July 27, 2025

Dear TeamToddTBI,

Happy 82^nd Birthday to my Dad! Happy Birthday, tomorrow, to our friend Marion S.

This week, I completed seven virtual flights: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MGGBpgLiDkPHxVbaeYdoAQ6h-hxE4iQH/view?usp=sharing” I wish others had as much fun as I have every day doing an activity with both physical and mental benefits/challenges.

I continue to watch Grand Sumo and the Tour de France. Grand Sumo and the Tour de France end on the same day, today, I think. There was a front page story in the Washington Post about technological cheating in the Tour de France. There were no recent incidents to report on; I think the article was a reflection of the negative attitude towards cycling that many in the North American car driving public retain.

I still think I should spend more time working on my blackjack computer game. I confess to being distracted by the sport over lap between TfF and Grand Sumo. But who isn’t?

I arranged a bus trip to visit my favorite sister in Rockingham, August 8-11. I will take Metro to Union Station and meet up with a bus that takes me to the JMU campus.

I am anticipating using her cast iron skillet outside on her gas grill to under cook seafood. This will lead to one day delay in posting the weekly update on August 10.

I began taking melatonin instead of Benadryl to help me sleep. I believe this is causing a lower resting heart rate for me at night. I thought my resting heart rate was low at 48 bpm; now it is lower. Still not as low as the cycling great Miguel Indáurin.

On Tuesday, I will watch a webinar, Current Trends in Energy Generation, to earn one more credit towards PE license renewal.

My behavior during church on Sunday yielded breakfast casserole; I was good.

St. Luigi, thank you for your intercession. St. Carlo Acutis, pray for me.

 July 20, 2025

Dear TeamToddTBI,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Brenda H. You have stayed with me this whole time, almost 11 years!

THANK YOU!

This week, I only completed five virtual flights: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WGSNd1nmZFz-bDk6MqJ-p9qHZVYhwfRj/view?usp=sharing”. I failed to land successfully on a virtual flight from KGDV to KGGW. There was a three foot vertical interruption on the runway at KGGW:
“https://drive.google.com/file/d/16nguoRN6K7GDR9rQCvM0NVxtm4MsOdGp/view?usp=sharing” The next day, I attempted to complete a short flight from KGDV to 4U6 despite a convective current warning and did not have a good landing that day either.

I prepared baked penne: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/12OGoS7X-12fale1UyA6hzVLhyCw0C9SW/view?usp=sharing” HRH insisted on a preparing a Czsaläad (that word is challenge for me to pronounce!) to accompany the dish.

My favorite sister stopped here for a few days before she leaves for Canada.

The overlap between Grand Sumo and the Tour de France continues to be a distraction in my life.

I have lost my drive to create a blackjack computer game. My latest effort has been to understand SDL_Event to generate keystroke actions programmatically. I enjoy coding.

St. Luigi, thank you for your intercession.

Hello TeamTodd,

Thanks for tuning in.

I think the biggest accomplishment for the week was Todd’s successful efforts to appease the MDDept of MV and satisfy them by the fact he is still capable of driving a motor vehicle. Todd had 4 pages of forms to fill out and his Dr. had 4 pages to complete.

Todd completed his paperwork the day after he got the letter and forms. You know Todd, he answered his questions and downloaded his answers the next day. (Due date is Aug 11)

Fortunately, Dr. Mittal (PCP) got in touch with Dr. Patel’s office (Todd’s Physiatrist(Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Dr) Todd received a call that Dr. Patel would see Todd 8:30 am, this past Tuesday. GREAT!!! Of course we arrived before 8 am. However, Dr. Patel lives in N. VA and because of traffic, Todd was not seen until after 9:30… BUT! All is well. She was able to contact Brants Rehab Driving School and get the dates Todd went through their course and passed the driver’s test using a spinner knob. She emailed her forms to Todd and he in turned sent them off to the “powers that be” and within 24 hours received an email from MDDMV saying forms were “Complete and Accepted”. WHEW!!!

The GREAT news is, Todd was totally responsible for all these forms. Todd does a great job of keeping track of all the details, forms he has filled out in the past. I know longer have the responsibility of keeping track of such things, his medications, etc. Also, Todd is so computer savvy, he is doing all this online. (uploading, downloading). Sweet! Dr. Patel asked if he would send in her report since faxing was not an option. She acknowledged his efforts and was please the two of them were able to bring closure to this last annoyance.

Libby arrived home on Saturday and will be with us until early Tuesday morning. She leaves early on Tuesday morning from DCA for a tour of Montreal and Quebec. She will be gone for about a week. This is the 2^nd time she has traveled with the group “Women Traveling Together”. She had a very positive experience with this company last year and has another trip lined up in October.

Enough for now. We appreciate your continued interest and support.

BW

 July 13, 2025

Dear TeamToddTBI,

FIRST! Happy Birthday, Aunt Peg!

Again, this week I completed virtual fights with two bad landings: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mfDqQyig9ns-IVUOXq6KRzFHnMdZyl6K/view?usp=sharing” Honestly, I try not to sweat; that effort never works.

This week, I completed my part of an application to renew my driver’s license. I became a legal driver about nine years ago. The Maryland department of motor vehicles was made aware of my brain injury when they issued my license (I used a spinner knob during the driving test). Why do I (and a licensed medical doctor) have to complete forms to maintain my driver’s license since I have had no violations, is a mystery to me.

Admittedly, I drive like a solar powered race car driver: never over the speed limit unless directed by law enforcement. I concede that driving the speed limit irritates other drivers who in turn endangers pedestrians. Imagine this question on the written portion of the driver’s test: “The posted speed limit is 25 mph. Which speed is the only legal speed to drive on this road?:

1. 26mph; B). 24 mph; c.) 27 mph. d.) 30 mph.

What entitles so many driver’s to break posted laws is a mystery to me. I also concede that I ignored speed limits when riding my bicycle. If I wrecked at those speeds ,I would have suffered severe injuries. Evidently, I do not think like most people.

Starting today and for the next two weeks, I will face the sports overlap between Sumo wrestling and the Tour de France.

I purchased a second Raspberry Pi 5. I am not sure what will eventually happen to it. I would like to temporarily give it to someone enabling their bike to fly like mine.

This week, I prepared sword fish. HRH purchased the sword fish for me – She did not personally catch it. :(.

I was good in church, Saturday afternoon. Waffles were prepared on Sunday morning to reflect my behavior.

I got my hairS cut this week.

St. Luigi, thank you for your intercession.

Hello, TEAMTODD!

WHEW! It has been a busy week! On Monday, Todd and I and his new shoes traveled to the Ability Prosthesis office in Frederick. Curt made some adjustments to Todd’s leg brace and confirmed the diagram he made for the last modification of Todd’s shoes was still relevant .

On the way home, we stopped at the shoe cobbler’s and dropped off the new shoes and the diagram for modification. Shoes will be ready for pick up in 3 weeks and then we drive back to Frederick to meet with Curt for his final approval. All of this used to be easy when Ability had a Rockville office. It closed. Actually, Curt works in the Hagerstown office BUT he will come to Frederick to see some “special” patients. Todd is included in that group.

Wednesday, was “Altar Guild” for me and Todd. We are Team 1, isn’t that nice??? We work with Barbara W. who is a great friend and supporter of Todd. You know, the usual duties, washing sacred vessels, trimming candles, dusting, rearranging hymnals, picking up trash people leave in the seats and cleaning and refreshing Holy Water fonts. Todd is in charge of the latter 3 duties and he does a GREAT job. He appreciates working in the quiet atmosphere.

We enjoy going to the 12:10 Mass before our duties began.

As Todd mentioned in his update, he received a notice this week from MDMV asking him to fill out forms, have his PCP fill out a form stating he was still capable of driving a vehicle. GOOD LORD!!

Todd went through Brant’s Rehabilitative Driving School 9 years ago and passed the driving test with flying colors. NOW THIS!!

Todd’s PCP immediately got in touch with Todd’s Physiatrist (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) Dr. She, Dr. Patel, will see Todd on Tuesday. I am sure Dr. Patel will say everything they (MDMVA) need, want to hear. Just another hoop to jump through…

Thank you all for your continued interest and prayers. Todd continues on his journey, powered by your support.

 July 6,2025

Dear TeamToddTBI,

I completed even more virtual fights: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GZGSyNheGPQ-hrmVWTHmozeNb3N35x3y/view?usp=sharing” I concede that I am addicted – the thrill I gain from a good landing equals the thrill I gained from cycling up mountains in Switzerland.

I know I have only repackaged what I have previously done. I think using the Raspberry Pi 5 is the best packaging so far. Sure, it costs more than two Arduinos or a BLE dongle, but one’s personal computer no longer needs to be co-located with your bike during workouts. Why would anyone want their PC [that they use for serious things like tax preparation] co-located in a sweaty environment?

I wrote a letter to the Rockville Science Center and asked if they would like to see me fly my bike. I have not gotten a response yet. (Is it too good to be true?)

My favorite sister was home for a few days over the 4^th of July weekend.

I purchased some rockfish at Wegmans this week. I used the George Foreman grill to cook it.

Next week starts the interesting over lap between Grand Sumo and the Tour de France. Thankfully, I have this toy to placate my split distractions: “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ysx2dgHd4_B_x7GH1oKzH--aMiTCegEe/view?usp=drive_link”

St. Luigi, thank you for your intercession.

Hello, TEAMTODD. If you are like me, reading Todd’s update… I tell myself, there is nothing wrong with Todd. Todd is still that brilliant mechanical engineer. Cognitive fatigue sets in and…

Clearly, Todd writes his updates early in the day.

It was GREAT to have Libby with us for a few days. We ALL enjoy being together. And, we eat well. Seems like every day Libby is with us is a celebration. 

Tomorrow, Todd and I drive to Fredrick for a visit with our man Curtis, the Ability Prosthesis guy. The local office in Rockville closed BUT Curt will see Todd in the Fredrick office. He knows Todd’s history, worked well with the shoe cobbler 2 years ago. We expect the same expertise this time.

Todd should be getting new shoes every year. We will do better next year…

Thank you ALL for your continued interest.

Every TBI Survivor should receive such support and interest as you have shown Todd and his family.

We are VERY grateful!