TUESDAY UPDATE - Ed got out yesterday. We are in good shape so I am going to close donations as soon as I figure out how. A million thanks to everyone!
SUNDAY UPDATE - Ed should be out today. He seems to be fully recovered. We were ready yesterday but no doctor around. We still have no idea what the bill is. I am starting to think it must be a game: Keep the Hulas Guessing! (haha) A million thanks to everyone. I have no doubt Ed felt your love and that is has lifted him up.
SATURDAY UPDTE - Ed is doing very well physically. He may not get out tomorrow, not because he's still sick, but because the doctor in charge is off on the weekend. Sigh
Thanks again to everyone. We really appreciate it.
FRIDAY UPDATE: So far I have not been able to thank everyone. I will reach out to each one of you before long. In the meantime - thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To our friends around the world: you know us well enough to know I wouldn’t ask for help if it weren’t necessary. In launching this appeal, I am hoping our own “Olympic Family” will show Ed the love.
Ed and I missed the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics because of COVID. For the last two or three years, it was Ed’s dream to attend Paris 2024 and to wrap up what has been a brilliant career.
The first two weeks were challenging, but manageable. Then, on Friday, Aug. 2, we went to fencing at the Grand Palais. He was hungry, so I bought the last sandwich still sitting under the warming lights. Within 15 minutes his stomach was churning.
The next morning was worse. The on-site doctor at an official hotel agreed food poisoning and referred us to the media hospital in St. Denis. There they did extensive bloodwork but everything was normal so they sent us home with a couple of small prescriptions.
He still was not feeling great on Monday, but pushed through anyway. That evening, as we sat on the bed, he told me to call an ambulance. Multiple crews worked to stabilize him before taking him to Georges Pompidou Hospital where they discovered something had twisted just below his stomach and all the poison kept recirculating. Two days later he had emergency surgery.
After eight days in ICU, he finally moved to a regular room late Tuesday. He still has several more days in hospital and another three days before he can travel.
I am talking to the hospital about the bill. At the moment I have no idea how much it will be. We have travel insurance, but it is a lengthy claims process. In the meantime we also have accommodations, transportation to and from the hospital, and many other related expenses.
If you are able to help offset these expenses we will be forever grateful. If you can’t make a donation, please share the fundraiser as widely as possible.
In the event we have anything leftover it will be donated to a charity TBD later.