Editors note - I want to thank, from the very center of my being...where my love lies, everyone who has helped me get these medical bills paid. With 1 more stay scheduled for testing, they are greatly appreciated. As the founder of a Non Profit, it would be disastrous for us on a professional level for me to go into unpaid debt. May whoever looks over you, place a loving hand on your shoulder and give you a gentle squeeze. - Ken
I don't have what you might consider a long attention span. I mean, sure...if you want to talk Linux, are pointing a gun at me, holding out a bag of cash, or are a stunning redhead that could talk a man into robbing banks...well sure, you have my attention. Outside of that, I am a poor candidate for a listening ear.
Just the way I am.
So when the little warning signs started popping up..Drinking RedBull by the gallon just to function, waking up as tired as I was when I went to bed...stuff like that. I did what I always do when faced with stuff like that.
I ignored it. SNAP another RedBull to start the day.
Physically, everything catches up with you. Carrying a computer to a third floor apartment, I lost consciousness and let gravity take its course. I'm sorry to say the computer didn't make the fall. I did, with seemingly no injury aside from a bruised leg.
Diagnosis: Excessive Fatigue Disorder.
"No big deal...ain't nuthin' broke...get to work."
That was my dad, circa 1968 after I was scorpion stung on our ranch.
So...even from the grave, he is right. I am under a friends care now, at least until I can walk without the aid of someone next to me. Once on my feet.
Good Lord Katy Bar The Door...we have kids counting on us. I told you...I'm not the best listener.
A good friend, Hugo Estrada has offered to do installs when he can. I only have two pending as of now due to this health issue...and I don't know how long my recovery time will be. Should I not be able to resume my duties, we are always looking for volunteers in the Austin area.
And Thank You...you humble me with your open hearts and generosity.
All-Righty Then
Don't drink RED BULL
ReplyDeleteAmerican soda's contain liver destroying high fructose corn syrup.
I suggest you also look into EFT.
Crack potty and all, it does seem to work
http://www.emofree.com/
and good luck
I second the "Don't drink RedBull" sentiment. -- IMHO, it will kill you!
ReplyDelete"or are a stunning redhead that could talk a man into robbing banks"
ReplyDeleteI fully intend to steal that line.
Get well Kenny
Sorry to hear about your fall Ken. Take your time, slowdown, you can't help children or inspire others if you work yourself to an early grave.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note you could try enlisting local IT college students for help many need something to put on a future resume.
Get well,
Kevin Matthews
Make sure you give yourself proper time to recover, this time. I have a feeling that as well as all your friends work, you're the glue holding the project together. If you work yourself to an early grave, I don't think the Helios Project would outlive you by much. Also, as an example of how terrible Red Bull is, when I hit the town, I NEVER get hangovers; I could be legless and blind, and wake up at 6 the next morning full of energy for the coming day. One night, I was a little too tired to be out, so I started alternating Dark & Stormy (brilliant mix of Bundaberg rum and ginger beer) and Red Bull, and I woke up feeling like a truck had plummeted out of the sky and landed firmly on my stomach. Red Bull burns like you wouldn't believe when you throw it up. I couldn't eat anything hot for more than a week because my throat was so raw from it. What was my point? Oh yeah, Red Bull = evil.
ReplyDeleteWow Ken, you are one lucky man. Take things very very easy for a good while, and BTW, I am a natural red head... do I have your attention now.
ReplyDeletePS. At the risk of dobbing someone, I also know that the fall was far worse than you made it out to be.
Now that you're bed-ridden, you should turn your efforts into sharing what you know and what you've learned with the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteGive a kid a computer, and you've bettered one life. Teach a hundred of us, all over the country, to give kids computers, and you've bettered a whole nation.
Years ago I started drinking Red Bull once a day for some days in the week. It made me feel very good, but then one day I tried two cans, and noticed that my heart was complaining about that. After that I never drank it again.
ReplyDeleteLater on I also stopped with drinking coffee, and I feel so much better now.
All the best,
kind regards,
Albinootje.
If I lived close to you, Ken, I would be there doing installs for you. If there's anything I can do from Indianapolis, please let me know. I'm serious! If someone is still coming to Indiana to pick-up those 40 computers, please let me know. I'll be there to help load the truck. I'll send you my email address and cell phone number.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all you do and, more importantly, get better!
Peace,
Chad McCullough
Glyn Moody blogged about this here and told his readers to damn well throw a few dollars (or some of our pounds sterling, the fearsome depleted-uranium of currency):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.linuxjournal.com/content/time-help-open-source-hero
Someone there has asked what the postal address is. Would that be the SPI postal address?
Most there have said that basically, you're not allowed to send a penny back! Put it all into the charity!
I donated a small amount, because I admire your efforts to bring so much hope to those who need it. This isn't about Linux, open source, or technology. This is about working your keester off to make the world a bit better before you leave it. I do NOT want to see a refund on my PayPal to the HeliOS project.
ReplyDeleteMichael, Ken has been doing this and writing about it for years, and has posted gobs of information, and has always extended an open invitation to anyone who wants to participate and learn. Just read the existing material and you'll be good to go. Maybe you could even contribute by collecting and organizing all the available material, since there are projects that have spun off from Ken's efforts, and articles and videos by other people in his organization.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy reading this blog so this sucks to hear this. Do what you need to do to get healthy, not a problem to wait.
ReplyDeleteI'm a long-time reader of your blog and I greatly admire what you do! I made a small donation to help you keep the numbers in the black! Hopefully, you'll be back on your feet soon.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Ken. Obama's new health care plan will assure that you need not have to ask for help paying your bills again.
ReplyDeleteDamn, why can't I be closer to you. I'd be volunteering to help you in an instant
ReplyDeleteRed Bull should be treated like alcohol: It's OK in _VERY SMALL_ quantities. 1-2 cans early in the morning can keep you awake for the whole day. That's OK if you did not manage to catch enough sleep in one night ... But I strongly suggest not to repeat that too often!!
ReplyDeleteAs others here have already indicated Red Bull is very high on sugar, coffeine, taurine and other stuff and high doses of that stuff definitely will have an unhealthy impact.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeine#Overuse
Unless these stories belong to the "urban legend" department there are a few people who almost died after drinking way too much Red Bull:
http://caffeineproducts.com/caffeine-news/red-bull-overdose-stops-mans-heart-3/2008/08/23/
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/08/18/1186857834956.html
And this 21-years old woman actually did die from Red Bull:
http://www.clubplanet.com/Articles/2600/The-Pulse-Girl-Dies-After-Red-Bull-Overdose
As I said on the beginning of this posting: It's all about the dose.
If I can ever get down to Austin, I'm getting a hold of you! I'm glad someone is looking after you. As a computer geek myself, I know we can have a ton of other things go their path as we work and play with our big toy computers! It can be tough to break away from them.
ReplyDeleteAnd you should stop this silly feeling back stuff! ASAP! Mk? Thanks! hah!
But srsly, you take care of a lot of people and give a lot. Make sure you take care of yourself too buddy! We need you around for a good long time!
Carla,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I've already started a similar charity here in Central Florida, inspired in part by Ken's work. He's already a huge spokesman, I know that.
What I meant was, he should try to focus efforts on organizing and incubating. If he posted that he needed 5 computers in St. Louis, I have no doubt there'd be 10 offered in the first week. If he said that Indiana needs a local organization doing this, a half dozen or more residents will probably offer to participate. Instead of making a cannon ball run across the continent, he can get donors in contact with local organizations.
There's no shortage of people who want to do what Ken does, but most of them don't live anywhere near Austin. Instead of him killing himself trying to personally make all these deliveries, I think he could do more as a community organizer, letting the rest of us perform the physical labor.
Case in point, Stormy Peters, Executive Director of the Gnome Foundation, also runs a charity out of Colorado that has similar goals. Just today she posted on Twitter that she needs someone to transport a laptop cart from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Now, who wants to bet that if Ken mentions that in a blog post, he'll find someone who can help?
ReplyDelete