News on Tred?

[Seasalt]

I've been away for a while and was wondering what the latest news is on the condition of Tred Barta.

[FXRScotty]

I heard he is home but that's all I know.

[Seasalt]

Thanks Scotty. I did find out that he is in a wheel chair and is in rehab trying to regain the use of his legs.

[Dean Travis Clarke]

“I made it in the hospital through the bleakest, worst times of my entire life. I was in there for 90 days. I made through 80 of them before they broke me! I just couldn’t do it anymore,” says Tred.

According to Tred’s wife Anni, the last high dose of chemotherapy destroyed his kidneys and some liver function. He suffered major depression. Anni and Tred finally decided it was more important to get his head turned around than anything. So Tred – at long last – returned home. Since then, things have brightened dramatically. His kidneys look like they’re responding positively. His most recent blood tests show improvement in his Waldenströms. The local Shaw Cancer Center is trying something new – a milder treatment that can be done at home one day a week for several months, then once a month forever.

Not surprisingly, Tred decided that quality of life is more important than aggressive, big-name, big-city treatment regimens. He just wants to be home. And since he returned, he has gotten his fight back! Certainly, Tred has a long road ahead yet, but he finally has hope and optimism again and that is huge right now from where he and Anni have been. Tred is once again shooting his bow and shotgun from his wheelchair. His TV crew arrived today to shoot his next show and life is heading in the direction of normal – within Tred’s new context. He honestly hasn’t been this upbeat since this all started.

Anni is searching for live-in help for Tred as she can’t handle the heavy lifting, household management and well – Tred – all by herself. In addition, the Bartas face some staggering medical bills: As you can imagine, rebuilding every door, adding an elevator, completely redoing a handicapped bathroom, adapting the truck so he can drive, ramps, a powered wheelchair – it all costs megabucks and not surprisingly, health insurance provides them with $1,500 over a lifetime for these maladies. So anyone who feels inclined to make a tax-deductible donation to help the Bartas return to some semblance of real life can contact for Tred Barta at the Vail Valley Charitable Fund, PO Box 1275, Avon, CO 81620, 970-845-6339. Or Donations can be made by credit card at www.v vcf.org, again mention for Tred Barta.