This is truly a great community! Best regards....Karen

Hank

[Russ Thompson]

Hey, I'm starting to see a trend here! Dave Smith is turning out to be a lot like Carol, he hires really good people to get things done!
Anyone that has met Jim knows what I mean, a guy with lots of drive and passion for what he does. I, like Karen wish them the best at the track car challenge1

Andy, keep healing we need to see you out at the track ASAP!

[Hankl]

MONDAY, JULY 25, 2011 6:54 AM, PDT

July 25, 2011
It's been another busy few days here....Andy had two big appointments last week: A follow-up appointment with the oncologist to finalize the chemotherapy treatment plan, and then later in the week with the neurosurgeon to check the wound healing as well as review the latest CT scan. With just a few days of radiation treatment remaining (and believe me, Andy will be thrilled when that process is complete), the decision has been made to begin chemotherapy two weeks after the last radiation treatment, which would mean sometime around the second week of August.

The visit to the neurosurgeon went well. Now two months following the procedure, the area of the surgery is still naturally inflamed, however, the tumor does not appear to be re-growing at this point (very good news). The surgeon indicated that the area immediately surrounding the tumor suffered a degree of stroke durring and immediately following the procedure, and coupled with the remaining swelling in the area, as well as daily radiation, is the likely cause for the continued difficulty in speaking and the issues with the right arm and leg (the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body)...Bottom line....With a little more than a week of radiation treatments remaining, and chemotherapy slated to begin within a few weeks of that, things will need to settle down before we'll know more clearly the extent to which speech and movement of the right arm/leg will return....Truly, only time will tell the extent of recovery, and your continued prayers and good wishes are greatly appreciated.

Over the weekend, Andy enjoyed several visits with family and friends, and while his overall feeling of wellness was somewhat up and down (sometimes he just feels tired and has to sleep, while other times he feels more like interacting).....He enjoys all the stories posted here as well as keeping up with the latest happenings from our friends who are still campaigning their racecars on track.

Big event next weekend with NASA at Auto Club Speeday in Fontana....Team Thunder Valley Racing has been working behind the scenes to get the Coupe back out on track, and we were very fortunate to have some terrific help from fellow Coupe owner/builder and lead Thunder Valley Racing team members John Card and Bill Robertson (who is building a street-legal Challenge Series roadster)...Fellow spec racer TC McNett gracioulsy opened up his shop for us (a lift is sure one awesome thing), and his brother Dave pitched in to help as well,....With their help, the Coupe is ready for the track next weekend, and "the plan" is to bring Andy out to the track for a few hours on Saturday....Naturally, we'll keep our eye on his health throughout the week, but our team believes it will truly lift Andy's spirits to be back at the track. Special big thanks to everyone who helped this weekend.....It felt good to be working on the car again...;.)

Big congratulations to Jim Schenck and John George for their outstanding performance at Virginia International Speedway (VIR) this weekend!!!! Both drivers posted smokin' fast times, and the cars performed very well. The Factory Five Racing community is celebrating your awesome performance in the Ultimate Track Car Challenge!!!

Best regards......Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 12:05 AM, PDT


July 27, 2011
Tex and Maxine....Thanks so much for the stories from back in the early days of Corvettes Unlimited. Jim Ross made the trip out to visit the other day, and Andy was truly happy to see him. It's still pretty difficult to communicate, however, I think Andy and Jim share enough Corvette car stories that a few hand gestures and a couple of laughs get the job done......You guys sure had some good timeas, and each of us should have been so lucky to grow up in the Southern California car culture....Crusing Van Nuys Blvd, hanging out at the beach, or having a picnic at one of the local parks....Non-stop fun for sure. ;.)

Andy's been feeling a bit under the weather for the last few days, and while he was up and around last evening, today was a not so good day. He's re-developed an intestinal infection and well as an UT infection, so it's back on the anti-biotics.....We're still hopeful that he'll be able to come out to the track for a few hours on Saturday, and will keep a watchful eye on the stomach issues and his overall feeing of well-being.....

Just five days of radiation treatments left, with Tuesday being his last day...I think we'll have a small celebration (Woo Hoo!) when that treatment regimine is complete.....

Thanks again everyone......Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 12:55 AM, PDT

July 29, 2011
Been a very rough couple of days here.......The infections seem to be winning at the moment, and the doctors have ordered yet another round of increasingly strong antibiotics....Antibiotics are a dual-edged sword in the fight against infection....They kill/neutralize/resolve the bad agents in your system, but they also wipe out the good agents in your system as well......The good agents are underserved in Andy's system at the moment, as the now second round of antibiotics is pretty much neutralizing everything in it path with good and bad results.

Andy developed a fever this morning, and in spite of every effort to lower, it's climbed to 102 degrees. The doctor's are watching it carefully, and if it doesn't break overnight, he may very well be re-admittend this evening or in the morning....Andy's excursion to the track will have to be postponed......We'll keep everyone posted.

Thanks for you continued prayers and kindnes. Best regards...Karen

Hank

[riptide motorsport]

I pray for the track day for him...........It'll be good for the soul...........Steven

[Hankl]

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 7:06 AM, PDT


Back in the Hospital
The fever continued to climb overnight, and despite efforts to reduce the temperature, it remained high. The decision was made to re-admit Andy to the hospital where they can better address the infection. Will keep everyone posted, but it's no visitors for now....Thanks so much for your continued prayers. Best regards......Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 11:49 AM, PDT


July 31, 2011
The last couple of days have been very busy....Andy's still in the hospital, however, the IV antibiotics are beginning to work. The promising news is that the fever has subsided significantly over the last 24 hours, and we're guardedly hopeful....He still has lots of stomach pain though, and the doctors are ordering a CT scan of the abdominal area to further determine what, if any, underlying issues may be the source. No visitors for now though, as it's early in the fight against the infection, and he's resting as comfortably as possible.

As everyone is aware, it had been our hope to bring Andy out to the speedway for a visit yesterday. Our good friends with Team TC and Team Free had an afternoon gathering planned, and we were sure hoping we could bring Andy out to see all of our NASA friends. We'd done a lot of work preparing the car and arranging our schedules to make this track event happen, and while it became evident late in the week that Andy would not likely be feeling well enough to attend, we decided, as a team, that so much work had gone into preparing the car for the track, that we'd go ahead with our plan and run the car at the speedway Saturday.

We were very fortunate to have fellow FFR builder and Coupe owner John Card, and his wife Tracie, make the trip down from the Central Valley, and we were joined at the tack by our own Team Thunder Valley Racing lead crew member Bill Robertson. Together, they shepherded the car for the day, and through their hard work and talent, the car performed very well on track...It was great to be back behind the wheel, and I know Andy will be very proud of our podium finish! The Coupe is safely back in the garage, and I am truly grateful for the suppot and kindness of our wonderful friends.

I will keep everyone posted regarding the upcoming CT scan and progress in the hospital. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and good wishes. Best regards......Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2011 6:36 AM, PDT


August 2, 2011
Tex, Maxine, George, Hank, Russ, Leon, and all....Thanks so much for the continued good wishes. My brother Dave's post brought back some good memories as well, and Andy truly enjoyed taking that trip down memory lane, enjoying all those good times from years ago....We've said this many times, but, you just don't realize the best moments of your life when you're living them...... Lesson learned: Live, love, and savor each day, and don't wait for opportunities to experience life to its fullest, but rather create those opportunities and seize the day.

On the health front......Andy's still in the hospital.....The results of the CT scan came in yesterday, and indicate a small mass in the abdominal area. The treatment team spent the day reviewing Andy's case, and after considerable discussion, the decision has been made to aspirate (capture a sample) the mass to determine the nature of it. As you can imagine, this set-back has been disappointing, however, with the fever down and the daily trips to radiation over, Andy's finally been able to get some real rest, and that's been a blessing.

We'll keep everyone posted on the developments over the next few days, but we are not expecting any news until at least Thursday. Thanks again for your continued good wishes, and for keeping Andy and all of us in your thoughts. We are truly fortunate to be surrounded by such a wonderful extended family......Warmest regards.......Karen

Hank

[Russ Thompson]

Karen and Andy, you both inspire us, Andy with his daily struggle to heal and Karen with your daily updates. I hope the roller coaster of ills and emotions smooths to a steady pace and your lives can get back to normal very soon.

[Hankl]

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011 7:42 AM, PDT


August 4, 2011
Andy's out of the hospital and back in the Community Care Facility. We won't had a read on the biopsy for another couple of days, however, I'll keep everyone posted as soon as we have word. He's in romm 321, and visitors are allowed. Thanks for the continued good wishes. Karen

Hank

[Hankl]

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011 11:00 PM, PDT

Long, hot weekend here in Southern California. Had our first fire of the season, with a flare up that closed the 10 Freeway where the 60 splits off toward Moreno Valley and the Badlands. No where near as hot at Tex and Steve there in Phoenix, but it was a hot day in our big scheeme of things.

Andy had a fairly restful weekend. He had a hot hower, a nice shave, and then watched the race from Pocono, PA. Really glad to hear Harvey is back in So Cal, and with any luck, it would be great to have the two of them have some time to reminisce.

Still no results from last week's biospsy, and we'll look for those tomottowl. Hope you all had a greatweekend! Karen

Hank

[bworthen]

It's great hear Andy is feeling better! I hope the biopsy results turn up good signs.

My thoughts are with you guys. I can't wait for the opportunity to come see you race again soon!

[Hankl]

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011 7:45 AM, PDT


We FINALLY (last evening) received the results from the aspiration biopsy taken last week, and we received the good news that it's not cancerous.ea!!...Something to celebrate for sure!!! More later, but thought You'd want to know right away!! Thanks for your continued good wishes and prayers!! Karen

Hank

[stephen]

Fantastic News - keep on with the recovery - our thoughts are with you all 1

Stephen

[Hankl]

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011 11:14 PM, PDT

Thanks again to everyone for the good wishes for Andy. The biopsy results were certainly cause for celebration. I also have to give big kudos and thanks to Andy's niece Gina, for riding along with Andy on Tuesday to his last (another celebration!!) radiation treatment.

When I look back at the last three months, it's been one big roller coaster ride, and we couldn't have gotten through it without all of you. Andy and my life took a big turn with the diagnosis of his having a brain tumor, and the learning curve has been virtually verticle. What I've learned in these last months is that, while this diagnosis has been indeed been among the biggest challenges either of us have ever faced, we've found that the power of love, kindness and friendship outweighs any challenges presented to each of us.

Many of you have faced challenges just as difficult as our road ahead, and some of you have faced situations even more challenging, Please know that we draw upon your kindness and words of support, and that just knowing there's a small army of folks out there thinking of us, truly helps us get through each day.

Thanks to Elvira and Fred for visiting Andy the other day, and to Bill Robertson for steadfastly visiting Andy a couple times a week. Andy truly looks forward to your visits, and I can't thank you enough for your kindness.

With any luck, we've turned the corner and things will begin moving forward even quicker. Thanks again for your kindness! Warmest regards, Karen

Hank

[Russ Thompson]

Karen, I read this update this morning when I read my automatic updates from Caring Hands. good way to start my day. :-)

If anyone is interested you can check out Karens firsts posts and find a link to Caring Hands, they seem to be wonderful people and you can also donate to the cause, I hope eveyone will consider helping.