Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2016 00:25:30 -0230
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Karl Wolz
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I haven't posted here in years, but I wanted to share Stephanie Wolz's
facebook post this evening about Karl:
"This is Stephanie again. We found out yesterday that Karl's system has
been so weakened that there is nothing that can be done to bring him to the
point that he could receive radiation therapy or even be strong enough for
PT, and he's losing what few reserves he has extremely quickly. All this
means that he is being transferred to a local hospice today, receiving
comfort care only. We don't think he will be with us more than a few short
days.
To his Vanagon buddies, We will treasure all you added to our lives. I know
he would say goodbye and thank you if he could. We always talked about
driving to the moon and back mileage-wise in the Westy (Go Haus). We almost
made it (475,000), so our son and his family will have to be the ones to
take it on the remainder of its journey. Please also know that wherever I
go from here, my driveway, whether literally or metaphorically, will always
be open to you.
Alexis, I'm sorry Karl and I won't be able to pose together under your
artwork, but I will send one of me with them sometime soon, and you will
have to picture him smiling over my shoulder.
For those of you who are local and might want to make a brief visit, we are
at Ryan House at 110 West Merrell Street in Phoenix. He is in room 209. At
this point, we are anticipating services will be at Saints Simon and Jude
in Phoenix (where we were married). I will try to remember to confirm the
location, day, and time by post.
Thanks again to each and all of you for all the prayers and good wishes you
have been sending our way. They meant a lot to me, Karl, and all of our
family.
Stephanie"
This was followup to two previous ones:
May 25:
First of all, Karl is not posting this, I am Stephanie, his wife, posting
in his stead. I hesitated to do this because he can be ornery and stubborn,
and does value his privacy, but I felt now is the time he could use the
support of his community of friends.
Karl has been ill for several months battling liver disease (non-alcoholic)
which has taken a real toll on him. To add to the mix, he was recently
diagnosed with a liver tumor, the location and size of which made him
a non-candidate
for a transplant. He met with a wonderful radiation oncologist on May 12
who gave us the first ray of hope in a while about treatments that wouldn't
cure but would prolong and add quality to the time Karl would have with us.
Driving back toward home from that office visit on May 12, we were t-boned
on Karl's side of the car. He suffered four broken ribs and a broken
sternum, but the worst was that it severely taxed the few reserves left in
his system. He tried to rally (back to ornery and stubborn), but it was too
much to overcome. He is now in the ICU, with more tubes and dials than a
747. A great team of doctors and nurses is caring for him, but we don't
know where he will end up.
This is a very long-winded way of asking that you send prayers and positive
thoughts Karl's way. When he wakes up, he will likely be peeved as all get
out that I shared this information, but I'd much rather have him awake and
peeved.
Thanks in advance to all of you for your support.
Stephanie Wolz
and then, on a more hopeful note, May 26:
Cue the Hallelujah Chorus and an abundance of thanks to all of you for the
prayers and good wishes you sent Karl's way yesterday! Whether you believe
in a higher power or simply the power of group positive thinking, Karl is
un-intubated, unsedated, unrestrained, no $&@ mittens on his hands to keep
him from pulling at lines, and I walked in to find him alert and on his
cell phone (and as stubborn and ornery as ever).
He is still very weak and has a long road to recovery ahead, so please keep
sending your prayers and positive thoughts his way. If he doesn't yell at
me for usurping his FB page, I will keep you posted; otherwise, I will
squawk at him to keep you posted.
Thanks to each one of you more than I can say.
Stephanie
Alas, it wasn't to be. Karl was such a wonderful, welcoming, and
delightfully snarky, ornery, and wisecracking part of my vanagon journey.
I haven't seen him and Stephanie in quite a few years, but I am so sad that
he is leaving us.
I'm sure some of you would want to know this - those who are not already
following this on facebook.
Joy Hecht
(formerly traveling with Matilda, '89 vanagon, who now has been
happily restored by a retired Newfoundlander who travels with her
and his wife to the lovely parks of this island on holidays)