November 14, 2024
Column

Presque Isle boy recovering from heart transplant

The latest Web site report on the condition of 3-year-old heart transplant recipient Patrick Michaud of Presque Isle is encouraging.

Bob and Shelly Bois, who maintain the site, report that Patrick recently completed a 15-day hospital stay “where he underwent a very intensive immunosuppression therapy regimen. His many tests throughout the duration of his treatment showed that his new heart demonstrated slow, but continual repair.”

Patrick and his parents, Michael and Stacey Michaud, are staying at The Family Inn near Children’s Hospital in Boston, where Patrick is receiving outpatient treatment.

Watching a little boy who “has had a sick heart for such a long time try to run the bases, brought tears to their eyes,” the Boises wrote.

They explained that Patrick’s dad bought him a “small Red Sox baseball bat” and that their son Kyle pitched to Patrick, who tried to run the bases.

“Think about this for a minute,” they wrote. “He tried to run the bases. Here is a child who has had a sick heart for such a long time that he has really never had the opportunity to run.”

Presque Isle lawyer Frank Bemis is an old friend of Patrick’s dad.

Both are graduates of Presque Isle High School. Mike attended the University of Maine and graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in pharmacology. He is employed at City Drug in Presque Isle.

Patrick’s mom, Stacey, is a University of Maine at Presque Isle graduate and, although now on medical leave to care for Patrick, is an elementary teacher in the Washburn school district, Bemis said.

A year or so ago, Bemis explained, Patrick “suffered a virus that attacked his heart, causing it to enlarge, and eroding its ability to provide proper blood flow.”

After a variety of treatments to help the situation, the youngster’s health declined to the point that he was placed on a heart transplant list.

“Finally, on May 20, they got the call. They flew to Boston and he had it that day, and they’ve been in Boston ever since,” Bemis said.

Although Patrick was doing well at first, he suffered a setback after a few weeks, necessitating the most recent treatment.

“They are going to be there quite awhile,” Bemis said of the family staying close to the hospital.

With all they are going through, and the fact the couple needs to be with their son, friends near and far are doing all they can to support them.

Bemis said several fund-raisers are planned, but, in the meantime, if you would like to help, you can make contributions to The Patrick Michaud Heart Fund, c/o BZ Associates, 7 Jericho Road, Scituate, Mass. 02066.

Updates can be obtained by visiting Patrick’s Web site, http://home.nycap.rr.com/bois/Patrick/.

In the meantime, Bemis would be happy to provide any information you need. His number is 764-2910.

If you’re going to take a brief item and mess it up, do a good job and mess it up thoroughly. That’s what I did when writing last Friday about the Bangor High School Class of 1940 61st reunion.

I had the correct information elsewhere in my computer, but failed to insert it into the column, leaving in its place the item with the incorrect information.

Herewith, therefore, is a completely correct version of information for members of the BHS Class of 1940 who plan to attend their 61st reunion this summer.

Nancy LaHaye of Old Town needs to hear from her fellow classmates soon, to complete plans for the event.

The reunion begins at noon Friday, July 20, at Pilots Grill on Hammond Street in Bangor.

LaHaye wants to know who plans to attend, and she needs that information by Tuesday, July 10.

“I have to let them know, at Pilots, how many will make it,” LaHaye wrote.

You can contact LaHaye by writing her at P. O. Box 1242, Bangor 04402-1242, or call her at 827-8972.

Speaking of high school reunions, Emmett Ross is coordinator for the 55th reunion of Caribou High School Class of 1946, which begins at 4 p.m. Friday, July 13, at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center.

“It’s still not too late to register,” Ross wrote, asking fellow classmates to call him at 496-0891, or Will Bell at 496-8071.

You also can write Ross at P.O. Box 475, Caribou 04736.

Katelyn Zunick, a fifth-grader at Sts. Joan of Arc and Patrick School in Kokomo, Ind., wrote the Bangor Daily News earlier this year seeking information for a class report about famous Maine people.

She asked for items such as books, recipes, maps and historical notes.

This week we receive this note from Katelyn.

“To the wonderful people of Maine: Thank you so much for taking your time to send me all the information on Maine!

“My report was a big hit and I received an A. Thanks for your help.”

Katelyn then asked that this letter be printed in our paper “so all the nice people who sent me information can see my thank you!”

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.


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