David Plieth (Photographer Needs Prayer.)

[Diablo]

Hello,

This is Todd "Diablo" Kirby of the Gypsy Band, Labyrinthe. I hope this E-mail finds everyone well. This message is concerning a friend here in Nashville, TN. His name is David Plieth, Anyone at Tennessee, Michigan, Gulf Coast or Mobile Faires has probably seen him taking pictures.

Dave works in research at Vanderbilt. (He's one of the many people over there working on a cure for Cancer.) Well, Dave presently needs alot of prayer and good thoughts sent his way.

Three weeks ago today (Ironically on April 1st.) Dave went into the hospital for full body numbness, slurred speech and blurred vision. I went by his house in the morning before work and heard him calling my name. I went in and found him in his bedroom where he indicated he needed me to dial 911. He couldn't even dial the phone. The paramedics came in, carted him out and took him to the Vanderbilt ER. By that afternoon he was on a breathing tube and in the Neurology Intensive Care Unit where's he's been ever since.

He is being diagnosed as having a very rare disorder called "Bickerstaff Syndrome", also known as "Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis". It is very very similar to Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Bickerstaff Syndrome is an immune disorder. He apparently had pneumonia and instead of attacking the problem, his body attacked his brain stem.

Luckily there is NO brain damage and Dave is expected to make a 90 / 100 % recovery but it's going to take time. There's talk of him being in the hospital for 6 months before he can even go home and that this may take him a year to deal with. There will be alot of physical therapy and possibly speech therapy. Still, the scenario is a positive one. On that morning I thought he'd had a Stroke.... Thank goodness it wasn't that.

Here's some info on Bickerstaff Syndrome:
http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001209/

Here's some info on Guillain-Barre Syndrome:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9_syndrome

His Brother and Sister-in-law came down from Detroit and have been here taking care of him and his finances, etc. His father was here as well but tragically had a massive stroke and died in the ICU while visiting Dave.... This is hard to believe I know but this happened Wed. April 15th. Everyone except Dave got to attend his Fathers funeral.

Obviously, Dave won't be able to come out to The Tennessee Renaissance Festival this May. I know that's driving him absolutely crazy. (He comes out there every day of Faire from start to finish.) Hopefully next year he will be able to attend. I was thinking that, this year it'd be nice to bring elements of the Faire to him.... I'm gonna be at the Faire on the first day and try to get a bunch of performers, etc. to take pictures and sign a piece of posterboard or something. I think that would make his month. Please do keep Dave in your thoughts and prayers. If you know him, E-mail me at X_Todd_Kirby_X@Yahoo.com and we can talk more.

Todd "Diablo" Kirby.

[Syrilla]

Please send my best wishes and prayers from my family for his recovery and good health.  Keep us posted on his condition, and if there is anything that we may do.

Kimberly

[renfairephotog]

Tell him we send our best wishes. Please keep us informed.

[sidonia]

OMG Todd, I can't believe this. :-( Let me know if there's anything I can do, I'll pass the word around to the former LBDCers that are friends with him as well. I might get a group together to go see him too.