[NFBNJ] Rebecca Bryant Medical update

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
I was planning to call Rebecca this afternoon to discuss the next steps 
pertaining to her medical issues however, I received the below email from 
Debbie Azzarone, editor of the Blind Vine.  She forwarded to those on the 
Blind Vine email list from Vision Loss Alliance in Denville.
I called Debbie and asked her if I could forward to the distribution list of 
the NFBNJ.
Debbie’s remarks follow my signature.

Rebecca attends classes at VLA to teach, learn, and to enhance her ability 
to raise expectations in herself and with others.
For those that don’t know Rebecca as we add new members to the NFBNJ 
distribution list, I thought learning about Rebecca before reading the email 
from Debbie would be helpful.
Rebecca is a member of the state affiliate board of the NFBNJ.
she is President of the Northern Chapter and president of the Diabetes 
Division of the NFBNJ.
She chairs the Help America to Vote Act, HAVA and has reached out to 
Middlesex County to provide an accessible voting machine to demonstrate at 
the state convention this fall.
Rebecca provides countless numbers of presentations throughout Essex County 
to senior centers to provided information for all to move out from their 
comfort zone.

She is an active member in her church as she expresses her love for God with 
her warm smile and go get it attitude.
Rebecca is a lover of Braille, she also loves action and providing her warm 
smile to all!
Rebecca, a speedy recovery and Solomon, stay strong!
Rebecca is blessed with a family that cares and friends that are there for 
her and Solomon.

If you wish to mail a card to her home,the address follows.
Rebecca Bryant
136 Tiffany Blvd.  apt.101
Newark, NJ  07014

Rebecca a speedy recovery and get well soon!


We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
or call 855 659 9314


From: Debbie Azzarone
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2018 11:41 AM

Hello Viners,



I just got off the phone with Rebecca who's back in the hospital. This may
be old news for some of you. I wasn't in class on Thursday due to a bad
chest cold, so I don't know if an announcement was made.



As Rebecca tells it, after her original quadruple bypass, she was making
progress and began to feel better. Then a while ago, she began to get very
winded during normal activities. This increased to the point of her only
being able to walk 20 feet before she had to sit for a while and catch her
breath. It seemed any progress she made after her surgery was reversing.

We laughed as Rebecca told me a story about a trip to the mall she made with
her sister and her mom. No sooner did Rebecca make it to the door of the
mall from a short walk from a handicapped parking space, Rebecca realized
she couldn't take one more step, never mind being able to walk around the
mall. Her mother, armed with her walker that had a built in chair, quickly
sat Rebecca down on that seat and began to wheel her around the mall.
Rebecca remarked to me, "Just think about this 90 year old woman wheeling
her daughter around in the walker that was meant for her, and what that must
have looked like to passersby."



So fast forward to the beginning of this week.

Rebecca had been going to an infusion center for regular IVs of iron. Her
hemoglobin had been getting dangerously low, which could have been
contributing to her weakness. On her way to the center on this past Monday,
she began to get bad chest pains. The center called an ambulance which took
her to Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, where she still remains today.



The doctors are thinking that one of the veins involved in her bypass
surgery did not open fully. In order to confirm that, she needed to get an
angiogram. Her Kidney doctor put the kibosh on that, since her kidney
numbers weren't good at all, and he feared the angiogram would possibly send
her into renal failure. On top of that, the blood thinners she'd been on had
begun to give her severe nose bleeds, and to do the angiogram, they'd have
to increase her Plavix and she could bleed to death. They have packed her
nose and the ENT will be coming in to cauterize it too.

With the holiday weekend at hand, she fears she will just be hanging out in
her hospital bed until Tuesday when the doctors will all be back from their
weekend off. She'd like to get this show on the road and get back home.



Now you'd think that Rebecca and I would have been crying over her situation
after discussing this news.

Not with Rebecca.

This woman has the strength, grace, and faith not often seen in the average
person. As she finished filling me in on the details of her condition and
the reason for her hospitalization, she didn't skip a beat when she got
right into asking about me, my grandkids, and all of you at the VLANJ.

I could tell that she was getting winded by talking on the phone, but she
was laughing and sounding very upbeat.  You know.that typical Rebecca
attitude we all know and love.



I asked her if it was ok with her if I sent out an update on her, and made a
request that you all keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She said a
definite yes, and told me to make sure I send it out on the Blind Vine. I
was happy to know she is a faithful reader.

She hesitated for a moment before she told me to include her hospital's room
phone number, but then told me to give it out. Her only hesitation was
because of how winded she gets if she has to speak on the phone too much,
but I got the feeling she was willing to risk it if it meant she could talk
to her good friends at the VLANJ. She misses all of you, students and
teachers alike, and wants me to make sure we all know that.



So, per Rebecca's request, here's the phone number that goes directly to her
room:



1-973-322-8307



I didn't ask if I could send out this number, Rebecca herself brought it up.

Now this request is from me, not Rebecca.please don't make her talk too
long. She has tons of friends and family to speak to, and I want her to pace
herself.

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the Blind Vine.

Plus, I just love that Rebecca, and want her to get the rest she needs.



Your Blind Vine Team. We love and miss you Rebecca!

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"The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of my employer, not
necessarily mine, and probably not necessary."


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