Don Gwinn Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:36 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:36 PM GunsSaveLife member Wes Thuney fell on the capitol stairs and was injured during IGOLD. The security and Secretary-of-State's Police did a great job of getting him help and he was taken by ambulance to St. John's. He's from Urbana, so he's stuck in a hospital ICU two hours away from friends and family. I'm trying to keep in touch simply because I live here, but Mr. Thuney doesn't know me. What I'd like everyone to do is to take a moment to go to the St. John's hospital website and send an e-card with a message for Mr. Thuney. The staff at the hospital will print these out and bring Mr. Thuney the cards. His vision is too poor to read right now, but they will read them to him. You can also send gifts or balloons, but please, no flowers, since they won't be allowed into the ICU. Here's the link to send an e-card. Remember to send it to "ICU Mod A, Bed 1" so it will reach him. Also, if you want him to get the card today, it has to be sent before 2:00 p.m. After that, he'll get it the next day. Thanks, everybody!
1957Human Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:44 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:44 PM Card sent. And thanks, Don. You're a heck of a good man.
cowboyflyfisher Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:57 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 01:57 PM Card sent, what a great idea!
Slappy Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:03 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:03 PM I happen to be the one who witnessed him fall and one of those who helped him until the cops showed up. I was wondering if you had an update as to his health? It was a nasty fall. He went down face first on the concrete steps of the capitol and didn't react fast enough to brace himself in any way.
jkrzos Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:09 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:09 PM Howdy, E-card sent. Thanks Don. Jkrzos
wazzle Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:40 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 02:40 PM Card sent. What a great idea, thanks Don.
Don Gwinn Posted March 13, 2009 at 05:34 PM Author Posted March 13, 2009 at 05:34 PM Slappy, I'm glad you were there! At the end of the night, when Mr. Thuney was missing from the Urbana bus, we would have had no idea why. I don't want to discuss too much of Mr. Thuney's business, since I don't really know him very well. I just happened to be the guy who lives here. But he's not doing very well at the moment, sorry to say. He had brain surgery the night after IGOLD to relieve the pressure from a subdural hematoma. Basically, he hit his head hard enough to cause bleeding and swelling inside his cranium, which put pressure on the brain, so his skull had to be opened up and the blood removed. Yesterday his nurse told me he was alert and "partially" oriented, but that may have been as much from surgery and drugs as anything else. He probably sounded more confused than he was because this stranger was calling and asking to speak to him. From what I understand, which is not much when it comes to real medicine of the non-emergency variety, it could very well be that he had some bleeding or even a small hematoma before his fall. The fall could have aggravated it and made it worse, but it may also have been the wake-up call that prevented much worse damage. St. John's is a good facility, and if you're going to have this kind of trauma, doing it a few blocks from St. John's and Memorial hospitals does give you an edge. I thought about bringing in some reading material, but the injuries also affected Mr. Thuney's eyes and he can't see well enough to read at the moment. At this point, I have no idea how long he'll be there, but it sounds like it will be awhile. I'd like to get into touch with Mr. Thuney's family next so we can speak through them and avoid the confidentiality dance with nurses and doctors. They've been a great help, but they really are constrained and they take a chance by telling us information. I also intend to write to the Secretary of State Police and praise the officers involved and the operator, "Gladys," who helped us so much. I think they were a little worried about confidentiality, but they understood that we were concerned and trying to help and they worked with us. Slappy, if you know who any of the officers on the scene were, let me know and we'll include their names.
RichardM Posted March 13, 2009 at 05:49 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 05:49 PM Thanks for the update Don card being sent now! just noticed...to bad there are no cards with guns huh not even a place to upload your own pictures
Chiburbian Posted March 13, 2009 at 06:01 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 06:01 PM I thought about bringing in some reading material, but the injuries also affected Mr. Thuney's eyes and he can't see well enough to read at the moment. At this point, I have no idea how long he'll be there, but it sounds like it will be awhile. I have an older iPod that I could load with gun podcasts and audiobooks... If it still works I would be willing to donate it.
papa Posted March 13, 2009 at 06:17 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 06:17 PM THanks for posting the info Don. E-card sent.
M_anstrom Posted March 13, 2009 at 10:17 PM Posted March 13, 2009 at 10:17 PM I sent one as soon as I could get to the computer.
GWBH Posted March 14, 2009 at 02:19 AM Posted March 14, 2009 at 02:19 AM Card sent - thanks Don for the update on his condition - another one added to the prayer list...
Slappy Posted March 14, 2009 at 08:23 AM Posted March 14, 2009 at 08:23 AM Slappy, if you know who any of the officers on the scene were, let me know and we'll include their names. Thanks for the update Don... I really hope he comes out of this OK. As for the officers involved, one of them took a statement from me and got my contact info but I didn't catch his name. You may want to talk to Tom Shafer. He came out after the fact and called one of the EMTs by his first name. Perhaps he can point you in the right direction! Keep us updated please!
ishmo Posted March 14, 2009 at 11:54 AM Posted March 14, 2009 at 11:54 AM Card sent. I hope he has a full and speedy recovery.
3ddiver Posted March 14, 2009 at 03:03 PM Posted March 14, 2009 at 03:03 PM Card sent, that is a shame. I saw a fire truck and ambulance when I left but had no idea one of our own got hurt.
cowboyflyfisher Posted March 25, 2009 at 07:53 PM Posted March 25, 2009 at 07:53 PM Any updates?I was just wondering that myself
flagtag Posted April 29, 2009 at 04:04 AM Posted April 29, 2009 at 04:04 AM GunsSaveLife member Wes Thuney fell on the capitol stairs and was injured during IGOLD. The security and Secretary-of-State's Police did a great job of getting him help and he was taken by ambulance to St. John's. He's from Urbana, so he's stuck in a hospital ICU two hours away from friends and family. I'm trying to keep in touch simply because I live here, but Mr. Thuney doesn't know me. What I'd like everyone to do is to take a moment to go to the St. John's hospital website and send an e-card with a message for Mr. Thuney. The staff at the hospital will print these out and bring Mr. Thuney the cards. His vision is too poor to read right now, but they will read them to him. You can also send gifts or balloons, but please, no flowers, since they won't be allowed into the ICU. Here's the link to send an e-card. Remember to send it to "ICU Mod A, Bed 1" so it will reach him. Also, if you want him to get the card today, it has to be sent before 2:00 p.m. After that, he'll get it the next day. Thanks, everybody! Can anyone give an update on Mr. Thuney? I don't remember reading an update. I hope he's ok. Anyone have any information?
Ol'Coach Posted April 30, 2009 at 02:14 AM Posted April 30, 2009 at 02:14 AM The latest I have is, that at the last GSL meeting (2nd Tuesday in March) a card was sent around for attendees to sign. At that point, it is my understanding, he was still in the hospital in critical condition. I don't know how accurate I am with this statement!
flagtag Posted April 30, 2009 at 02:27 AM Posted April 30, 2009 at 02:27 AM Thanks for the information. I wonder about him from time to time. I hope he is recovering - at home - and will be back with us soon.
2nd amendment forever Posted April 30, 2009 at 04:26 PM Posted April 30, 2009 at 04:26 PM E-card sent! Thanks!
Don Gwinn Posted April 30, 2009 at 05:30 PM Author Posted April 30, 2009 at 05:30 PM One of SCRA's people said at the last meeting (that would have been the first Monday in April, whenever that was) that he'd spoken to Mr. Thuney and he was "home and OK." I don't know how accurate that is, so take it for what it's worth. I haven't spoken to Mr. Thuney since March, but I did find his home number at one point. Maybe I'll give him a call and see if he remembers us.
flagtag Posted April 30, 2009 at 11:31 PM Posted April 30, 2009 at 11:31 PM If you do, please let him know that we are thinking of him. (then give us a "report"?)
templar223 Posted July 4, 2009 at 12:08 AM Posted July 4, 2009 at 12:08 AM Update on Wes. He's coming home! Dad will be coming home on Wednesday 1 July. Well, either coming home, or going to Carle Arbors in Savoy. He isn't staying at the County Nursing home any more. They kinda made me mad, and to be honest, because I don't have a dad, or mom, or any grandparents, I kinda get upset when I think Dad isn't being treated fairly. And, how I got the nickname "Grumpy" isn't because of my charming, bubbling personality. So, I think they will let him come home. I don't think they are going to release him to drive. Not yet anyway. I'm hoping that Carl Johnson or Clyde Martin will take him to the gun news meetings. But anyway, he is doing much, much better. We have went over and aided in his escape to go out for some food that isn't cold, and that has some taste to it, and, he always does fine. I think the pacemaker made a 1000% improvement on how he got along. When the wife and I took him to Springfield for a meeting with his doctor, he had good memory of where stuff was in the house, and was able to tell me where some items were that I had not yet run across. For example, he was able to tell me where his Jap pistol was, and which guns belonged to his grandfather. His house has been cleaned out, a joint operation by 8 people, and 15 empties of the dumpster. A new washer, dryer, stove and refrigerator are installed. I installed new telephone lines in the kitchen, living room and his bedroom. I put in modular plugs, along with a cordless phone. I even went online to phone geeks.com and got the old fashion phones like he is use to. These, however, have a volume control in the headset. He was still leasing phones. That has been stopped. An ice maker is on order, and when it comes in, I will get the water line run, and get it installed. All the outlets have been changed over to 3 prong grounded outlets. Note to self. When you shut off the breaker for the living room, not all the outlets are on that breaker. A shocking experience. I guess if the breakers were marked "living room all" I would of been safe, huh. New outlets in the kitchen and utility room have have also been added. I've got a guy hired to install a new front storm door and entry door. I do need to install a motion light in the back room. I have to get an outlet box, a porcelain fixture, and run it like a lamp cord. A new sofa and chair have been bought, and the sofa is here, the chair will be here around the 8th of July. All termite damage has been repaired in the kitchen. So, they, the nursing home, can't say his home isn't safe. There are no more "trip hazards" around, unless you count the blind, deaf dog. So......I guess you are now updated. Hopefully, you will see him at the next meeting. I work an afternoon shift, (noon to 8) so I can't take him, and the wife driving at night is not a good idea. Regards, Mr. Bond
flagtag Posted July 4, 2009 at 01:19 AM Posted July 4, 2009 at 01:19 AM GREAT NEWS! Thanks for letting us know. Say "Hello!" for us please.
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