Vital Therapy

The psychiatrist was still amazed at the things he had heard.
"See that fellow who was just here?" he asked Michael, who admitted he had.

"Well, he's one of those pansies you've heard about. Says he's 'married' to a fellow, and wears a wedding ring on his little finger. Says those wedding rings they wear mean as much to them as to a married woman. Imagine!"

Michael hoped he looked like he was trying to imagine, as he sat there, with his arms folded, chilly and uncomfortable in his shorts.

"Jesus, the things you hear on this job! Said he was in love with the guy he lives with. Imagine!"
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"

Have you ever heard of a company called Vital Therapies, Inc? Vital Therapies, Inc. (VTI) is a private San Diego-based liver therapy company that was founded in 2003. It is developing the first human liver cell-based system which provides important metabolic support for patients with severe liver failure. The company’s manufacturing facility meets cGMP specifications to produce ELAD® cartridges for patient treatment.

The company was brought to my attention in an Associated Press announcement on Februay 2, 2009. 'Doctors test latest attempt at an artificial liver' was the headline used. The VTI company has come closer to replacing the amount of liver people need. That is what Dr. Brown of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University stated.

It amazes me how if we live for the next ten years what additional medical advances will be available. The only question is 'What will our Health Insurance coverage cost and cover?' Ouch!

Twenty-five years ago today:

October 7, 1984
Sunday

I was going to go to the Sausalito Flea Market today but I think I will plan it on another Sunday. I wanted to sleep-in since I got home at 2AM last night!

Chris Cordellos telephoned me before 9AM to say, “Good morning.”
It wasn’t a good morning as I had a slight Long-Island Iced-Tea/Madras hangover.
“I wanted to tell you that I got your card yesterday,” Chris announced.
I thought ‘bullshit’. I mailed it long ago. Then he added that he hadn’t checked his mailbox so it could be true.
“I got hit by a car,” Chris said.
“What? Are you okay?” I asked with some tone of concern.
“Yeah, but my finger and hand got messed up…and my back,” Chris answered.
“Sounds like you need to rest.”
“Yeah, and I got you a card and may have to write with my left hand.”
If he sends me a card it will be a real “shocker”. I have never even seen his handwriting. Now I am wondering if he is just making excuses.

“I’m having problems with my car,” Chris said, “mainly with putting it in third gear.”
“You remember that guy I met in LA with the long hair, Jim?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, he wrote me a card,” I said. I was so anxious to toss these words into our conversation.
“Well, Jerome called me. And some guy named Paul Cassidy from LA called me.”
I believe Chris was just going ‘on and on’ to get at me. He wants me to think that he has this line-up of chaps that are after him. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, so I kept silent. Chris is a good friend ‘period’.

“Mike Miller and I went out last night,” I said.
I really believe Chris called this morning only because I had not made contact with him since that letter I sent him on September 26th. He claimed to have only received the card on October 6th, but I just cannot believe that he had not checked his mailbox for that long of a time. I decided to change the subject.

“I have the last week of October off,” I added.
“Really…what are you gonna do?”
I expected him to invite me up to Humboldt County. He didn’t. I don’t want to go up there anyway. His car problems may bring him down to the Bay Area next weekend. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d call me if he does come down. I refrained from comment. Our conversation ended as we were both absent of words to share.

I popped over at Mom’s house for breakfast and watched a 1972 movie that I have always enjoyed called “The Other”. Maybe it is partly because I am a middle child and I feel like "The Other" at times.

The boy in the movie reminded me of me when I was his age. He was a tad overweight and mischievous. Dad even thought he (the boy in the movie) looked like me at that age as well. How interesting. The boy was played by twin brothers, Chris and Martin Udvarnoky, born in 1961.

I went cycling and saw Ron. I just waved as I rode on by (he was on his bike going the other direction). He’s a definite QBL (questionable).

I continued riding a couple of repeat laps along the beach and around Harbor Bay Isle.

I am now home and I am going to send respective postcards to my friends Jim Koran, Barbara Reynolds, Bobbie Renbarger and Bonnie Jayne.