The LuLac Edition #3656, November 26th, 2017

WE WERE JUST WILD ABOUT HARRY!

The late Harry Krewsun (Photo: LuLac archives)

Imagine this. One day you’re flapping your gums about politics with L.A. Tarone, Don Pachance and Tiffany Cloud (this was 2012) on TV. The next day when you’re out with a buddy eating pizza, you find it difficult to chew. Then, a few days later your speech starts to slur, you can’t keep your head up straight and you can’t catch your breath.
Tests and scans show nothing. But then you are diagnosed with Myastenia Gravis which is a rare neurological condition. By definition, (MG) is a long-term neuromuscular disease that leads to varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness.
MG can be controlled by medication which is now the case with me. But in the time period between the diagnosis and the first time I met Harry and Vera Krewsun, I was scared to death. Harry and his wife formed The MG Support group. Never a believer in these things, nonetheless I went. I met Harry Krewsun who had at that time had his disease under control. His advice and straight talk were calming and during my “recovery” period he was always a phone call away.
Through the ensuing years, as a show of gratitude and support,  we attended the meetings. We both even ran a few in Harry and Vera's absence. Always willing to help, Harry even went on a few TV and Radio shows to talk about MG.
He was beset by other health issues like polymyositis, thymoma and complications due to immuno-suppression which affected his breathing along with the MG.
Harry passed away last Sunday at the age of 55. For our family, his passing was a mix of grief and gratitude. The gratitude comes in because Harry and his wife Vera put a group together that didn’t exist just a few short years ago. In many ways for me, personally, it gave me the answer as to how I can live with this thing.
My philosophy with problems always has been, once you have the answer…..then the action you take is easy.
So Friday we go to Harry’s wake in an old Ukrainian church on Main Avenue in Scranton. After our visitation, we made our way down these side steps which lead to the street. I got to the bottom and saw a woman with physical issues making her way down the same steps after me. So I held the door for her. (Now ever since I have been using this cane which is due to an auto accident 18 years ago and severe arthritis, people have assumed it’s from the MG. It is not). 
But anyway, I’m holding this door for this lady and when she gets to the sidewalk she says, “Thanks for helping me even if you’re in your own misery” referring to my cane. I smiled and didn’t respond.
But when I got in the car, I told Mrs. LuLac about the misery comment. “If she only knew, the last time I was truly miserable was the day before I met Harry Krewsun who showed me a path to deal with MG”.
Harry's gone but his contribution (along with his wife Vera's) made a life long impact. When all is said and done, that's a real good legacy to someone gone too soon. 
BTW, MG Support Group meets Bi Monthly at Allied in Scranton, Lugar Center, Feb, May, August, October and December.