Watch out for SCAMS

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck then it's a duck. If emails look or feel suspicious then go with your gut and delete or report them. I have reprinted the email below, verbatim, allegedly from Dennis Gaboury, The founder of ZimKids. What do you think?


"Hope you get this on time,sorry I didn't inform you about my trip in UK for a programm in , I'm presently in UK and am having some difficulties here because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money and other valuable things were kept. presently i have limited access to internet,I will like you to assist me with a loan of 1500$ to sort-out my hotel bills and to get myself back home.

i have spoken to the embassy here but they are not responding to the matter effectively,I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with,I'll Refund the money back to you as soon as i return,let me know if you can be of any help.I don't have a phone where i can be reached.

Please let me know immediately."

Let me say first and foremost that the reason I got involved with ZimKids was because of Dennis and the wonderful work he was doing with kids in Bulawayo. Dennis Gaboury is an incredibly honest, decent and generous individual. Secondly , and just as important, at no time were any funds or donations compromised at ZimKids or GlogalGiving. They just hijacked Dennis's email and tried this idiotic scam that no one fell for. Dennis has since changed his email and has been in touch with Yahoo security.

Once again, to all you wonderful and generous donors out there, thank you. Just be careful!

Carpe Diem.

The Doctors visits

Both went well. The infectious diseases Doc wants to keep me on the antibiotics until May 2010. It's basically cheap insurance to fend off any recurrence of MRSA.

The heart Doc was very pleased with the results of the 24 hour heart monitor that I wore last week. He has cut back on one of the two meds I'm taking now (the tougher of the two) and I'm also on a minimal dose for both. I could be off both meds in about 4 months. Yea ha ole.

Both Docs have also cleared me to have the port reinserted. I will probably be doing it before my next chemo on December 7th.

Max and I are now on our best behaviour as Diana came back from London this past Monday evening. She had a really nice time except for a couple of days of gale force winds. Alas, no tennis!

Carpe Diem.

Chemo 8 (Round 6)

Aah, a morning with Katie (Jen was away). Kind of sounds like an expensive bordello. I got "poked" and prodded, was asked tons of medical questions and then given drugs. This all took about 5 hours and for that I was charged lots of thousands of $$$.

It took this long because my veins were not cooperating and I had to get "poked" 5 times. Sometimes the veins behave and sometimes they act like fishing worms about to get baited. Mine were fishing worms on steroids.

Something about 5's today!

The blood work was fine, the checkup was good and I'm feeling OK and I put on a couple of lbs. Just full of holes. I am contemplating having the latest and greatest portacath reinstalled. Here is the info about the portacath:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In medicine, a port (or portacath) is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein. Under the skin, the port has a septum through which drugs can be injected and blood samples can be drawn many times, usually with less discomfort for the patient than a more typical "needle stick".

Ports are used mostly to treat hematology and oncology patients, but recently ports have been adapted also for hemodialysis patients.

The port is usually inserted in the upper chest, just below the clavicle or collar bone, leaving the patient's hands free.

Carpe Diem.