2016 Reunion and Malaria

All, This is our final note towards the May 15th picnic. The attachments include some details of the menu and last month`s circular. This year we would like you former PNGBC bank johnnies to attend, in force.  Hopefully we will have some attendees from interstate. We have invited along past District Governor of Rotary International (from District 9600), George Grant. In the mid-70`s George enjoyed a short posting of Relieving Manager, in Arawa.  He and his wife, Mary have been working tirelessly to bring surplus medical equipment to the ports of Buka and to Kieta.  Mary is the President of the Rotary Club of Bribie Island.  The Grants have made a significant contribution to the formation of our new Rotary Community Corps club, in Arawa.  Last week I spoke with Geoff Stein who also lives at Bribie and he will make contact with Brian Healy. We believe that Brian was the last manager of the Panguna branch prior to the Bougainville Crisis. Geoff was at Panguna for more than 5 years. Lindsay has been religiously reporting on the progress of A H Perry from his hospital bed, in Townsville. The latest news is most encouraging.  He has overcome so much but there is still a long way to go;  This is the latest from Arthur`s brother...... “Hi guys, since my last report on Thursday thankfully Herbert has been steadily improving. Despite still having one draining tube left in his lung area today he has been breathing virtually unassisted all day - great news. The doctor told us today that Herbert was making a " remarkable " recovery and was being rewarded with his first food for 40 days - some green jelly and didn't he love it !!! Also for the first time today he was able to use his tablet and access info about his business which really excited him. So all in all terrific news although the doctor has told him he has several hurdles to overcome yet but it certainly looks like at last he has turned the corner,” Arthur is a much loved veteran from the B60 Concentrator Division where he was a Foreman Rigger.  For many years, from his workshops in Cairns and in Lae he has been selling and supporting his wokabout saw milling machines. Testament to his popularity amongst our people and far beyond is the material posted in Facebook and on GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/b7yrxmz8 At the last picnic we enjoyed the company of Arthur and Jocelyn.  See the photo, attached where he is standing with Raggles, Lindsay and Cliff Pollock.   This year Arthur has been extremely ill.  He has been in Townsville Hospital for several weeks.  All of us wish Arthur a speedy recovery. You will have read of the recent terrible accident on the Arawa to Tunuru road.  We have lost 7 of our young people, 3 of them relations of our former workmate, Therese Jaintong.  Our condolences go to Therese and to all of the families affected by this tragedy. This year we have changed our focus from Cancer Research to the Control of the Mosquito. This better recognizes our long association with the Islands Region.  Our friends from QIMR Berghofer, (the QLD Institute of Medical Research), including Joy, Joanne and Anna will assist with our administration and the collection of monies.  As you will see from the below attachments there are a number of projects in train. When we have further refined our plans for the trek we will share the details with you.  Numbers will be limited so if you have any interest please be quick to respond.  You will see from the attachments that one of our number, Ray Hughes Odgers has been toiling in this patch for some considerable time.  Ray also has extensive experience on the trekking bit including across Bougainville. Regards Davo John@johndavidson.com.au http://johndavidsonbougainville.blogspot.com.au  0418 784 186 photo

RIP John Dalley

To the Bougainville community, Sadly we have lost another of our number, my personal condolences go the Margaret and the family. David and Elizabeth have presented this so succinctly that there is really nothing for me to add. In all my dealings with John I have found him to be a gentleman a pleasure to work with.  You could say that this family has been dealt a tough hand.  In such circumstances we would expect John to shine.  If only he could have been there to shine for longer.  Go well old friend.  You will be so missed. All of our Bougainville friends, It is with great sadness that we advise of the accidental death of John Dalley at Toowoomba on Wednesday 8th June. Our condolences go to John’s wife Margaret and their children Amelia and Alexander. John enjoyed good health and he had been busy working on their Toowoomba property making it ready for sale. John started his career in the Royal Australian Navy in 1978 as a Marine Engineering Officer. In 1983 he took up a position at the Loy Yang Power Station at the SEC Victoria as a commissioning Engineer with Johns Perry Power Project division. During 1986/87 he was the Power Station Engineer at the Cape Lambert Power Station, before taking on a role as Process Control Engineer at the Anglesea Power Station. John joined Bougainville Copper in 1988 as the Maintenance Superintendent. In 1990, John and his family were forced to leave Bougainville due to the violence of the secessionist movement, although because of John’s role in the power station it is said that he was one of the last to leave. As always John’s commitment to task would ensure that he put his own safety at risk to ensure that essential power supply could be continued for as long as it was needed. After leaving Bougainville, John took up a position as Senior Utilities Manager with Nabalco (the North Australian Bauxite and Alumina company) in early 1990 in Nhulunbuy, located on the Gove peninsula in the NT. John would quickly establish himself as a man to be respected for his knowledge and attention to detail improving the reliability of the electricity and steam supply at every opportunity and was soon promoted to the role of Utilities Manager, which he held until it was time to leave Gove in 2000. John and Margaret relocated to a property, just out of Toowoomba with their children Lachlan, Amelia and Alexander. John then took up a role at the Tarong Power Station as Technical Services Manager from 2000 to 2006. John then returned to Gove on a FIFO basis in 2006 to provide commissioning and technical advice during the Alumina refinery expansion and specifically to the Power Station upgrade. From 2008 to 2014 John continued his career completing various contract roles around Australia involving power station construction and commissioning work. John retired in 2015 and he and Margaret relocated to Brisbane and have preparing to sell their property at Carbarlah, near Toowoomba. It was certainly a shock to all of us the hear the sad news, and we just cannot believe that his death was due to accidental causes. There will be a memorial service for John at 12.30pm, Friday 17th June at T S Burstows Chapel (http://burstows.com.au/facilities/ts-burstow-chapel.aspx) 1020 Ruthven Street Toowoomba. The family will be having a private burial service on the Friday morning. There will be tea and coffee after the Memorial service in the Pioneer Room, at T S Burstows, and then onto The Gaelic Bar upstairs at Fitzy's on Church for a stronger drink. Let me know if you need further information Regards, David Syme John,       Thanks for taking the time to talk myself and Elizabeth last night, it is just very unfortunate that the call happened due to the passing of our friend and colleague John Dalley. It was great to talk with you and hear about the things that are keeping you busy in retirement. I can still remember the day that you walked through the doors of an office in Burnie, straight from the airport, with bags in hand for our BCL interview, that is almost 40 years ago now!             Regards                                David From: David Bach  Date: 16 June 2016 at 9:14:22 AM AEST To: John Davidson <info@johndavidson.com.au> Subject: Re: RIP John Dalley Hi Davo. Very sad to hear of John's death. I remember receiving a hand written letter from him in January 1990. He had written it in December, 1989 whilst still at Loloho Power Station. He was one of the last to leave - flown by helicopter to Aropa to be evacuated from the island. By the time I read the letter he was in Melbourne. We employed him as a Senior Project Engineer at Gove, working specifically on SPS projects. He reported to me for about 2 years. Always the quiet achiever, he came to my office one day and tendered his resignation. I didn't see it coming and refused to accept it without a 'fight' - he was to good to lose. He wanted a role in the Power Station and by day's end (with the assistance of Alan Dundas and Bill Taylor) a position for him was established. Within a few years he was Power Station Manager. John was the best thing that happened to that Power Station in the 90's. Regards David

Arthur Perry GoFundMe page and update

On Wednesday the 2nd of March 2016, our dad Arthur was medi-vaced from Lae, PNG to Townsville Hospital, QLD on an emergency private charter flight. 
He was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit and has been on life support ever since.

After several tests, Arthur was diagnosed with Influenza A and a fungal infection in the respiratory system. At that stage he hadn't made much progress which puzzled the medical team. After many more tests they then discovered that Arthur was also suffering from Good Pasture Syndrome Disease which is a rare Auto Immune Disease.

Arthur's hospitalisation has been a roller coaster ride due to many set backs along the way and at this stage he has been in ICU for 43 days.

Our Mum, Jocelyn travelled from our family home in Cairns to be by our dad's side in Townsville. This has now become our home away from home which has obviously incurred many expenses for accommodation and travel etc. 

It will be a long road ahead both physically and emotionally for our dad and our family due to the fact that he will be unable to work for a long period of time. Our Mum has had to leave her job to support Dad in Townsville and also to become his carer while he goes through rehabilitation. 

Many of you have reached out by calling,messaging and asking if and what you could do to assist us at this difficult time, so we humbly ask that you partner us as we endeavour to take financial pressure off our parents.

We would like to thank you all in advance for your kindness, generosity, care and prayers.

If you have any questions please feel free to email by using the contact button on the site page.

Once again thank you for your support!

Natalie, Rahela, Laura & Matthew (Perry)

UPDATE FROM ARTHUR 26th of May 2016

In my last update I advised of my transfer from Townsville Hospital with the Royal Flying Doctors Service to Cairns Base Hospital.

Whilst recuperating I thought it was a good idea to fill you all in with some more details of what I encountered whilst in ICU ( 56 days) at the Townsville Hospital.

Initially I was admitted with Renal Failure, Pneumonia and Influenza A, which resulted in me being placed in isolation.

With my health deteriorating, I was put into a induced coma. They could see I was progressively getting worse with no improvement. I was in this life support state for 30 days. 

During this time Renal Failure continued, so the dialysis machine became a constant companion. At times the dialysis machine had trouble coping with my thickening blood. To combat this, heparin was administered to thin the blood. Unfortunately I am one of the five percent of Australians who are allergic to this drug and may have resulted in a attack of HITS, by all accounts I was extremely lucky to pull through this.

After coming out of the sedated state I was very confused ( to say the least) for the next 10-14 days. I encountered some 
setbacks with my right lung collapsing, shingles and breathing failures. I stayed on in ICU for 56 days in total.

My collapsed lung still had not reflated completely however doctors decided I was okay to move to the general medical ward. On my second day there, my right lung began to reinflate without the need for invasive surgery. The human body is fascinating in that it has the ability to repair and heal itself. With this great news, I was then transferred to Cairns Base Hospital on day 68.

My stay here at Cairns Base Hospital was for 5 days. A kidney biopsy was performed to get a definitive answer as to whether I actually did have the autoimmune disease good pastures syndrome or not. This is what I was being treated for and which I responded to the medication given.

The treatment/ medication was a cocktail of chemo/ steroids and other prescribed drugs. Of course we and the medical team did not want me to remain on this medication long term, if not required. The drain from my lung was removed and I was discharged on Friday the thirteenth of May from Cairns Base Hospital.

I was so happy to get out and finally back home! I have been resting as I have a fourteen day recovery period after my kidney biopsy.

On Monday, Jocelyn and I attended the Renal Clinic for the results of my biopsy. We are so happy to share with you that the results show " I DO NOT HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE - NO GOOD Pasture Syndrome !!" 
I have already been taken off the chemo medication and now in the process of reducing the steroids and other medication. This in short, means I do not have to live the rest of my life with a low Immunity to catching other diseases, or having to take drugs to suppress the Good Pasture Auto Immune Disease.
Yes, I have baffled/surprised the Doctors/Specialists with my unique case, so much so, that they have asked permission to use my journey as a Case Study for further Investigation & Reference. This I have agreed to, as if it helps someone else to overcome similar problems, it is a win for everyone.

I couldn't have asked for a more positive end to this roller coaster ride which I have put myself, family and friends through. Now I can concentrate on my rehabilitation.

Once again I thank you all for your constant love and support through this difficult time. It's greatly appreciated by Jocelyn and myself.

Regards,
Arthur Herbert (R.V) Perry