Alexander Shulgin, 85, hospitalized with a stroke

[PNews]

Alexander Shulgin, 85, hospitalized with a stroke. Donations and volunteers asked to preserve his work

I just learned via Psychedelic Research that one of the greatest researchers in psychoactive drugs, Alexander Shulgin, 85, has been hospitalized with a stroke. He was surgically intervened two years ago to replace a defective aortic valve and, given his age, he may leave us at any moment.

Shulgin, a Ph. D. Biochemist, has made extensive research in synthesis drugs such the widely known ecstasy, which he intended to use for the treatment of depression and other psychological disorders.

In 1994 he saw his laboratory raided by the DEA after he published PHiKAL, a chemical love story.

The drug knowledge vault, Erowid, is now asking for volunteers (for transcriptions and image enhancement) and donations in order to help preserve his legacy. You can donate here (either to Erowid or directly to the Shulgins) and you can volunteer your services here.

From http://forwhatwearetheywillbe.blogspot. ... -with.html
To make a donation: http://www.erowid.org/donations/project_shulgin.php

 

[NeilPatrickHarris]

after all this man has done for us, we really NEED to donate at least a few dollars if nothing else.

director of sound posted this on another board and i wanted to post it here:

our beloved dr. sasha shulgin has had a stroke!!! this was sent to me by his caretaker on facebook:

PLEASE HELP, SASHA NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Hello Everyone ~ This morning on the way to the hospital for a scheduled test, Sasha had a stroke. He has been struggling for six months with an ulcer on his left foot that won’t heal, hoping to avoid amputation. Sasha & Ann have been in serious financial trouble for some years, and the coming medical bills will be a burden they can’t bear alone. Please, express your gratitude for all the work that Sasha has done, for everything he has given to the world, and give something back. Think of all the ways that your life, and the lives of others, have been healed, transformed, and bettered by this wonderful man. He needs your help now. No amount is too small or too large. Please give until it feels good...not until it hurts.

For non-tax-deductible contributions, Paypal $ to [[email protected]] or snailmail: Sasha Shulgin, c/o Transform Press, PO Box 13675, Berkeley CA 94712.

For tax-deductible online donations to support the completion of Shulgin publishing projects that are underway: http://www.erowid.org/donations/project_shulgin.php

Please spread this information.

Thank you and all my love,
Greg Manning

 

[vimana]

An update on Dr. Shulgin's condition;

"Dear Friends,

Sasha is in the hospital in San Francisco recovering from a small stroke that occurred at the base of the brain. The only damage "so far" seems to be to the part of the brain that controls the speech centers. So he has to enunciate carefully when he speaks, in order to be understood. There is also loss of awareness in the throat around the entrance to the windpipe. So he has to have liquids thickened slightly to prevent them from going down the wrong tube. The normal cough reflex has gone "temporarily, we hope". There is no apparent paralysis anywhere, and we all hope the damage that has occurred will repair. Sasha's left foot will need either surgery, the best course of treatment for his non-healing ulcers, or amputation, the thing we are hoping to prevent. All this is due to a circulatory problem, and the decision has to be made by the doctors very soon.

Sasha somehow maintains his good humor and his loving disposition, bless him; only when his foot is painful does he lose his smile.
We don't know when he will be back home, but we hope he will be released within a couple of days. Thank you for your concern and caring. We'll keep you informed.

Ann Shulgin" (Source: Caringbridge.org)

 

[spice]

:crybaby:


(moment of silence)

 

[myhero]

Some more news :

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2010 1:04 PM, PST

Dearest Friends – I’m sorry to have let a couple of days go by without telling you what’s been happening, but I’m sure you understand.

Sasha has, of course, two entirely different problems, one North (head) and the other South (foot). The effects of the (relatively) small stroke have been getting most attention, but the left foot, with its buildup of necrotic – dead – tissue, and the possibility of infection getting into the blood stream, which increases with every day, is keeping the doctors busy with plans, counter-plans and risk-benefit concerns. Sasha underwent a CAT scan and an MRI of the foot, and the day before yesterday (whatever that was), he was put on a strict fast from midnight on, in preparation for the Great Angiogram (which is the procedure we were driving him to when the stroke happened). Instead of getting him into the surgery room in the morning, which had been the intention, he had to wait (other patients, emergencies, whatever) until around 4:30 p.m., when they finally got him into the surgery. He’d been sedated, but despite that, he couldn’t keep his legs still enough for the photography to happen, and they postponed it until Tuesday. By that time, of course, I was beginning to get angry at the idea of my beloved man going without liquid of some kind, not to speak of food, for so many hours, although actually it didn’t seem to bother him; I was projecting my own hatred of thirst and dryness of mouth onto him, I admit.

Yesterday, Sasha was pretty sleepy, from the various pain-killers and perhaps the stroke itself, but he slept very soundly and woke up hungry this morning. He was more wide-awake and demolished a full breakfast plus a fresh banana that happened to wander into the room. One of the after-effects of the stroke (an ischemic stroke in the middle area of the pons, in medical language) is the danger of food going down into his windpipe, so all his food is being thickened slightly, which seems to avoid the problem. His speech is still hard to understand, but if he’s told to “enunciate clearly,” he can make himself understood pretty well, so a speech therapist is going to help train him in getting back to normal speaking, and it will simply be a matter of time. There is real hope that most of the stroke-effects will disappear, although no one knows exactly how long it will take, and we just tackle these problems each day, and do our best, and what will be will be, to coin a phrase. Thank heaven there’s no paralysis apparent.

On Tuesday, the doctor will put Sasha under general anaesthetic, just enough to ensure non-movement of his body, and during that procedure, once they see the angiogram picture and know where the blockages are in his circulation, unless there is no possibility of sufficient blood flow to the foot, they will proceed to take out all dead tissue, and probably the remains of the Achilles tendon, and put his foot into some kind of suction device for a few days (or weeks – I’m not sure of that detail), but they plan to send him home after that, on Wednesday, and I’ll report in full on all the rest of this situation as soon as I think I know what I’m talking about!

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful expressions of love and caring. It helps all of us to know that so many good people are concerned and want to help. Sasha is aware of what’s happening and sends his love back to you.

Blessings -- Ann

(Source: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/shura?ref=nl)

 

[psycheevol]

:crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby:

As Spice said.
Looks like lots of us will have troubles finding the opportunity to tell him how much we are thankful,
for the fantastic work he has done.

 

[WazOne]

In our thoughts friend.