I was running sound for Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps (they are from Toronto) last night in Austin. We got to talking about Gordon Lightfoot, and they said he had to have a tracheotomy a few years back. Does anyone know anything about that?

Ken

I was running sound for Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps (they are from Toronto) last night in Austin. We got to talking about Gordon Lightfoot, and they said he had to have a tracheotomy a few years back. Does anyone know anything about that?

Ken

Ken,
Gordon Lightfoot was gravely ill in 2002. He made a miraculous recovery. It is well documented on this site and also on numerous newspaper articles from that time and since then. The daily ongoing procedures that take place in an intensive care unit to save a persons life are many (day to day, hour to hour and even minute to minute) as I am sure you are aware. With all due respect, at some point, you might want to gravitate towards discussing Gord's great music and leave the intimate medical details of his life to he and his family.
Bill Hall
Bill Hall

Talbot10,

I want to thank you very much for the wonderful post. You put my thoughts into words in a way I could not. How nice to have true Gordon Lightfoot fans out there who really respect "The Man". You know the facts and that is very important when posting here. :)

What more can I say, except thank you again.

Any concerts to see Gordon in your future? :D

With all due respect, at some point, you might want to gravitate towards discussing Gord's great music and leave the intimate medical details of his life to he and his family.
Bill Hall
Bill Hall [/QB][/QUOTE]

Hi Bill,
couldn't agree more.Thank you.
Have a good day!
Kerstin

Good grief! Is it just me or are you guys a little overly sensitive? I think he just asked a simple question out of interest or curiosity. Oh and by the way, I'm a true Gordon Lightfoot fan (Give me a break).

MM

I was wondering the same thing. Seems like a harmless question and pertinent if one was discussing a singer. I know we all love GL, and I do,believe me, but this is supposed to be a "discussion forum" not the church of Gord.

I try and defend Gord from what I think are attacks or slights but anyone who wants information should feel corfid is the place to come. Where else is there, really ?

Bill :)

Hey Bill., with all due respect, Gord talks a lot about his illness, and I really doubt he minds if his fans discuss it. Having a life threatening illness is a life changing event, as I'm sure you know.

Ken, Gord suffered an aneurysm in his abdomen. If I remember correctly, he lost his spleen, and a big piece of large intestine, and had an ileostomy for a few years, until they were able to reverse it. He was in a medically induced coma for about 6 weeks, with an open incision from his sternum to his pelvis for awhile, to be able to get at and control internal bleeding.
I believe he did have a trach, at least in the beginning of the ordeal.

And yet he presses on. Amazing.

Thanks Minstrel Man! Sheesh.

Ken

Thanks Cathy!

Ken

All I can say is, thank you God for giving him back to us when it would have been so easy to take him away forever. I doubt many people realize how very close we came to losing him. As for me, I will continue to celebrate the man, his music, and his life, and treasure the time I may have left to sing along.