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Every Day is Precious: 'Gigalove' wires family closer together
By ROB PAYNE
For Williamson A.M.
Do you do anything better than your father does? I mean, besides play video games.
My 24-year-old son Troy always has been pretty good at computers. I didn't know how good until last weekend.
It started when my wife, Marcy, mentioned she wanted to be able to read more Bible verses than those I had put on her speech synthesizer. I thought posting to a Web site would be a good way for her to view them. Marcy said she also might like to be able to read and send e-mail. This was very unusual: She has never touched a computer or wanted to.
She hasn't wanted to have anything to do with the Internet since six years ago when I tried to show her how cool it was. The only problem was my 14.4 dialup modem was slower than a 3-year-old headed for bed. Marcy got bored and walked away before the first picture downloaded.
I, on the other hand, latched onto computers early and now spend more time on the Internet than watching TV.
But a lot of things have changed since her diagnosis of a life-threatening disease three years ago. She is bed bound now and I guess she wants something different to do: a non-television window to the world. Sorry, Dr. Phil, we may not be watching you as much or as often.
With all of Marcy's other equipment, the last thing she needed was another wire, so I thought I would tie a computer into our wireless network. It's on a DSL line and is pretty fast.
I'm pretty good with computers, but after three days I still couldn't get her computer to see the wireless network. I was using an old computer that was in our basement and thought that might be the problem.
Mom and Dad were kind enough to bring one of their old computers. Techno love must be in our genes. My Dad buys the first version of every new technology.
I can remember Dad's first ''portable'' video camera. It was bigger than a breadbox and connected to the recorder unit via a cable. The battery was the size and weight of a car battery. So, one of Dad's old computers is better than most homes' primary computer.
Back to Troy. Twenty-something years ago he could type his name on my Texas Instruments TI99a before he could write his name. (TI99a? I'm really dating myself.)
Anyway, Troy went on to start earning a living as a computer technician where he learned (and was certified in) networks. As soon as he heard my frustration, in spite of a very busy schedule, Troy came down from his home in Indianapolis with his girlfriend Carrie to see if they could help. They worked for eight hours and not only got Marcy's computer connected to the Internet through the DSL, they networked all three computers together: my laptop, Matt's desktop and Marcy's ''new'' computer.
Marcy and I can print from our computers, which are 25 or 30 feet from the printer connected to Matt's computer. I can drop files onto Marcy's drive so she can read them. It is way cool. I didn't even know I already had all the hardware and software needed to do this.
Every time I thank him for his time and expertise, he tells me he's been wanting to do something to help for a long time and this was something he could do.
If you do something that not everyone can do, consider doing it for a needy family. It may be just the thing to get them (and you) connected.
Please join us Monday, October 20, 2003 at Mulligans for Marcy, a golf and dinner fundraiser for Marcy's care. Go to www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com for more information. Every Day Is Precious is a column to remind us to treat everyone we see today as if it could be the last time we see them. It is written by Rob Payne, whose wife, Marcy, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in August of 2000. Now 40 years old, she has gone from winning 5 and 10K races to being quadriplegic and on a ventilator at home. For more ways to help others, to find more about Marcy, or to receive email updates on her condition, visit www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com. Readers may contribute to her care by sending donations to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN, 37069. If you have helped someone without being asked, or know of someone who has, share it with others. Send to rob
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