This summer my father became extremely ill, and I spent 20 days with my mom and dad in Schumpert Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. That experience highlighted for me the great importance of those in the medical field. It let me know how very much nurses, doctors, and radiologists give to patients and their families...how often they go beyond the call of duty to not only heal, but to lift the spirits of the patient and those who love the patient as well.
Toni Calbo is one of those people. She is an Interventional Radiology Technologist. Now what exactly does that mean? What does an Interventional Radiology Technologist do?
I have had first-hand experience with the lifesaving work that
Toni does, day in and day out. On the sixth day that my father
was hospitalized, his abdomen began to swell. The doctors were
extremely concerned and called in an Interventional Radiologist
(on a Saturday, mind you . . . on a day off!!!) to inject a radioactive
solution into my father's belly so that they could trace the solution's
pathway via computer. What the doctors learned by watching the
solution travel through his body was that my father's gall bladder
had quit working. But rather than subject my father to a third
surgery in six days, the Interventional Radiologist inserted a
drain into my father's gall bladder, a drain that would empty
the gall bladder until my dad was well enough and strong enough
to have gall bladder removed surgically.
Had my parents lived in Toni's neck of the woods, she would have
been the one doing this procedure - the very procedure that gave
my family hope!
Here are other ways that an Interventional Radiologist may have touched YOUR life: they perform balloon angioplasties that open narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the body. They put stents in, when needed. They also deliver medical treatment directly to a tumor for cancer patients. And they administer treatment that dissolves blood clots. When it is necessary, they insert metallic filters into the inferior vena cava to prevent blood clots from going into the lungs (which is fatal).
And when a biopsy is performed, to determine what a patient's condition is and how the patient should be treated, an Interventional Radiologist is the person who assists with that biopsy!
So as you can see, for Toni there are no "regular" days. Every day, she does work that saves lives. And many weekends, she is on call as well. Toni's job is never just a job. Every day, it touches lives. Every day, Toni lives out a mission.
But Toni also knows how to relax and enjoy life. She loves
to exercise. Yoga, weight training, and running are her forms
of stress release! This lady does it all, and it shows! Wait 'til
you see her photos.
Recently, she did an extra bit of jumping and jiving when she
attended Ringo's concert and rocked the night away! Toni said
Ring was just as fab as ever, and even better looking! So true,
so true!
When Toni wants to relax, she settles in with her golden retriever,
Lizzy, and a good book. Toni recently read Northern Songs,
and is currently back in Liverpool of the 1950's with John in
Shoulda Been There.
Believe it or not, Toni has been a Beatles fan for 40 years...and it is all because of her Uncle Joe. But, let her tell you the story. After all, she's the one who met Denny Laine in person and stood in John's bedroom in Mendips...
I began my love affair with The Beatles when I was 10 years old. My uncle Joe was mostly responsible.
In 1965, when The Beatles were about to launch their second American tour, my Uncle Joe was just an 18-year-old kid who had amazing talent on the rhythm and lead guitar. Uncle Joe's guitar instructor, Tommy Lucas, had some connections and arranged for Joe to audition for one of The Beatles' opening acts.
Before he could say "Help!", Joe passed the audition and was standing on the same stage where The Beatles would soon be performing...at Shea Stadium in New York City! Before he knew it, Joe, amongst a maddening crowd of screaming fans, became a part of Beatle history and can be seen on the video "The Beatles at Shea Stadium" (which I am lucky to have a copy of). He is playing guitar with the band "Killer Joe Piro and his Discotheque Dancers." It was a night my uncle will never forget, and a legacy that he passed on to me, a legacy of Beatle magic and mania.
One of my prized possessions was also a product of that 1965 tour. It is a black and white photograph of Joe with John Lennon, taken on a plane during the tour. The two are sitting together, talking like old friends.
Uncle Joe went on to become a very successful studio musician. And today, he still gives guitar lessons in Santa Barbara, California, while working full-time as a realtor in the burgeoning California market.
Because of Joe and his involvement with that group of lads from Liddypool, I am celebrating my 40th year as a Beatle fan. And I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than going to Liverpool this year to see where it all began!
Liverpool...just the thought of actually going there sent shivers down my spine! Mendips, The Cavern Club, The Jacaranda, The Casbah...I'd always imagined myself at these historic Beatle sites, but I never really thought I'd be lucky enough to actually go there. But this past year, my dream came true. There I was, Merseyside, and it was amazing!
John's house at Mendips touched my soul. That visit was the most emotional part of my trip. Walking into John's room is something every John Lennon fan should experience - words cannot describe it adequately enough. Everyone in the house (and there were only seven of us) was mesmerized. We were all very quiet - just soaking it all in. There were tears in most everyone's eyes. This was for me, a bittersweet experience. It made me realize how much I miss John and how thankful I am for all the joy he's given through his music.
This house in Mendips was where his dreams were woven. This is the place where John made his dreams come true, not only for himself but for the world.
This trip was a dream come true for me, and I got to experience it with my dear friend from high school named Judy (also a fellow Beatle fan) whom I hadn't seen in 10 years. We had a wonderful reunion and shed many tears due to the sheer emotion of our visit to Liverpool.
We visited The Cavern Club several times and were especially blessed to acquire VIP tickets to hear one of the Liverpool bands play the entire Sgt. Peppers album. "A splendid time was guaranteed for all." (And yes, the walls and ceiling in The Cavern Club do literally sweat!!)
We also had a private concert by Denny Laine (formally of Wings). Denny Laine joined Paul McCartney in starting the group WINGS, which was responsible for Laine's greatest success: the song co-written with McCartney, "Mull of Kintyre." Denny was also a member of the Moody Blues. The atmosphere was intimate, and Denny was very friendly and warm to our group. He made time for photographs and autographs. Another great time at The Cavern Club!
The highlight of our trip, however, was a concert by our one and only Sir Paul McCartney at Anfield Stadium on June 1st. Paul put on quite the show playing numerous Beatle songs, including the song which has never been played live, "A Day In The Life." AMAZING!
(don't bother clicking, that's
as big as it gets...)
This was a trip of a lifetime, and one I will never forget. Our tour company, Liverpool Tours, was amazing. Everything was arranged through them and they did a stupendous job. It was a wonderful way to experience Liverpool since they have so many connections.
As I walked the streets of Liverpool and heard the music at The Cavern and Anfield, I got a small taste of what Uncle Joe heard, saw, and felt all those years ago in 1965. I still can't believe that I was really in Liverpool! I mean, how lucky can a Beatle fan get?!! I was almost as lucky as Joe was that fated day in 1965 when he was chosen to tour with that band from Liverpool that rocked Shea, rocked America, and rocked the world.
