Dr Bill -- Condition?

[Sam Miller III]

Some time ago I received word that "Prince of the dive park" Dr. Bill had become ill which required an operation and possible long term recovery--- It is apparent that "long term" has morphed into several months.

I sent him a "get well " card some time ago --One would assume that he should be well by now and posting .

Have any of you dive park regulars visited him ? Or sent him a get well card ?
It seems that is the least you can do for one who is a week end regular at the park .

SDM

 

[alaity47]

He is back at home for real this time! I saw him at the dive park last weekend - he's grown a very impressive beard to compensate for the weight he lost in the hospital ;P

It'll be at least a few months before he can dive, so no dive reports for a while, alas.

 

[Sam Miller III]

alaity 47-- (what ever that represents ?)

I also miss his reports ---he is the modern version of Mc Ginity & Mc Ginity.

I also miss his reports on seeing 600 pound GSB (aka BSB to some)
I also miss his comments on his longevity in diving
* His personal Mark V at 12 years old
* before the SPG
* never used a flotation vest
* had to get certified -- but didn't learn anything
Etc etc

And he has never published pictures of the end of the railroad at Fisherman's cove!

I miss his posts some very informative, many are humorous to me - I suspect serious to most..

No matter how we agree or disagree we are the current version of a "Band of Brothers" and are cemented by a very special bond of water

I strongly suspect Bill enjoys receiving a note or a card from all divers !
I will send him another get well card -- How about all of you ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<<< does any one have his correct mailing address ? Snail or e mail? >>>
????? What is his last name ????? I suspect he has one?????
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SDM
LA Co UW instructor UICC 11
NAUI Instructor #27 (for Ken and alaity 47)
PADI instructor # umpty ump -umpty ump

 

[diversteve]

@sam miller

<<< does any one have his correct mailing address ? Snail or e mail? >>>
????? What is his last name ????? I suspect he has one?????

From his business website: www.starthrower.org - the phone # and e-mail address are there also but I won't post them here so he has a better chance of avoiding the spambots that troll this site daily.

Dr. Bill Bushing
PO Box 849
Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, CA 90704

 

[Sam Miller III]

Diversteve All the way from Phoenix ! We in California appreciate your concern and assistance in publishing Bills address and I also appreciate learning his last name ! A big Thank You Diver Steve !

I will be sending Bill a get well card today-- how about you?

FYI (a little forgotten history )
I note that you are NASDS certified --

In 1955 Ernesto Zarasota of promoted an inter American Spear Fishing competition at the then deserted but now popular San Carlos Bay. Teams from US and Mexico would meet spear fish and the largest aggregate by weigh would win.

The winners ? The Long Beach Douglas Aircraft team "Tritons" consisting of the late Mel Patton and John Gaffney ! The same John Gaffney who about 12 -14 years later would form your certifying agency NASDS.

Retreat a few years before ...

I was an USAF officer at Luke AFB where I met another USAF officer Christopher "Kit" Horn - Kit had swam in the UCLA swim team but more important had worked for Rene at US Divers-- I had been a goggler for about 10 or so years and possessed a Sea Net mask and a pair of green Churchill's Kit had the more modern US Divers equipment.

We formed an alliance to make spear guns -- the Barada designed and developed CO 2 gas guns which we used
in the lakes streams and occasional shallows of the irrigation canals of then very rural and bucolic valley of the sun.

Some how news of the 1955 spear fishing meet trickled down to us and a way we went to the Hee Henee capital of the world San Carlos- but we didn't not mind for we had crystal clear water teaming with fish..

And the story continues shooting fish at San Carlos...

Thus this is part of the story of the first two divers in Phoenix

About 30 years ago I wrote a story about these adventures which appeared in my dedicated column in Discover Diving titled "The Magnificent Gas Gun " Perhaps you read it ?

Kit passed away some years back - I am fortunate to be able to share with you just a little history
of " The way it was ..." (the title of my forth coming book)

SDM

 

[drbill]

Hi Sam... rumors of my demise were premature. Got your card (and just re-read it this morning). I was going to send you a PM. Thanks.

On May 2nd (a day before I was supposed to leave for the Maldives) I had an emergency appendectomy. They discover cancer in my appendix (pretty rare) so they wanted to schedule a right hemicolectomy in late July in case there was any spread. Sam knows what that is, but for the rest of us they removed the ascending portion of my colon and reattached the rest to my small intestine. There were some early signs of cancer on the removed colon and in three lymph nodes, but my surgeon tells me I am now cancer free.

I was supposed to be in hospital for a week following this surgery but I turned out to be a medical puzzle. Infection after infection and complication after complication, plus a second surgery to remove another portion of my colon. I got out briefly on Sept 1st but was back in after a few days at home. Remained in the hospital for another month waiting for a fistula (connection between a hole in my colon and an opening in my incision) to heal. When my Medicare days ran out, I was transferred to a rather depressing nursing home for 10 days until my son liberated me!

Back home now and doing pretty well. Still waiting for the fistula to heal (strange to be breaking wind through my belly). If it doesn't heal naturally I may face another surgery in mid December (Merry Christmas!). Won't be cleared to dive until this is all over.

Again thanks for your concern and your card, Sam.

PS: On the "plus" side, I lost about 45 pounds... but that may mean none of my seven wetsuits will fit properly and I have much less bioprene (natural insulation) to keep me warm as our waters cool

 

[Altamira]

Best wishes for a faster and trouble free recovery.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Bill,
What a pleasant surprise ! That you are up and around and the reports your demise is premature !

That is indeed great news!

Manny many many years ago while somewhere in my doctorate a old very experienced doctor told me in that if a patient has cancer of a finger the operation is a success if the arm is removed -- That of course was an exaggeration but it appears that you doctor adhered to the same general rule to insure ALL cancer was removed --gone forever never to return !

Bill... FANASTIC ! God speed in your recovery !

The SoCal divers who frequent the Dive Park expect to see you there, meet you there and have their picture taken with you there. You have become as much of a fixture in Catalina as the old Laguna Beach Greater Enar Johansson was for my generation---they expect you, want you and need you at the park !

So as soon as you are on the downside of recovery and no harm can interfere with your recovery trot on down to the park. I suspect all the divers will not recognize you with a David Letterman beard and a youthful 45 pounds lighter.

Don't get in a hurry to return to diving. Make certain that you have totally healed and no harm can come to you..Remember the ocean is eternal it will always be there for you

Over many miles I send you my best wishes for a speedy recovery and your hasty return to the underwater world and you beloved Dive Park

SAM

 

[Ojai Diver]

Dr Bill,

I am a big fan of your website. Sorry to hear of your illness but I wish you a quick recovery.

 

[dead dog]

Bill,
What a pleasant surprise ! That you are up and around and the reports your demise is premature !

That is indeed great news!

Manny many many years ago while somewhere in my doctorate a old very experienced doctor told me in that if a patient has cancer of a finger the operation is a success if the arm is removed -- That of course was an exaggeration but it appears that you doctor adhered to the same general rule to insure ALL cancer was removed --gone forever never to return !

Bill... FANASTIC ! God speed in your recovery !

The SoCal divers who frequent the Dive Park expect to see you there, meet you there and have their picture taken with you there. You have become as much of a fixture in Catalina as the old Laguna Beach Greater Enar Johansson was for my generation---they expect you, want you and need you at the park !

So as soon as you are on the downside of recovery and no harm can interfere with your recovery trot on down to the park. I suspect all the divers will not recognize you with a David Letterman beard and a youthful 45 pounds lighter.

Don't get in a hurry to return to diving. Make certain that you have totally healed and no harm can come to you..Remember the ocean is eternal it will always be there for you

Over many miles I send you my best wishes for a speedy recovery and your hasty return to the underwater world and you beloved Dive Park

SAM

Sam, the Laguna Beach Greater name is Eiler Larsen.
Eiler Larsen - Wikipedia