ART OF WAR: for Women in Business

“Business is war.” So says Kevin O’Leary, billionaire businessman and regular participant in the wildly successful U.S. TV program, Shark Tank.

Twenty-five hundred years ago, the Chinese sage Sun Tzu (pronounced “SUN Zuh”) wrote a classic military text, The Art of War, and recently various authors have praised it as being quite applicable to business. One such author is a marketing multi-millionaire, Dan Lok, who subtitled his adaptation, Strategies for Winning in Business Today.

Sixty and Me readers seem unlikely to be quite so fierce in commerce as a Kevin O’Leary or a Sun Tzu, but there are some lessons in The Art of War that you could translate into business success.

Know Your Enemy and the Battleground

Information is key in business and war. Some facts you obtain through observation and open sources. Some you buy. Some you get from spies.

Well informed, you then need to choose battlegrounds favorable to your capabilities and compete with weaker competitors. Timing may become critical, too, as these factors will change.

You want to match your strengths against your competitors’ weaknesses, and avoid competing against well-established products or services. Information helps you make these selections in your planning.

Dan Lok writes, “No one plans to fail, they just fail to plan.”

Use Deception

Just as information is of value, so can be disinformation. You will want to shield your plans from the prying eyes of your competitors. You may want them to believe what isn’t true. As Shakespeare’s Lady MacBeth advised, “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent beneath it.”

Looking good helps, also. Appearances count. Cosmetics can convince.  “Optics” has become a buzz-word.

Use Honesty

While using deception in shielding your plans from competitors, you want to maintain a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness, especially with respect to allies, employees, customers, and civil authorities. A successful leader needs to be respected and trusted.

Be Unpredictable

Your friends and followers will appreciate your constancy and predictability, but your competitors will take advantage of knowing your plans, so use your creativity to make rapid, clever alterations from time to time.

Avoid Head-to-Head Conflict

Find your competition’s weaknesses and focus your efforts there. Better yet, find unoccupied, open opportunities, niches, to move into. Once you make a move, do it decisively. Half-measures often fail.  Crush the competition, if present, and then hold the market tenaciously, giving your customers excellent value for their money.

Follow up your victory. Don’t become complacent. Don’t let the competition recover.

Rewards and Punishments

In business and in war, to keep morale strong, your allies and associates need to benefit from your victories. Michael LeBoeuf called this The Greatest Management Principle. It boils down to rewarding good behavior and punishing poor.

Treating your troops fairly, generously, will make them likely to behave loyally. Similarly, reward your allies.

Punishments may be needed. Do so reluctantly, however, as those punished will resent it, even as observers will learn from it. Anything can be over-done, however, and as effective as Sun’s beheadings were for shaping up the Concubine Army, we cannot recommend them.

Do not do your “enemy” a small harm. This breeds resentment. When you strike, strike decisively. Try to make them incapable of retaliating.

Problems Are Opportunities

The same factors that hamper you may impede your competition or create need in potential customers. Overcoming “barriers to entry” puts you in position to succeed, strengthening you. “Every knock is a boost,” someone other than Confucius or Sun Tzu has noted.

Be Adaptable

As conditions change, your tactics must also. Major changes may require changing even your strategies. Presumably, your goals will remain constant.

Others have said it, if Sun Tzu did not, “The best plans last only until the battle begins.” Be prepared to change.

In Conclusion

Business competition is not war, but close to it. We can profit by taking seriously the advice written two millennia ago by a Chinese sage: choose our battles, advance with speed and deception and determination, reward and punish frequently and appropriately.

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., is a former Harvard science professor. He still publishes, and he helps others write and publish their books via his business website, http://WriteYourBookWithMe.com. His life's central theme has been his half-century romance with his wife, Tina Su Cooper, now quadriplegic for thirteen years due to multiple sclerosis, receiving 24/7 nursing care at home, as discussed in his latest book.

***

Published mid-August in slightly different form at 
http://sixtyandme.com/the-art-of-war-advice-for-older-women-in-business/

RETIREMENT? NO, REFIREMENT! "Stay Engaged"

 

Ritual is an often neglected part of modern life, and without the strict (sometimes too the minute) structure of work, we might find that our productivity goes out the window, and it isn’t obvious why. We might blame ourselves: Why am I being so lazy today? Why can’t I focus? Why does this feel like an uphill battle this time?

Ask an insomniac what people don’t realise of his experience; it isn’t just the toll that sleeplessness has on the mind and body, but also the strange, head-spinning sensation that the day doesn’t end; day blurs into night.

As a retiree you cannot allow activity and non-activity to bleed into each other; they have to be as distinct as night and day.

Cultivate distinction in times and places	So let’s put that into other words; It’s getting easier and easier to work anywhere, and this has meant that we could write that oh-so-important article in bed, in your pyjamas. And sometimes that pays off; but our question is - Is that a good way to get fired up? A common piece of advice for insomniacs is to only use your bed for sleeping, and if you can’t sleep, get out of the bed. Why? Because you want to build up a trained association between a specific time and place, with a specific state, or performance. In working from home, or for yourself, we can often get into a state in which we are not really working, nor are we are really relaxing. Beds are for sleeping. Offices are for working! Respect their sanctity!
Live by the clock	What you need is a starting pistol; some trigger that flicks your switch from relaxed to working. This line has to be crystal clear and the reaction simple - the alarm has chimed, therefore I have begun.
Know what it means to dis-engage	Sometimes we work in contrasts; opposites help define each other, and recharge our abilities. Those that work hard are more able to relax, and vice versa. Those that sleep well are able to feel more fully awake, and vice versa. Empty your cup so it may be filled, as they say in Buddhism.
Be aware of Your state and know your triggers	Imagine a surgeon that religiously insists on spending five minutes playing the same twenty-year- old video game before going into theatre. A rock star, hearing the chants of ten thousand fans stares at himself in the mirror repeating a compliment one character gave another in his favourite movie. What do these examples have in common? They are all examples of performers that have found a way of controlling their state; no matter how silly and irrelevant to the task at hand it may seem to the outside world. Managing our own state and influencing the states of others is one of the most important skills in life. The majority of business people will make decisions logically, but it’s their state and the strength of their state that will that will get them to take action and persist with an action through challenging times. It is a major part of our emotional intelligence. I found a useful way of developing state skills is to start to notice how various states impact us and others. A simple learning experience for myself is when I play Lumosity, a brain-training game. Occasionally I get annoyed with myself for getting an answer wrong. The immediate impact of this is that I don’t pay attention for the next few minutes, and invariably get the next few answers wrong. In this context it’s more effective for me to accept a wrong answer as useful information, and a trigger to focus better for the next exercise. This significantly improves my performance

This is the continuation of a weekly serialization of this new ebook on active retirement, by Wamala and Cooper, which book is available through amazon.com for $0.99: 

https://www.amazon.com/RETIREMENT-NO-REFIREMENT-surviving-continuing-ebook/dp/B06XV52HPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490748919&sr=8-1&keywords=retirement%3F+no%2C+refirement%21

Would-be authors are invited to see my site
http://WriteYourBookWithMe.com.

From FRUSTRATED WITH LIFE, "School"

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned at school.”

Albert Einstein

SCHOOL Statistic

Gallup Poll (2014): “48% of Americans are ‘completely’ or ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the quality of kindergarten through high school education in the country….”

Chapter 8:
School

School comes down to 5 Ps: performance, peers, parents, pressure, and profs.

Comment #9 laments a 46 on a bio test. Don’t despair! My first physics mid-term exam as a physics major, I got a 17 out of a possible 100. I dejectedly asked the prof, “Is this my grade or my seat number?” Eventually, I got an A.B. and an M.S. in physics. There’s hope.

Peers? #482 despises group projects. Not everyone pulls on the oars. The daughter of #451 is shunned by the popular crowd; looks, manner, clothes? #406 and #321 report on students who did much less and got better grades. Luck triumphs?

Parents are why #127 and #407 are in school at all and perhaps #178, who wants to escape, is there for that reason also.

Pressure: #62 is exhausted. Would-be MD #350 finds math too hard. #132 is not accepted by any grad school and feels the pain of failure. #385 simply “can’t keep up.”

Professors and other strange beasts: Teachers wonder why #422 is in school. Hispanic #462 finds that the teachers assume he is dumb.

And yet, except for the occasional suicide, we all make it through some number of grades in school before we go out into “the real world” and then sometimes wish we were back in school.

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph. D.

#9

I got a 46 on my bio test. ugh!!

#30

I go on a diet to lose 20 pounds and put on 10. wtf. kfc dont have low calorie chicken no more?

#32

so mad my so called friend snitched on me today

#62

Im tired...physically and mentally tired and I have lost everything I was which was so awesome. I have been in university for 3 semesters now and assignments keep piling up. I am tired of doing this- I am tired of other people telling me what I should and shouldnt do- Its my life - stay the hell out of it. And why I feel so frustrated is because I never wanted to do this in the freaking first place. No one understands and I feel so tired its not even funny. I just want to go home and get back to who I was. No one understands. Everything just feels so numb. Ugh. I hope this pathetic feeling ends FAST.

#101

I’ve been so frustrated with my practicum. I’m wondering if pediatrics is for me! I love nursing but perhaps I just don’t have the heart for pedi like I thought I did. I’m so frustrated with my shyness as well. Why can’t I just find the confidence in myself so I can be the best nurse for my patients?! Where can I find this confidence? Or better yet... how can overcome this anxiety? :(

#127

i am frustrated with my life ... infact wid my studies i jst want some space some break in my life ... i dun want to hurt my parents btw wat can i do now ... and at dis stage ... now nothing will happen ... i m giving up!

#132

SOO Frustrated!!

I did not get accepted to any of the graduate schools I applied to. And you know every friend and family member keeps asking me what I have heard back from them. And the pain of failure is risen back up to the surface all over again. I can see it in there eyes during my hesitation to answer, the moment they realize I did not get accepted I feel an unrelenting feeling of failure. I have broke my back figuratively while struggling with a persistent learning disability my entire life. And I continue to get rejected. I cannot get a job in my field of study because no one is hiring. I hate my life and the direction it is going in. The only joy I get is from doing martial arts in which I inflict physical pain unto other people.

#178

Im in class 12 now... I dont know what i want.. I dont understand myself.. I dont know where im heading to.. Im all confused..

One thing i want is someone close to my heart..whom i can love, With whom i can share my life, with whom i can share my thoughts and everything.. I never had a girlfriend till date..dont know why.. The first girl i liked never even looked at me.. Now the girl i like is my friend but she likes someone else.. I want that she stays happy with him but at the same time it eats me up.. I enjoy her company, i like her talking, i like her but i know she cant be mine..

Another thing which has come up is my lack of concentration in studies.. I hav brain but it is refusing to accept lessons now.. I hav almost left studies.. Now a pressure to score good marks has build up. Its not just to get admission further but because i wanna study with her(friend).. She is going to a good college which has a high cut off percent seeing my present condition.. I wanna study with her but now its almost impossible for me to score so good.. Even i havn't decided a career for me till now.. N don't know what im gonna do after my boards.. My parents hav much hope from me..but im just going the opposite way.. Dont know what will happen to me, my life.. I wanna escape from all this... :-( but i cant...

#321

Worked my ass off for 2 months for a school project and today was the day of presenting it infront of the judges. The computer crashed twice while presenting and my friend who barely did anything got the prize. Why do people who work hard not get any returns in life?

#350

Thanks for the opportunity to let it out. Am stuck in life, I cant move up and I can't move down. Finished High School two years ago but I don't have any good certificate. Been failing mathematics and its pains me. I want to study medicine but Mathematics dont want me to. Cant pass med entrance exam, cant make up my results. Everybody looks at me with pity, I hate it.

#385

School eh....high school. Tough and got GCSEs in 2 years, great :I just feel so deprived if energy and sleep and teachers are really not great- feel like I have to win them over for them to like me. Living in a house with at least 1 fight with 1 person n the family is a distraction, friendships are tough, and teenage life can be soooooo complicated yet so simple and boring. Homework doesn’t make sense to me like it used to and I know studies are hard, but I feel I can’t keep up, you know? Like I’m lagging behind and I feel so pressured it’s not great. Hope it gets better, good luck to u all with similar problems xx

#406

i have studied for 3 years.but i could not get any good institutes for my advanced studies.despite of my hard work i didnt get a crack.but the guy who had spent less time reading and much time goofing around got his crack at it.why life is so unfair?i get so frustrated looking at my mom and dad’s disappointed face..i dont know what to do and how to get out of it..

#407

Currently doing my MS in Statistics and most of my friends from school and college are working and earning big bucks. I got into MS due to my mom’s persuasion otherwise I would not have continued studying after my Bachelors and would be working like my friends now. But bcoz I got into the MS program I need to finish it well-I have brains(I was 7th in my Bachelors) but somehow I can’t get my brain to concentrate on my MS studies. What can I do to get my concentration levels back and finish my MS on a good note with good grades. Your suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

#422

I graduated high school with a diploma, and enrolled into a local community college soon after. I graduated with my associate’s degree in 2 in a half years and transferred to a four year. I flunked out my first semester and I am pretty depressed. I wasted a lot of money, on housing and it seems that I will not be reinstated with a federal grant. I feel like I ruined my only chances of getting an education. I come from a poor broken family home, and everyday I relive how much of a disappointment I am. Even my teachers (during my first term) questioned why I was in school and the major I am. As if I’m stupid and should give up.

#444

Im so frustrated with school. All of the projects we get are so pointless and a waste of money and they are not even fun. This one project I have is 215 points and it’s a biome no one has heard about, and its just ridiculous! Not many people even know what a biome is! So its like why waste my money on something no one cares about? Then thinking about collage too, and the whole education system. It’s just broken and none of the teachers even really care. Sure there maybe a few teachers who are passionate about teaching their students but the majority could care less. It just doesn’t make any sense, teachers should just not have students pour money into a pointless little project more than likely won’t even use in the future. Such a waste.

#451

I’m sick and tired of having to pick up the pieces of my 12 year old daughter when her "friends" turn their backs and ignore her for the "popular crowd". It makes her feel crummy, Unworthy, isolated and meaningless. She is a good person who gives all her love to these kids just to have them turn and break her heart. I hate these kids. I really do.

#460

I am studying at Bgmea university of fashion technology.it is 4 th fay of my class i feel cry for my studying pressure it seems very dificult for me to take lots of pressure

#462

I’m 15 years old and I’m in the 10th grade. Throughout my experience in school I’ve already been a great student, until I started high school. Highschool has been really hard on me and I honestly don’t know what to do. I went from going to a school that has 200 students in total to going to a school that has almost 2000 students. Apart from that I am Having a hard time with my math and science class. I have a tutor and she has helped somewhat but I still don’t get the grades I need. My school is very bias and the way things go around there is that if you don’t do good on a test then your basically a failure at life, there is a large amount of white, Asian students, I’m Hispanic and sometimes I feel as though the teachers let their own racial blind spots affect the way they teach me. Sometimes my teachers don’t think I have the capacity of doing well, I feel annoyed because I really want to go to college but both my freshman and sophomore year has been really hard on me and I’ve lost all of my motivation. I honestly don’t know what else to do!!!!!!

#480

MY bloody internet is slow as fuck it takes 5 mins to load 1 site. I can't open the school website.... When it actually loaded in about 5-10 mins, I click on the link and it just says the page has become unresponsive. After waiting for about 30 mins in total to get to that fucking link. I don't even know I hate this shit.

#482

I am soooo fucking furious that for this fucking school projet I fucking have to handle everything because no one seems to give a fuck. and some ppl want to get over it but we end up doing the work twice. It fucking kills me i Fucking cant deal with group projects anymore. I Fucking despise group projects everyone can fucking go to hell.

Recommended Books

A. Duckworth (2016)
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

C.S. Dweck (2006)
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

M.C. Ricci (2013)
Mindsets in the Classroom: Building a Culture of Success and Student Achievement in Schools

Excerpted from Guzman and Cooper (2017), FRUSTRATED WITH LIFE? YOU ARE NOT ALONE! based on years of blog entries at http://FrustratedWithLife.com. The book is available in paperback at amazon.com.

Would-be authors are invited to see my site WriteYourBookWithMe.com.

TINA SU'S RECOVERY, SEPT 2017 UPDATES

Background: My quadriplegic, ventilator-dependent [multiple sclerosis] wife, Tina Su Cooper, suffered prolonged seizures Monday night, July 10th. She spent the next eleven days in Orange Regional Medical Center (ORMC) battling the seizures and infections. She was sent home Friday, July 21st, unconscious (vegetative state or minimal consciousness) but medically stabilized. She had been unresponsive in the hospital. Her recovery was in serious doubt.

Eight days later, Tina had to return to ORMC due to a body temperature of 92oF, eventually ascribed to being a side effect of one of her medications, valproic acid (Depakene). At home, she had been somewhat responsive, enjoying TV and replying rarely and briefly to our queries. 

I'll record here some highlights of her recovery at home/hospital as they occur:

19 September: Tina continues to be generally healthy, although sleeping more than seems normal. Her breathing is so strong that she had excellent blood oxygen levels (98%) after about five to ten minutes off the ventilator. Up in wheelchair for an hour this afternoon.

05 September: Almost a month since Tina's been home. Still sleeps a lot but when awake is aware and appropriate. I kissed her in bed this morning, and she told me, "I love you very much." That feeling is mutual!

31 August: Good check-up today with new pulmonologist, Dr. Park, who complimented our staff on the care Tina has received. Tina was quiet this afternoon but spoke clearly, with affection and appreciation, tonight. 

30 August: Tina's medical check-up yesterday was fine. 
Watched an hour of the Food Channel with me in the kitchen. Tonight she was alert and somewhat communicative, appropriately. Tomorrow, off to a pulmonologist's exam.

26 August: Tina continues to improve, slowly, with lots of naps during the day. Younger son, Phil, visit yesterday and was impressed with her recovery. Elder son, Ted, was able to hold a quite limited telephone conversation with her. He plans to visit in early September.

20 August: Tina up in wheelchair for 1.5 hours as we watch romantic Hallmark Movie Channel movie on TV this evening. Tells me she loves me with all her heart. (That makes it even!) Responds briefly in whisper to Ted's call, thanking him. 

18 August: Early evening, watching TV. Doug, "How are you doing?" Tina, "I'm very happy." 

16 August: Tina to afternoon nurse,  Casey Partridge, "I'm so happy to see you." To Doug, "I want to get up." Out of bed for about an hour too watch TV in the kitchen, choosing program. Vital signs within normal limits (WNL). Mood: good.

14 August: Tina slept well this afternoon (100% O2 blood level, 66/min stable pulse rate), then spent an hour in the wheelchair in the kitchen with me, watching the Food Channel and responding with whispered answers to a few short questions. In fine spirits.

12 August: Continuing improvement. Nurse Melissa Brengard says Tina is in best shape since MB started working here three years ago. In kitchen, Tina and I watched Hallmark Movie Channel together, then Tina asked to go back to bed; once there, she asked for classical music channel.

10 August: Home now, watching TV, listening to music. Out of bed for two hours for trip to cardiologist: no significant cardiac problems. Later, she whispered her thanks for taking her. 

09 August: Vital signs all good. Some extra variation in heart rate, to be discussed during appointment with cardiologist tomorrow. This morning Tina told nurse Dori Oskam, "I'm made of tough stuff," which I have often said to her. Just now she told me, "I'm so happy to be home." 

07 August: slept well. When awake, getting care, she several separate times thanked Nurse Dori Oskam, "Thank you very much, indeed," Tina said. Indeed!

06 August: came home 1 pm. Expressed self clearly, verbally,
"Thank you very much." "I'm glad I'm home." Asked
how she felt after hair wash, "refreshed." All systems within normal ranges, responding well to meds. Now (3 pm) asleep.

05 August: awake more and somewhat responsive at ORMC. Needs to stay one more day to track blood values.

04 August: awake occasionally and somewhat more aware, yet still fighting a minor infection, Tina is scheduled to return home tomorrow, Saturday, 5 August.

02 August: still mostly sleeping. Barely aware when awake. Weaned off valproic acid, now on higher Keppra dose plus dilantin...anti-seizure meds.  Possibly going home tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday. Blood pressure and pulse rate rather variable, partly controlled by meds. Mild fever not being treated at present, to avoid conflicting drug effects.

01 August: condition unchanged.  Low body temperature ascribed to valproic acid (Depakene) anti-seizure medicine.


***


31 July: Tina mostly sleeping at ORMC. When awake, barely responsive. No cause determined yet for low body temperature. No infection. CAT scan negative. Possibly reaction to anti-seizure meds. Fluctuating blood pressure stabilized with med.

30 July: Tina back to ORMC Critical Care Unit. Temperature of 92oF at 11 p.m. indicated infection. 

29 July: We spent a half-hour watching TV together in the kitchen this afternoon. As I silently drew close to give Tina some more kisses, she mouthed the words, "I love you."

28 July: Nurse Melissa Brengard bathed Tina this morning, 
"Thank you," Tina responded, smiling. 
MB: "How are you?"
T: "Fine, fine, fine."
MB: "How many children do you have?" 
T: "Two." 
MB: "What are their names?" 
T: "Ted, Phil." 

27 July: Night Nurse Audrey Pottinger asks Tina how she is doing. She replies, "Not so well," then, "fine, fine, fine." [Video shared by email.] Tina out of bed in wheelchair for 30 minutes. "Do you want to watch the Food Channel or Home and Garden?" I asked. "Either one," she replied. Opened mouth on request for tooth brushing and suctioning. Some smiles. 

Came across the following story of a youth in what seemed to be a vegetative state that eventually resolved: 
http://healthskillet.com/this-man-was-trapped-in-his-body-for-13-years/ meanwhile, he was aware for much of this period. 

July 26th: awake longer, directing gaze at caregivers. Tried to speak in response to my, "I love you with all my heart...."

This, July 25th, afternoon, nurse Melissa Brengard greeted Tina and asked her how she was doing. "Better" Tina replied softly.

On Monday, 24 July, overnight, Tina said, "Thank you," in response to care being given by Nurse Audrey Pottinger.

On Sunday, 23 July, Tina frowned in response to being
moved in the bed by nurse Casey Partridge and myself.

The morning of Saturday, the 22nd, Tina surprised the nurse on duty (Melissa Brengard) by asking "How are you?" in response to greetings and conversation from Melissa.

On Jul 23, 2017, at 1:54 PM, Doug Cooper <dwcooper05@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Family and Friends,

Tina returned home via ambulance Friday night, the 21st.

ORMC had stabilized her condition. Final diagnosis was that she is in a vegetative state due to a brain infection with many days of seizures subsequent to the infection, which infection may or may not still be occurring.

 She mostly sleeps, with periods of wakefulness with doubtful responsiveness, except that this morning when the nurse, Melissa, spoke with her, Tina replied "How are you?" This is quite encouraging, and as the attached article indicates, this is more like "minimally conscious" than "vegetative state" and has some hope for a partial recovery of her former cognition and makes it likely that she has some awareness.  

It's great to have her home, and we were fortunate to have Phil and Ted here this weekend, to help and to encourage, as other members of the family have done recently.

I won't be emailing more updates unless something else dramatic occurs.

Thanks for your concern and love,

Doug (and Tina)

Minimally Conscious State - Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders - Merck Manuals Consumer Version

Minimally Conscious State - Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders - Merck... Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis & treatment of Coma and Impaired Consciousness from the Home Ve...

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., 264 East Drive, Walden, NY 12586, (845) 778-4204

Author, freelance writer, book coach, caregiver and retired physicist. Rational idealist.

Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 8:03 PM

Subject: Re: TINA HOSPITALIZATION, 19 July 17

Dear Family and Friends,

ORMC expects to release Tina to our home tomorrow (Thursday, 20 July) afternoon.

The have stabilized her condition, and her various vital signs and blood component values are within normal limits. However, she will be getting 10 to 20 times the seizure- suppressant medication, Keppra, than she was getting at home.  She is mostly sleeping and when awake seems unaware of her surroundings, although she has shown a bit more facial activity these past couple of days than earlier in her hospitalization.

The MRI a few days ago indicated some brain damage, some encephalitis, but the assays of her cerebral-spinal fluid showed no bacterial or viral activity, and  the antibiotics for these have been discontinued.

The cause of the seizures might be MS, although only a few percent of MS victims have these. The cause may have been low sodium in the blood, which even when addressed, left her more susceptible to follow-on seizures.

We hope to make her comfortable at home and perhaps be blessed by healing of her brain.

Thank you for your continuing love and concern...and prayers. 

With love,

Doug (and Tina)

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., 264 East Drive, Walden, NY 12586, (845) 778-4204

Author, freelance writer, book coach, caregiver and retired physicist. Rational idealist.

---

Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2017 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: TINA HOSPITALIZATION, 15 July 17

Phil and Lisa visited today and we saw Tina and the staff

at Orange Regional Medical Center (ORMC). She is asleep, seemingly peacefully, almost all the time. When she is awake, she is unresponsive, perhaps unaware, though the EEG indicates brain activity and some sub-clinical seizures  

They are treating various problems, including an apparent brain infection that may be the cause of the continuing seizures, which unfortunately are themselves likely to be ding some damage. Treating a viral brain infection could take weeks, some of which she will likely be at home. ORMC have been able to reduce the anti-seizure medications, which may mean they are making progress with the brain infection.

We don't know what degree of awareness Tina will end up with, but for now we are continuing to urge aggressive treatment. 

With our love,

Doug

Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., 264 East Drive, Walden, NY 12586, (845) 778-4204

Author, freelance writer, book coach, caregiver and retired physicist. Rational idealist.

---

Subject: Re: TINA HOSPITALIZATION, 12 July 17

Tina has been "unresponsive" since Monday night, whether asleep or seemingly awake. She is experiencing almost continuous seizures, which are both symptoms of some brain damage and the cause of some increased damage.  The cause of the seizures is unknown. She had been given a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) late this afternoon to sample the cerebral-spinal fluid for possible evidence of infection of the brain, and she is getting an anti-viral medication (acyclovir) even before we get the results of the analysis of the spinal fluid. Tina is receiving four different seizure-suppressing meds now, and she has received several anti-bacterial antibiotics for the UTI, The pneumonia diagnosis is now believed mistaken (x-ray artifact). 

I just got a call from one of our nurses. She told me that the doctor that did the spinal tap a few hours ago commented that the fluid was yellow, rather than clear, a sign of infection, and that "this problem has been brewing a long time," without specifying how long. CAT scan ruled out tumor. MS is a possible cause, but not much can be done if that is it. An infection, on the other hand, is often treatable, so this may be good news. 

Because of the continuing seizures and the escalation of efforts to stop them and yet preserve critical processes, Tina's life is in jeopardy, but this latest information

is somewhat encouraging.

Thank you all for your concern and prayers.

Love,

Doug 

Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2017 11:09 AM

Subject: TINA HOSPITALIZATION

Tina developed seizures last night. Not life-threatening, but worrisome. Our GP recommended we send

her to the hospital. She is at Orange Regional Medical Center, ICU Room 3309. As usual,

we have one of our nurses there to supplement the hospital staff and facilitate communication.

Diagnosis: urinary tract infection, possible pneumonia. CAT scan of brain was negative: no problems. 

Typically, they try to get her home in a few days. 

We don't use phone mail, but you can reach me either at home or at my cell phone number, 914 450 1754.

Love,

Doug