Photo Gallery II

Meet Byron Neil Brown. Another interesting BDer. How interesting? Well we tend to be over-acheivers but this might go above and beyond the normal BDer:-) For example:

(1) Neil is a member of KY's best Search and Rescue Teams, SAR-3.
(2) Neil also works full time for Terminix as a QA Manager.
(3) He also works part time (40-50 hours a week) for the Providence,
KY Fire and EMT.
(4) As if that was not enough, Neil a member of the Webster County
Rescue Squad.

In this picture Neil is co-teaching a class for his fellow team mates. Anyone interested in learning how to rappel or how to Hi Angle Rope Rescue? I really enjoyed visiting their website. Check out KY's finest and see pictures of Neil and his team in this rewarding but dangerous profession. http://www.geocities.com/wcrescuesquad/

As for the Behcet's Disease, Neil was diagnosed a year ago Oct. He is married with three great kids. He loves his family and he is devoted to helping others. Neil said he had a difficult time dealing with the fact his family had to see him in so much pain because of this disease. I think we can all relate to that guilt and pain.

	Julie is the mother of Marsi, another Behcet's Patient.
	This picture was taken when Gen Vanasco was 38 years old. She was working for AT&T Bell Labs. This was her first week back to work after missing 6 months because of a Neuro BD flare where she almost lost her right eye to Uveitis. She was diagnosed in Ohio a few years later. Up until that point in time, she had an early hysterectomy,was taking synthoid for an under active thyroid, suffered from chronic bladder, skin and mouth sores, extreme allergies , etc. Her mother told her she was always sick as a child. Farming chemicals triggered this flare and made the BD symptoms chronic. A farming neighbor over-sprayed and got her place by mistake. She claims we need to Beware of toxins. Drug sensitively is a common problem with BD. It can actually cause some BD symptoms like inflammation of the hair follicle.
	Picture above was taken in Colorado at age 41. Gen was recovering from jaw surgery and dealing with dental problems. TMJ and dental problems are common in BD. For some reason, she destroyed her right jaw joint. They blamed an ulcer or cyst. The picture below was taken at age 45 in 1999.She is complaining about putting on unexplained weight. She says she went from skinny to fat, low BP to high BP, never sweating to always sweating. You have to love this disease:-) She recently found out her BD is attacking her glands just like it did her female organs when she was in her teens. This problem is not uncommon in BD and should be watched for. Sweating is commonly discussed and people beg for help or answers. Gen claims moving helps with allergy and immune reaction problems but that good and caring doctors are more important. Her advise is to "Keep your records". A relative modified this picture and decided to put Gen in an environment that better fits her disposition. She is either Spaced out or Dreaming of flying through Space. The bird is called Rudy and he is her Uncles family pet.
	This is a picture of Gen's father, Frank Vanasco. This picture was taken when he was in the Korean War. Frank was your typical Type A personality and loved life and accomplished an amazing amount in his short time. Most of his life, he worked for a small town doctor. Gen used to go on house calls with her father when she was young. Later, he designed, built, operated, and owned the Country Court Extended Care facility in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. He told family members once that if he needed extended care, he would be proud to be placed in his own facility. Frank died from complications after an unsuccessful brain tumor surgery at the age of 40. Tumors and/or Brain tumors are not uncommon for someone that has Behcet's Disease.
	Frank Vanasco four months before his death. He lost his Italian side burns five years earlier after they tried radiation treatment on his brain tumor. He was legally blind, losing his teeth and extremely ill but he still smiled for family events. They told us that his hand/extremities were enlarged because his tumor affected his pituitary gland. It upset him that he could no longer take a pulse on his patients. He also had a lot of trouble with his spine and jaw which also deformed. This was the first year he was not having inflammation of the hair follicle or acne. He use to say he was going through his second childhood. He was an amazing man and cared about quality of life of others. He never stopped fighting for life or caring for his patients. He needed huge amounts of pain medication but the doctors back then were not as legally restricted. Our family believes doctors were more in touch with their patients back in the 60's. Anyone remember and miss the small town doctors?
	Scott Ramsey with his Nephew Ben. Scott Ramsey is another person with Behcet's and this picture was taken in 2001. Scott takes low doses of Predinsone each day to control is BD. The drugs side affects are a constant concern but he feels lucky that it has helped him. So many BDers can not tolerate the drug. Scott is very supportive and helps alot of BDers online with his personality and up beat Scottism's.
	Betty Herscha with her two lovely daughters.
	Tim and Bron Oconnell enjoying their family Christmas. They live in the UK with Persy and Bow. Persy is using Bron's arm as a perch while Bow has the best of both worlds. He is in the arms of the two people that he loves the most.
	Dot Tutt with her Mother. Dot's mother is known as Momma Kate to all us BD chatters. Dot is also known as the Low Dose Oral Interferon Liaison in the Behcet's community.Dot has done so much to help others in her oral interferon volunteer work. She has a wonderful knowledge about this disease. Her father had BD. Both of her sons also deal the Behcet's disease. Who ever said this disorder can not run in families was obviously wrong. How many of us have heard that if your father had this disorder, you could not have it? It skips generations! I also heard that women do not get BD.
	Lonnie visiting with Rose while in Florida. Lonnie and Rose both have Behcet's Disease. Another example of the kind of friendships developed within our small but caring community
	Two people with Behcet's obviously enjoying each others company. While on vacation, Lonnie visits one of his on-line friends, Rose. This pictures shows Lonnie, Rose and her daughter, Stacy.
	Meet Byron Neil Brown. Another interesting BDer. How interesting? Well we tend to be over-acheivers but this might go above and beyond the normal BDer:-) For example: (1) Neil is a member of KY's best Search and Rescue Teams, SAR-3. (2) Neil also works full time for Terminix as a QA Manager. (3) He also works part time (40-50 hours a week) for the Providence, KY Fire and EMT. (4) As if that was not enough, Neil a member of the Webster County Rescue Squad. In this picture Neil is co-teaching a class for his fellow team mates. Anyone interested in learning how to rappel or how to Hi Angle Rope Rescue? I really enjoyed visiting their website. Check out KY's finest and see pictures of Neil and his team in this rewarding but dangerous profession. http://www.geocities.com/wcrescuesquad/ As for the Behcet's Disease, Neil was diagnosed a year ago Oct. He is married with three great kids. He loves his family and he is devoted to helping others. Neil said he had a difficult time dealing with the fact his family had to see him in so much pain because of this disease. I think we can all relate to that guilt and pain.
	Meet Neil's two step daughters. They are his "Future Bambawance Dwivers". Alex and Mahala are having their first lesson in Rope Rescue. I don't know about anyone else but I would of loved that as a child. Does Providence, KY sound famalier? It was 2002, about 4 months ago, a tornado devastated their community in the middle of the night. This is the town Neil is proud to call his own even though the tornado did millions in damage. His team did not lose one patient and all were survivors. The tornado caused Neil's BD to flare but some how, he still managed to work a solid 30 hours without sleep. To read his story about his flare during a terrible tornado that hit his community. Select the link below. If you wish to download this file and read it later, right-click the link below and select the "Save Target As" menu. Neil's Story using Notepad
	Meet Philip Cutler. He is 44 years old, with a wife named Trina and two teenage daughters, and two cats. He lives in Bradford in the United Kingdom. Phil's BD symptoms started when he was 19 years old. To read Phil's story, select the link below. If you wish to download this file and read it later, right-click the link below and select the "Save Target As" menu. Philip Cutler story using Notepad