On this Memorial Day we’d like to give special recognition to one of our dear clients, Robert Morrisette, aka Bob or ‘Hey Morrisette’ affectionatly referred to by his wife of 68 years! We have the pleasure of seeing Bob and his wife Anna about twice a week in our office. Bob is 93 years old and his lovely wife Anna is a mere 92. While Bob is in the hyperbaric chamber for an hour I have the wonderful opportunity to hear Anna’s stories about her life and her family. Anna shared these pictures with me that were taken last year in St Louis where Bob was honored by the Experimental Airplane Association for his service in WWII. Bob was a corporal in the 8th Army Air Corps in England from 1942-45 and served as an electronics technician repairing damage to radar and radios on bomber planes. Pictured here is Bob in his original uniform seated as he would have back in the day at the radio operator’s station located aft of the bomb bay. The EAA brought in a B-17 bomber ‘Aluminum Overcast’ to the St. Louis event. Although Bob was in and out of B-17 bombers he never got a ride in one until last years event. Note the ‘high tech’ radio gear! I guess that makes him the forerunner IT guy. Bob’s wartime job, keep the radios and other electronic equipment aboard the B-17 Flying Fortresses in good condition for their bombing raids over Nazi-held territory in Europe. “A lot of the planes that came back were pretty well shot up” Bob recalls. “There often were bullet holes all over.” Needed parts also were not always available, a situation requiring some imagination. Morrisette said he once used a condom to jury-rig a repair on a faulty switch. “It worked too!” he says proudly.
At 93 Bob has survived cancer twice and moves around with only the light support of a walker. Anna and Bob’s daughter Sally of St Louis found our hyperbaric business from a Google search. Sally called us and told us her Dad had early stages of dimentia and her chiropracter said that HBOT would be very beneficial for him. We are so glad they found us! Bob has been in the HBOT chamber 10 times over the several weeks.
The following is an email I received from Sally.
Hi Sheri!
Thank you for the update. I had somewhat of a conversation with my father on the phone this morning – which is remarkable, considering he had stopped conversing intelligibly sometime ago. It was so nice to hear his voice again! I know the infusion of oxygen to his brain (and wherever else) is the reason he’s come back to us to a degree.
I wish I could afford to buy them a unit for daily use. I know my mother could benefit greatly as well. I wish I could buy myself a chamber! I am so grateful to you for this wonderful gift, Sheri. Thank you for gently pushing me on this.
The next time I’m in Rochester, I’m coming in to see you and to try the chamber. It probably won’t be until September, but I will come in!
With warmest regards,
Sally
I think Bob said it best one day when leaving our office.. “I feel good, I feel damn good!”. It is amazing to see Bob’s increased engagement and chatter, not to mention his sense of humor! When I ask Bob how he feels, with out hesitating he says “With my hands!”.
I would be remiss to not mention the beauty of his relationship with his wife Anna. Anna is sharp as a tack, still drives and organizes all of Bob’s activities and appointments. I have no doubt that the love they have for each other is in large part the rocket fuel that keeps Bob going. You can often catch Bob blowing kisses to Anna through the window of the chamber when she peeks in to check on him. They joke and tease each other like that of a couple who have only just fallen in love. Bob’s gaze to Anna when he first gets out of the chamber is pure love and happiness as he jokes that she hasn’t left him!
God bless you Corporal Morrisette! We salute you and all those who serve to protect! Happy Memorial Day!
Recent Comments