as the rotor turns...: August 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Cerritos plane crash left its scars - Press-Telegram

Cerritos plane crash left its scars - Press-Telegram

Cerritos Aero Mexico Crash 1986
I remember this day as if it were yesterday. Skyknight was on day patarol when we got a call to investigate a tall column of black smoke somewhere in Cerritos. We responded from the station in Lakewood. We thought it was a car fire on the freeway. As we got closer we spotted a Hughes500 helicopter over the scene already, which turned out to be Huntington Beach PD's helo. They too would have a tragic day later that afternoon with the annual OP surf festival over their city where riots occurred. We also saw Long Beach PD's ship overhead briefly. When we got directly overhead, it appeared the entire block of the neighborhood was on fire. Like a wall of fire as tall as the pine trees lining the streets. We then saw the airliner's fuselage but only a small portion of it on Carmenita street where it came to a screeching halt. At first I thought where's the rest of the plane? I guess it had come down at a steep enough angle and speed to obliterate itself. THe plane it collided with was in a school yard southeast of there about a quarter mile. It's top half had been decapitated. No survivors. The Sheriff's dept. assigned us the task of air traffic controller in the sky. This was in the days when ENG aircract (Electronic News Gathering) orbited in a stacked column. Nowadays, news media ships park themselves very high over a scene because they can and have wazoo cameras onboard that can zoom in on a persons nose if need be. I counted 31 aircrafted total to keep separated at different altitudes. From law enforcement,ENG,medevac, coroner etc. I did this by keeping track with pencil and paper N numbers, aircraft colors, and altitdue assignment. Everyone was super alert and safe. My partner handled the communications with ground units. We were overhead around 6 hours total. What a sad day.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

DOGAMINE AND DOPAMINE

We have two Chihuahua mixes now, one is black the other white. Katey is white and Angel is black. Ive always had less tremor and anxiety whenever I do activities with them or even just watching them. They make me laugh always, get up and move around, forget about my problems and just plain feel really good. My heart is filled with love when I am close to them. I was sitting on the couch and just felt so wondefful..I felt the dopamine must be flowing high at the moment. My husband said, oh you mean the "dogamine". That is our new word.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Parkinsons Updates 2011

The photo is with my dear friend Louis earlier this year. We hadnt seen each other for over 5 yrs since I retired medically. He is head secretary for the administration for the Long Beach Airport Air Traffic Control Tower. Next week we are going to lunch once more to catch up. Alot has transitioned in 5 or 6 yrs since diagnosis and I prefer to focus on the good stuff. I started meds 5 yrs after diagnosis and have improved. I have good and not so good days but I am gauranteed no day to be the same as the other. It's similar to flying in a way. I loved flying cause no day was the same, it was a challenge, at times it was uncomfortable up there posture wise or weather wise very cold or hot. Much like PD. So many factors influence life for everyone whether you are handicapped or not. It's best to go with the flow. Im finding PD to evolve in so many ways. Im extremetly sensitive to emotions as they affect gait. I have to keep those in check with a balance of exercise and foods that do not excite the body. Balance is important. I cant do two consecutive days of away from the house activities. I need to rest inbetween. Food when I first started drugs was not influencing drug efficacy in the beginning. Now it is. If I want full help of the meds I must take the med first at least 30 mins before introducing food. I stay away from meat, cheeses, dairy, breads, as much as possible. I describe the poor side effects after not eating properly as "special effects". It feels like the fog rolled in inside my head. I dont feel as strong and coordinated as I could possibly be. So I guess Im pretty much a vegen eater and not by choice. And yes, I have no weight problem whatsoever anymore. Not that I was so fat before. I just giggle less. Haha. It's kinda nice though. Being lighter is better in more than 1 way. If I fall, I fall less hard. My back has no pain. Im flexible in my joints. My bunion hurts way less. I have tons more energy. We just got another small dog and she runs me ragged. Im able to exercise with her from 5 to 8 pm every day. If I dont she wont be as ready to go to bed. Puppies are so great. My older chihuahua would rather not participate at play time although she gets goaded into it. She's 10 to 14 yrs old. Can you blame her? Any way, this is turning into a small novelette. I see the Neuro in Sept. I am so on the fence whether to change meds. Id rather make do with less side effects and stick with the same meds even though they are not perfect and accept this level of joyous activities as it is now. Hell, Im one lucky girl looking back on my life and all I crammed into it thus far. My cousin Donna put it into perspective for me. She said Monica, you may not be as in control as before when you were younger but my God youve done so much. FLying, been in two museums. One the Smithsonian and the other San Diego Air and Space. Traveled to Africa, England, Italy, Canada etc. Worked with wild animals. Run 10 or 5 ks. Had 3 grandchildren experiencing both boys and a girl. Had one child of my own and now have the greatest son in law. Have a terrific husband, Dave, Donna's cousin. We are building a plane in the garage. Or I should say he is building a plane in the garage. I just take pictures in awe of the guy. I play geocaching. I get to read lots of books now. I sleep when I want. It's all great and so the next 20 or 30 yrs I look forward now however slowly I move around or how. Life is good !!

1999 Going Down Memory Lane

I've landed twice to rescue drowning children victims in the 25 yrs with Lakewood. This one was unusual because when we arrived over the call, all we saw were a circle of adults doing nothing for this child as she lay on the cement by the pool. The adults were running out to the front yard in the cul de sac waving us to help. It was pitiful. We knew rescue was not even close. We could see them from above rolling code but we were there. I kept getting lower and lower contemplating a landing in the streets cul de sac. There were no cars or people and it was quiet and devoid of obstacles. It would be easy to take off again after I dropped Kevin off. And so we discussed it quickly and both made the decision to land. It was the right decision. I took off and went back to Lakewoods Sheriff Station to wait for my deputy. The watch commander thought Kevin dove out of the helicopter into the pool and did the rescue. I laughed later when I found that out. But I can see coming to a conclusion like that if all your doing is aurally listening to the whole thing go down. Here below is an article I recently found and posted for posterity.

Immediately, Zaborniak and pilot Monica McIntyre landed at a nearby intersection on Harvest Avenue--a rare feat for a surveillance helicopter. Although an ambulance had been called to the scene, it was still precious minutes away, and Zaborniak sprang from the helicopter to help the child.

"She was blue and I just started breathing for her," Zaborniak said, referring to the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. "The nearest emergency unit was still two minutes away. When you're talking about a drowning victim, two minutes is a long time."

On Tuesday, three days after Rose toppled into the pool, the girl was preparing to return home to San Pedro from Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Before she left though, Zaborniak stopped by the hospital to visit.

At first, her parents and doctors feared the worst. Although she had survived the drowning, they worried that she may have suffered severe brain damage. But on Tuesday, Dr. Jeremy Garrett said the girl had managed a stunning, full recovery, and said Zaborniak's quick action was instrumental.

"I feel blessed, very lucky," Joe Ruiz said as he thanked the deputy.

Although Saturday's near-fatal drowning was an event that neither Joe and Julie Ruiz, nor Zaborniak are likely to forget, that's not the case for Rose. The youngster cannot recall anything that occurred after the dunking.

At the brief reunion in the medical center's pediatric wing, Rose clung shyly to her mother as Zaborniak said hello and held a stuffed animal as a puppet.

Zaborniak, 31, said that he wasn't bothered at all by her not knowing who he was and downplayed his role in her recovery.

"That's a strong kid," he said. "She's a fighter, and that's why she's going home."

Tiedye Zoee

Aaryn ANd Zoee

Big Brother Aaryn And Zoee Aug. 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Zoee Has Arrived

Zoee Anne Earl was born July 19, 2011, weighing in at 6lbs8oz and 19" long. She has reddish blonde hair and eyelashes and blue eyes. She looks alot like her dad and grandma Cookie. She's beautiful !!! Oh, I almost forgot, she is our new grandaughter. I have 3 other grandkids, all boys. Their names are Aaryn, Marcelo and Sam.