Monday, March 1, 2010

About the DVD

– Introducing and Promoting Awareness of Hemochromatosis 1980-1997
{Please forgive the frequent use of the “ferro-stat” analogy. Even the acclaimed Laurie Powell of Australia would say, at the first BioIron conference, that in Hemochromatosis, the “gut behaves as though it is ‘iron-deficient.’”}

As people watch it (if and when they do) they will probably notice that it is virtually an illustration of Part Two of The Bronze Killer. Please bear in mind that it is not by any means a ‘professional’ DVD, although it has been painstakingly put together, by a professional, from segments of several recently discovered, very poor, substandard VHS tapes, recorded in no particular sequence and at ‘Extended play’ speed, which, in reducing it three-fold, contributed to very poor quality. (Woman-like, I point out that my beloved Tom did not have a bottom, front tooth missing!)

By watching those tapes, over and over, and enhancing them, Dave Sandelands has managed to produce a DVD that means a great deal to me. As none of the segments was dated, it was only as he familiarized himself with them, that he was able to establish what is more or less a correct sequence, and, upon reading the label, it will be noticed that, in one case, a recording done in 1997 comes before one of a later date. As they bore no captions, he could, at first, only indicate changes of date or venue by leaving a small space between each new track; however details have since been added to the best of our ability, and I am indebted to him for his dedication to the task and for contributing in this way to the CHS archives. I also owe a debt of thanks to Roger Clark, who converted both the DVD and a VHS tape recorded during an interview with the SABC, into the videos which have since been posted on YouTube. Both videos can also be seen on the Bronze Killer page of the website www.dromedarisbooks.com

How little we all knew in those days! … How much we were yet to learn (and still do!) Please bear in mind that the gene had not yet been mapped and that what will be seen is the FIRST EVER mention of Hemochromatosis on Television — anywhere. Richie Nay’s phlebotomy was the FIRST ever seen on television. (Less than five years later, Tom and I would be at the UBC hospital with Richie as he waited to be told about the massive hepatoma he had developed, and that he was dying!)

To me, EVE SAVORY’S CBC contribution is a precious souvenir of the very last time Tom and I would make music together. The selection of that tune was mutual!

CHS members might recognize, at some stage or another, some of the now well-known physicians who became so important to us. In the segment about the man who admits, while undergoing a phlebotomy, that he has “dodged a bullet”, be on the lookout for a very young Doctor Sam Krikler who would become especially important to us all, and remains so to this day … At the meeting held in the lounge of St. David’s Church, Tsawwassen, there is a brief shot of the CHS Board members of the day, which included people like Eugene and Del Boyko.

Update: The DVD can now be seen as a video on YouTube under the heading of Hemochromatosis Awareness. or by cicking onto a link on the Bronze Killer page of the Dromedaris Books website.(Link provided to the left of the heading of this blog.

6 comments:

Brenda said...

Be that as it may, I follow your blogs avidly and always learn something new.

Muriel said...

It blows me away that someone could, in the first place conceive the idea of making a incubator out of scrap metal, and I am of the opinion that a bald statement of that fact does not go far enough.As a nurse, I think in terms of details like temperature, and the the necessity to force just the right amount of oxygen into the air. ... The man must have been a genius.

Abbey said...

WOW!
I will definitely like Simon to see this, it will mean a LOT to him.
Awesome especially for those of us who knew Tom (I hardly knew him but I remember him being very kind and accepting when I was a young girl)
I do see that Simon thinks on his own level and other people pick it up too, he seems to think differently, hopefully he has inherited this side of Tom. All we need to do is try keep him focused on school as his social life kinda gets in the way:-)

Sadie said...

Like 'Brenda" I follow your blog avidly. I watch your website, www.dromedarisbooks.com for new books, and I was pleased to find in a new blog http://dromedarisbooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/recent-releases.html that you have two new titles.
Keep writing!

Anonymous said...

Wow!By reading this I have learned more about HHC in 30 minutes than my doctor could have told me in a week!

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