Erwin Muller suffered a stroke yesterday and is being airlifted to Curacao today for further testing and treatment.

Ellen sent a brief e-mail and I don't have details but would request that everyone keep both of them in your prayers and meditations for a full and speedy recovery. Please make response posts here at BT to avoid overwhelming Ellen's personal email.

For those of you who do not know Erwin personally, he is divemaster-extraordinaire (IMHO) at Plaza and one of the most generous, positive, cheerful and optimistic people I have ever known. You may recognize him from this image:


Erwin - May the Force be with you!

The force be with you Erwin.

So much can be done for stroke survivors now....I'm hoping he can benefit from the advances in the field.

our thoughts are with you Erwin, Get well soon,...

Dara, thanks for posting this...sending big healing vibes Erwin's way. You are right, he is a gentle giant, and such a sweet man. I imagine Ellen is with him, and that must be so frightening.

Thanks Dara..Great guy, great divemaster. Love to him and Ellen. Hoping things go their way.
And Barbara you are so right...not only with stroke victims...medical advances are day to day.

OH....Erwin please get well soon! You were my very first divemaster on Bonaire, long long ago.

Both Erwin and Ellen are such great people! He just has to have a full recovery!

Oh this is is such sad news. Erwin is a gem and I've been fortunate enough to dive and hang out with him and Ellen. Ellen, if you are checking in, please know I'm thinking of you both and saying prayers, too !

my prayers as well ...
Denise

Wishes for a speedy recovery!!!

Good vibes coming your way.

Prayers and good thoughts from this house.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you Erwin. We have had many dives with you, and always appreciated your caring and happy personality.
And you're the only person I have ever met who wears his watch on his ankle.
Get better soon, we hope you are home and we can see when we arrive Jan to February.
God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our positive thoughts & prayers are with Erwin. My husband dove many times with him on the Plaza boats & I've also met him......always, always helping someone and with a big beautiful smile on his face. Positive thoughts & prayers for Ellen also.

Positive healing vibes coming your way Erwin. May you have a speedy recovery.

Our thoughts and prayers are with both Erwin and Ellen. We have known and dived with Erwin many times since we first met him in 2001 and wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

The quote: "the world is a better place because of" people like Erwin is an understatement. He is a true gentleman in every respect!

My thoughts and good vibes are with you, hope you get better soon, hugs

Our thoughts and prayers are with both Erwin and Ellen. Get well soon!

Good thoughts and prayers...

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Erwin and Ellen.

Erwin, you have so enriched my times on Bonaire. I'm looking forward to seeing you well on the road to recovery when I get to my favorite island in two weeks.

Ellen, is there anything you need/would like me to bring for you when I come down --- arriving Jan 24.
Love, peace and joy!
Josie and Alan

Thoughts and healing vibes Erwin - Ellen If you need anything please let me know!

I have had an update from Benny:

Erwin suffered a major stroke while helping his niece lay bricks yesterday afternoon and was immediately taken to the hospital by ambulance. Today Jason accompanied Erwin in the air ambulance to Curacao and Jason reported that this evening Erwin is paralyzed on one side of his body and having difficulty speaking.

Ellen will fly to Curacao in the morning and I will continue to try to reach her or Jason directly tomorrow. I will post more details as they become available.

Thank you all for continued prayers and the healing energy you are sending to Erwin.

May Ellen and Jason both find strength and courage to buoy their spirits.

Erwin & Ellen, this is such sad news. Please know that you are both in our prayers and thoughts. We will pray for your full recovery.

My Mom suffered a stroke years ago and came out of it fine. I am hoping Erwin will be back up and around as soon as possible.

Ellen, if there's anything we can do from our end please let us know.

Bright white healing light is being sent your way, Erwin. Peace. CArole and Joe

Dara, thank you for posting to BT about this. All the possible caring in the world is called for now.

Erwin and Ellen and Jason, I'm praying for you. Bob and I are sending positive energy for a full recovery.

dara thank u for the report on erwin. although i have not had the pleasure to dive or meet him my prayers and strong health vibes are coming ur way.
ellen and jason big hugs
elaine sculley

Healing vibes and hugs from the UK for Erwin and Ellen.

Get better soon!!!

I had a great chuckle seeing Erwin and Mocha lying in the sun recently at Tori's Reef. Hope to see him back soon..he and Ellen were strolling Playa Lechi a few nights ago. HUGE prayers..

I don't know him personally, but I have seen him around the island through the years. Prayers outbound.

Dara, thank you for keeping us informed. While I have known Ellen by email for some time, Teddy and I got to meet Ellen and Erwin in person this past summer. Please let us all know if there is anything we can do to be of help.

Ellen, should you get to read this at some point - Teddy and I are praying and thinking of you both. I just can't seem to put into words how much we hope this can, this will, turn to the best possible outcome soon.

Well, we know Erwin personally and have had many a good laugh with him - this comes as quite a shock. All our best wishes and prayers to him and Ellen. x

Ellen and especially Erwin thoughts, prayer and good vibs. I have hung out with Erwin, Ellen and Benny a few times. A gentle quiet gracious giant Erwin, speedy recovery.

Strokes are quite scarey, my SIL had one and is now fully recovered. It does take a bit.

I don't know Erwin personally, but big hugs & prayers from Connecticut for both he & his wife. May he recover fully.

Many many thoughts and prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.

My thoughts and prayers are with you for a good recovery!

prayers, get well soon!!

Dara, thanks for the update. I got the email from Ellen as well, haven't checked my mail today.

More good thoughts and vibes going out for all of them, especially Erwin. I am heartbroken to hear the condition he is in, he is such a sweet sweet sweet man.

My thoughts and prayers to Erwin & Ellen. I hope that he is well soon. I do not know them, but from the response I see here, they must be wonderful people...

Healing thoughts and prayers to you. MAy you be watched over and may your medical team be watched over as well. Be well.

Erwin, Ellen and Jason. Prayers and healing hugs are coming your way. Get well soon.

Erwin, lots of healing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~good vibes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ heading your way!
Ellen, give a holler if you need anything.

UPDATE:
I just spoke to Jason and Ellen - they are hanging in there and said to thank you for all of your prayers and healing energy.
Erwin has some limited movement in his left arm and leg, but no feeling. He is having difficulty speaking, but is eating and drinking (fish soup and cranberry juice, which he does not like :-). He recieved oxygen and aspirin very soon after the event and remained on oxygen until being moved to Curacao yesterday. Ellen also indicated he had been given a stroke-specific drug, whose name she cannot recall.

Erwin has not seen a doctor since his arrival in Curacao and Ellen has been trying to communicate with Dr. Vander Voort to get some understanding of what to expect and determine if Erwin should be recieving more agressive medical intervention (as opposed to no medical intervention)....

Continue to keep them in your thoughts - they are frazzled, confused and worried.

I will talk to her again tomorrow at 5:30 CST.

At present she has no immediate needs except for continued prayers for a full recovery.

Dara
Thanks for keeping us posted. Thoughts and prayers from here.
Skip

Dara, I can't thank you enough for keeping us all informed.

My thoughts and prayers are with you Erwin and Ellen.

Erwin and Ellen, my thoughts and prayers are with both of you. Get well soon.
Every time I dive Something Special I think of you.

Oh my gosh, I hope and pray that he is able to recover. Each summer when I come down I seek him out and intentionally take his boat to dive with him. He is the most wonderful and caring person I have met.

Get well my friend,
Wendy

I last saw Erwin on New Years Eve when we were getting ready to go to the airport. He has been a friend since my first visit to the island in 2002 and he is also adored by little Dums who enjoyed visiting him and Ellen and playing with the hermit crabs in the garden.

Our heartfelt wishes go out to him and Ellen and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Also to Jason and I hope he has the chance to show his dad exactly where and how to catch fish!




Simon, Jeanie & Dums

Positive thoughts to Erwin and Ellen. My (Bill) Dad went through two strokes and managed to recover almost entirely. We sincerely hope Erwin will come through this. Bill and Donna

Just saw this. Dan and I have had the pleasure of diving with Erwin many, many times.

Erwin and family - you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Tom, Sue and Dan

---

quote:

Erwin has not seen a doctor since his arrival in Curacao

---

Erwin and family....you are in my thoughts and prayers. I have been to Bonaire a couple of times and know him. He is an extremely nice person. I pray he has a full and speedy recovery.

Glenda Clark
Chattanooga, TN
USA

I have known Erwin for many years and I know one thing about him and that is his love for life. He definitely has that and a special place in my heart and the heart of so many others. I know he will pull thru this with the love and help from his family and friends. I am sending my love and prayers for a full and speedy recovery. Ellen please let me know if I can do anything for you and the family.
Kiki

Update:
Erwin had a 'severe stroke" and is "stable to slightly improved", in Ellen's words. She said he is completely aware of what happened and appears to comprehend everything going on around him. Although he is unable to laugh at their jokes, Ellen said he is making wise-cracks of his own - a testament to his resilience and always sunny disposition. He will be in the hospital for at least 2 weeks and is currently in a private room until verification he is not carrying the MRSA strain of Staph aureus bacteria. Ellen hopes to be able to pay for a private/semi private room to avoid having him relocated to the communal ward with limited visitation hours (more to come on that).

Doctors made and appearance today!! They gave him medication to ease his congestion and sinus pressure and he's much more comfortable and resting better now that he can breath easily. He saw the neurologist and tests will be done to determine the extent of damage, also to assess if there is carotid artery blockage. The initial assessment on BON was that it was an ishemic stroke and he was treated accordingly. Ellen is hoping that this was the correct diagnosis without the benefit of extensive testing. The rehab specialist also came and talked with them about starting therapy and access to the stroke rehabilitation clinic on CUR. Jason and Ellen will check it out to determine if he should stay in CUR for rehab or go back to BON (where he could get only physical therapy but not occupational therapy).

I think I may be running out of space....

UPDATE CONTINUED

Ellen and Jason will stay +/- a week and then fly back to BON to replenish supplies (you have to take your own towels and such to the hospital). Ellen seems cautiously optimistic and hopeful in spite of the uncertainty. She said that it has been down-right frightening for Jason due to the less-than-perfect-Dutch-to-English-translations of some of the diagnosis and medical terms, but that she was able to explain that things are not quite as bad as, at first, they sound. (When y'all say your prayers, please include clarity of communication from the doctors in your requests so they don't scare Jason half to death!)

More to come as things develop.....

Dara,
Thanks for the updates! Our prayers will continue for Erwin to keep making improvements
and pray for the doctors to be guided to do the very best for him!

Thanks Dara, please keep us informed. Prayers and healing thoughts for Erwin, Jason and Ellen. Tough road ahead.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do. Money comes to mind.

Thank you Dara and yes, many, many positive vibes and prayers from here.
Please let us know what we can do to help - even if it's books, or other materials.

I spoke to Ellen (and Erwin too) tonight. Erwin was a little better today - in better spirits, feeling some tingling in his arm & leg, talking to a few people on the phone, asking for hamburgers (I ask Ellen if they got him the hamburger and shake he asked for and she said "NO! I told him that's what put him in the hospital" such a spoil-sport >:-{}

We talked mostly about the logistics of getting money to them (see other thread) and the support they are getting from Benny & Ester, Gino, Linda, Stewart and others back home.

Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Our thoughts are with Erwin and family. What a great guy and hope to see him soon.

The Thomas family and Sea Reef group

Ok...so this question shouldn't surprise anyone since it is coming from me. Last summer I got to meet their wonderful dog. Has anyone been by to feed it? I know it was very old last year, but it was such a sweet pup. If it is still around, I hope someone has been able to check on it.

And yes, I am following Erwin's recovery as well. I just wondered what happen to their dog during all of this.

I did go look at the blog. I will be following it daily. Thank you for setting it up!

Mokka is being spoiled while they are off island by a very caring friend - no worries!

Thank you Dara. I just love that furry beast!

Ellen has secured a private room so she and Jason can stay with Erwin and insure his needs are being met in a timely manner :-) She's gonna make a quick trip back to BON this weekend. Erwin spent more time awake on Thursday and continues to be in good spirits.

Ellen also told me they are expecting their first grand-baby any day now. So after she returns to CUR, Jason will go home and get back to fishing and awaiting the new arrival. Grandpa Erwin will have to recover quickly so he can play with the newest Muller in the clan!

A big thank you to everyone for your prayers, support and words of encouragement. Erwin's left side is still paralyzed. With every day that goes by, we see slight improvements in his condition. Our main objective right now is to get him well enough so that he can fend for himself if it becomes necessary to transfer him to another ward of the hospital where we can't stay with him 24/7 and are restricted only to visiting hours. I don't have easy access to a computer in Curacao so I am sorry that I can't answer all the e-mails I have gotten. I want to spend what little online time that I have today, looking up all the information that I can find about strokes and stroke recovery. Please keep Erwin in your prayers. I am hoping as the next week unfolds that we will know more about what the future holds.

One other note...the doctors here keep emphasizing how major Erwin's stroke was. I am hoping that they are just preparing us for the worst case scenario. We will continue to hope for the best outcome.

I want to add a very special thanks to three amazing angels...Dara Walter, Linda Baker and Benny Robles who have gone above and beyond to help.

We're right there with you all, Ellen. Thank you for taking the time to give us an update and "hello". Lots of prayers your way. Always fight for the best outcome. Doctors and experts are not always correct....faith and determination and support...sometimes these things surpass the doctor's expectations. Hugs to you all. Carole and Joe

Thanks to everybody for keeping us updated on Erwin's condition. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the entire family.

Glenda
Chatt., TN USA

Ellen, our prayers come your way every day ... Thank you for taking the time to update us.

And thank you to all who have done all they can to do the same and to help in finding any way possible to offer some sort of, and any kind of help.

I have set up an account for donations via PayPal.

Details in a separate thread.

Thanks to all!

Are any of our good friends travelling to BON the first week of Feb.....and willing to deliver an envelope for Ellen to Benny (Bonaire Town Homes), Linda Baker or Jason Muller?

BRIEF UPDATE ON ERWIN:

For those not following the blog -

Erwin still has no voluntary movement on his left side, however, he has been able to sit up in a chair and to ride in a wheelchair (hello sunshine and fresh air!). He is receiving physical therapy, but Ellen still doesn't have a clear idea of what to expect regarding anticipated time in the hospital, and what should be done as follow-up if he is still not able to walk upon discharge. She hopes to get a clearer understanding of this from his doctors next week.

Thanks to all who have made donations - we are helping to keep him in the private room at least one more week so Ellen can be there to assist him or chase down staff when they are required.

See update posted under "Local Items"