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LURIE'S HEALTH
Development since November 24, 2004
related: ►Optimistic—Disease—Facility 2003
Boris on the way to his Bank account. Photo: Dietmar Kirves 2001
On Nov 24, 2004 at 17:52 Gertrude Stein wrote: I speak to his nursing station and he will be transferred today and so will have a telephone. He is doing very very well according to the nurse.
So the question is, where he will stay. Rene Frank, one of Boris close friends lives just around the corner at Park Ave and 63rd street would give him commodation, but Rene Frank will be out of the country. So Boris would stay alone.
Beatrice Lecornu-Hamilton just emailed me, that she is very worried about this idea and would feel better to see Boris with company somewher probably in a recreation unit? I also thought of asking Charles Rehwinkel to drive Boris upstate to Rocco's place where he will have clean air to breathe, beautiful nature for some walks in the woods. What do you think about it. Here is the passage, I got fom Beatrice: "Béatrice does worry about Boris being all alone in the apartment of René Frank as he is weak and not disciplined. We think he should go to a professional care unit where professionals would be taking care of him, and not sitting all alone in an apartment since René will NOT be there at all! We are really worried this time! He is so lucky to have so many people caring about him, but he is now all alone!" In case you have an idea, you should get in touch with Kim!
On the other hand it is Boris and we all see him as rough, ready, a survivor, a man that can do anything. What is the real reality of the situation?
The other dilemma is who will pay? Like at the beginning of all of this. It was my opinion that if one pays right away, spends the money out of pocket, the apartment could have been fixed up already. If one goes through the landlord, it will take weeks, could entangle one in extensive complications and you have no or little control over the workers and the job. You pay for the job, then it is is your job. For me I would rather have it be my job and I am in control. You then withhold the cost of repairs out of rent. Document the place before hand, be honest in your repairs and you will be OK.
Good luck with finishing the apartment. How long will that take? Could be months. Has the work started yet? Ceiling torn down, new sheet rock in place, painted? Window fixed? Wall fixed up and pointed and so on. I know that the place has been tidied up, so workers can get in. Kim has been extraordinary with assisting in this area. Has the repairs started yet?
Is it possible to have visiting nurses, and for sure he will need home care, visit different locations. Home care is a bureaucracy and usually takes a number of workers before one finds a person that they trust and are compatible with. If Boris starts off with someone like the 7 foot black woman, he will freak. He dislikes exercise, and has a tendency of delving into his bad habits like smoking. If he was in my care I would have gone completely ballistic over the cannolies, other rich Italian pastries, and smoking before his quadruple by-pass operation.
He should be close to an excellent hospital and his doctors. Woodstock has neither. Beth Israel is the best hospital for Boris in case of emergency. He doctors, charts, and medical information is at Beth Israel.
So we are looking at realistic repair time of apartment. Compensation of some sort for accommodations as there will be food, care, time, inconvenience, washing, cleaning, some nurses duties, telephone bills, and so on. Will Boris stop with the poverty thing and actually pay for maintenance? Probably not. Could be a several weeks of recuperation. We need to be realistic and sensible about getting Boris back to health.
Kim wrote on friday at 4.22 (European time): "Dear Matthias, now boris is not to be released until monday 12/20 or even tues 12/21. i will see him most every day but am open to what ever HE wants. Think he is tired of being told what to do and when. between gertrude, aleksey's wife (a vegetarian) myself and hopefully some others he should be ok @ rene's. Construction goes well @ at his place. but still much to do. will let you know as soon as he has cell activated. love to all of his supporters, kim"
Reinhild asked me to send to everyone of you her best wishes. take care all of you and let's hope that boris will feel better soon to return to his regular life.
They will bring Boris to Rene Frank's appartment. In approximately 3 hours Boris could be reached under the following cell phone number: 646-319-6473 before this number you only have to dial the country code. Of course it would be to expensive to talk to Boris on the cell phone, but this is only to tell him that you await his call, since then he will call back. It is impossible to call Rene Frank's phone number since there is a answering machine storing business messages so he asked Boris not to be called by friends under this number, but Boris will be able to call you with the regular phone. Boris will be glad to call you and of course he is very happy now finally to leave the hospital which almost seemed to be a prison for him.
Let's hope that he is keeping up his non smoker status and that he is staying away from fat food and is practicing to walk and breathe the regular way as he is supposed to do so. So please feel responsible to push him the right way! Let us thank thousand times Kim Kuzmenko who did and still does an excellent job. Also thanks a lot to all friends who do extremely good work in supporting Boris like Clayton, Aleksej, Gertrude Stein, Charly Rehwinkel!
All the best to you! In case there won't be a next message this year I wish anybody mentioned in this newsletter as well as on the mailing list nice days and all the best for a hopefully peacful 2005.
I ring the bell and I ring the bell, and I ring the bell, and I ring the bell, and I ring the bell. I hear some kind of noise inside- television or whatever.
I get the elevator, go back downstairs and I ask the doorman to direct me to a payphone as I do not have an annoying cell phone. On the expensive upper east there are few pay phones. So I walk the block and a half to find a pay phone. Luckily I have 8 quarters. I make the phone call, and let the ring until it maxis out when Kim's voice comes on the machine with the Boris message. I use up all my quarters.
What to do? Get angry and go home? Or think that this is an 80 year old man who just got out of the hospital and may be in trouble. I go back to the apartment. The doorman is not sure what to do. The doorman tries ringing the apartment. I explain the difficulty, but the doorman has no key.
It is the day after new years and the super is off. The doorman gets a replacement worker for the door, he has to go hunting for a key. 20 minutes later he returns. We have a key! Finally.
What are we going to find in the apartment? Boris on the floor? Lying in the tub? No way. There is Boris, what looks like a 1/4 of a block away, sitting by the Tiffany lamp bathing in the lap of luxury. I thank the doorman and he leaves. Boris says why didn't you call or ring the bell. I did Boris. You didn't he says. We fight for 20 minutes and all is well.
He looks fine. We spoke of many things for a couple of hours. I made some video recordings, got a little history, took a few photographs, and battled about art.
Finally after all these years we compromised on a couple of art issues- hard to believe. Boris looked great.
On Jan 27, 2005 at 13:52 Matthias Reichelt sent pictures:
Boris at hospital on Dec 21, 2004 | Boris read Clayton's catalog on Jan 27, 2005
Boris at his cellphone on Jan 27, 2005 | Boris sleeping on Jan 27, 2005
After all that I had done for him his thank you is to rip me off on some prints, which he has a lot of, never sold, , and bring up $50.00 that, if I owe him, he has never mentioned in the past.
Boris's sickness of money and hoarding, gets a little boring. I just hung the telephone, up on him. Slamming down the phone is a sound, that Boris, deaf as he is, can surely hear. It makes him crazy. So I thought that he could stew for a few weeks in his own hostility. thanks for putting up the Boris.
I told Gertrude that I would follow her lead as last time I tried an intervention it (to say the least) did not go so well. I will do whatever is necessary without over stepping my bounds. We all know that Dayen is a lair and a drunkard. Someone needs to come to the front here. Getting ready to call Gertrude. Will be in touch.
Yes all of this is true. And under normal, sane, and good judgment situations it would be almost criminal to leave a defenseless man in the care of someone who is so steeped in their own tortured life. But maybe for Boris, it is his way of going raging into the night. Maybe a little Russian, drunken poetic, insanity is what Boris needs. Nice, clean, caring, and helpful people may be too big a burden for him to shoulder.
Fuck you, drop dead, eat shit and No! No! No! may be where Boris is at these days. He sounds well, strong, and angry.
On Jan 18, 2006 at 18:57 Aleksey Dayen wrote: pics of boris taken by me two days ago
I must compliment all of you folks for your intelligent interest and caring. Matthias you are really a good and loyal friend as are all the others who I have been corresponding with. Boris has surrounded himself with some wonderful people.Thank you again for the news and I can only wait and hope we have some good news soon. Gertrude has certainly shown a great deal of concern and is sending the information with intelligent dispatch. I spoke with the Charge nurse on his floor by telephone and she sounded very concerned and on top of events. He is in good hands. appreciatively, Martin
Dear Friends of Uncle Boris, It is just wonderful that everyone is so hopeful about Boris. Most of it sounds like pitiful and discordant whistling. I was under the impression from Boris, though he wasn't thrilled with it; he planned to have Gertrude Stein's son to be in charge of the foundation named for his sister and mother and also if he would help perpetuate the art work that Boris has done. He would also would try to keep "No!art" functioning.It seems that Everyone is pretending that Boris will soon be at the Cedar Bar hosting a gathering of artists. If Boris survives this latest incident he will be in no shape to live alone. He will need constant care and rehabilitation. To use a common simile, "Someone has to step up to the plate as a pinch hitter for Comrade Boris". If he had been sent to a rehab to begin with, he would be vigorous and making money and doing art work and torturing a slew of Hispanic workers.
The ideal situation would be a decent apartment with a live in, tough, middle aged, illegal Mexican woman in control.
Boris is easy to control, he is not a fighter, he is a survivor. If he survives this last gambit, it is an ideal time for him to create art and find a staff for his foundation.
I hope somebody can find someway to convince Boris that he is now as famous as Giotto and should just do art work, to help fill out his legend. Or he can continue to play Daddy Warbucks and work on his market ventures; but in a controlled environment. If he is left in charge, he is a "dead man".
Isn't there someone who will take charge?
a worried - 80 year old friend, Martin Levitt
He was able to swallow 3 teaspoons of jello yesterday. this is real progress. Will keep working to get him therapy and get him home.
1) Dr. Meza and Dr. Gershinghorn spent time evaluating Boris on Wednesday. Dr. Meza said Boris was given somewhat complex instructions to follow, e.g., raise your index finger on your left hand, hold up three fingers on your right hand, touch your left ear, etc., etc. He followed and understood ALL instructions. Dr. Meza it will not be necessary for Dr. Gershinghorn to see him again.
2) Boris indicated to Gertrude that he was hungry (he rubs his stomach) and we successfully got the nurse to give him some pudding (with Q-10 added), which he ate himself very quickly. Dr. Meza is going to speak to the speech therapist today and work out a plan for him to start getting pureed foods.
3) Boris hates his mattress (the air mattress that prevents bedsores)... Dr. Meza is going to have the small remaining bedsore that Boris has checked by the nurses again and arrangements will be made if the sore is not in danger of opening or spreading, of changing to a regular mattress.
4) In general, Dr. Meza says Boris is progressing on his own and that usually about six months from the onset of the stroke is usually when progress begins to be apparent, and on that happy note, as we were leaving, Gertrude said something to Boris which he didn't hear and he said in a clear, strong, voice "WHAT!!" - - we applauded him and he almost smiled.
I'll see him later today and Dr. Meza agreed that he and I would talk again on Monday. Take care...hope all is well...
I will forward you future Email I receive from her.
I was very surprised to hear you will do service in the army. It sound like you volunteered for that (?) I believe you will find it very interesting, especially in this period of time. sounds TOP-SECRET too !!!
Good Luck!
REPORT #1: I spent a good part of the day with Boris. These are the things I observed, and also will list the items and wishes he had. He is writing, starting to print large letters, so that I can understand his message.
Needs. he needs a heavier jacket, he is cold. Because he is so thin, he needs more protection. He would enjoy more trousers and shirts. He was able, by pointing and writing that his mattress was uncomfortable. He finally showed by example certain air pocket (4) which cause him pain. Anita (Dr. Gross' assistant) got on it immediately, and it will be changed today. He also wanted warmer blankets, he indicated he was cold. Anita got a number of blankets and remade the bed. She will also bring some smaller heavier blankets to put over his shoulders, which he seems to indicate are cold. He indicated dissatisfaction with the attendant. He indicated that she leave the room and then, in addition to gesticulating his upset, he wrote in large letters (No Good, above that he wrote secretarys, which is how he refers to his aides.
I have the written paper. He also wrote other names, such as Mr. Geist, when he meant Mr. Eis. I brought a heard covered case including paper and pens so that he can write in comfort. He was very protective of the book, and uses it.
I stayed until they came to change him for the night, and saw him tucked in. He looked very frail, and was tired. Said good night, held my hand for a long time and then allowed me to leave.
If you have any questions on the above analysis, please call at any time on my cellular.
Today, Dr. Gross through Anita arranged for a therapist to comprehend how much he understands. I will keep you informed on the results.
If you want to reach Anita, her cellular is 646-265-8873. She worked with a prestigious neurologist for a long time, and Boris likes her. He wants her to sit down and spend time, which is unusual for him. But he saw how she took action with his requests immediately, which does not happen with the regulars.
REPORT #2: Boris is back on the way to recovery. All the doctors agree that he is cognizant, he is starting to eat and he is writing, and making sense. We should all be grateful for his strong desire to exist.
Yes I'm in NY because there will be the first meeting of the 'board' in the next days with: Richard Nedelman, Charles Rehwinkel, Mathias Reichelt, Rudij Bergman, perhaps Aleksey Dayen (he is out of town at the moment) and me. I will tell the guys that we are in touch. I expect that the meeting will be over some days starting at Nov. 16th. Of cause I will inform you what is going on - and I will ask Richard to do so. I would prefere if you could paticipate.
After the situation of Boris and the question what we can do for him I first want to speak about the legal situation of the foundation "stützpunkt". Generally I do have two mayn intentions: 1. saving 2. continuation - of Boris' work. Lets see how we are able to work together. At the moment I'm sitting in the "Gallery" in E77St wit all the NO!art around me.
I was in New York in August for 10 days, I saw Boris almost every day. His condition was so so, he was fully aware of everything around, but I wasn't sure what he understands or if he even remembered me. I understand from your note, that he is in a private room now, which must be better for him. How is he ? Please let me know. From Gertrude's Emails (which i haven't received for a while) I understood he already began to swallow a bit, to pronounce more verbal means and even to write !!? Aleksey said it wasn't true, from information he receives by Mr. Nedelman (Aleksey is out of NY, doing a job for US intelligence!). Everything I received in the past 2 months left me quite confused regarding Boris condition.
Are you in NY for the 'Board' meeting that was supposed to happen in september? Aleksey and Mr. Nedelman told me about a planned meeting. I know I am written as an advisor, or something like that, but not on the 'Board'. I am curious to know details about it. I told Mr. Nedelman on the phone in August, that I have some ideas, but now I feel quite far and out, to even know what kind of matters will be discussed, also the question: if Boris will get back to himself, at least with his mind- Stayed open with me, especially after receiving the Emails from Gertrude.
Please keep me updated. Boris is very important to me, as you can imagine.
Have a nice stay In New York!
I will keep all informed of his health.
He is no longer receiving anti-biotics for the infection which sent him the hospital, and now recovered. While on anti-biotics he was very tired, listless and not doing any therapy.
This is over, he is now doing therapy, walking by himself and trying to communicate. He is reading watching the tv channels on news and other historical shows, reads papers, Russian, German and English with great interest. He participated in the Holocaust memorial service in the home yesterday, Sunday, and is taking interest in his surroundings I have been bringing books and movies, which he is enjoying and looks forward to getting.
I have great hope, and this is proving correct on his return to health, and will keep you informed of his wishes as he indicates them to me.
Please be assured that his health and well being is primary, and the therapy will intensify as he improves.
There is a practicioner, named Ms. Elena Lazinskaya, tele. 212-765-4961 who has treated many people in Boris' condition and has had some good results. I spoke to her today, and she spoke to Boris in Russian on the telephone while I was visiting.
Boris was excited by this, and indicated that he would like to see her.
You would have to call her and make arrangements. She mentions that he might need visits twice a week, but this would be after she saw him to make the determination.
It would be very important at this time to take advantage of any method since he is improving slowly but surely. He started writing and is trying to type. It takes some strength, and he is making a strong attempt. It is very hearwarming to see him in better spirits with none of the anit-biotics in his system to keep him drowsy.
If you want a recommendation for Ms. Lazinskaya, you can call Mrs. Galina Kluge, the widow of the famous Michael Kluge, and a close friend of the writer Solzinitzen (wrong spelling I am afraid) Her telephone number is 212-877-0278
I have known her for more then 30 years and she tells me that this practicioner is very good, and has helped her husband, her mother and herself, so she has personal knowledge.
Please do this at your earliest opportunity as every moment is important for Boris.
However, the nurse, I do not know her name, a very pretty Philipino came in a few times in the most obtrusive way. I had to tell her to leave, she was causing such a distraction. Please let this be known by the head of the home, because it is not helpful.
I hope to speak to Mme. Elena on Friday for her ideas on a treatment, and I hope you will agree to see that she is recompensed. It is surely prividential that we have her to help Boris at this time.
He was elated and more open after this visit and I can see how beneficial it was and will be in the future.
Unfortunately, Boris has lost his ability to type his wishes.
I stand on the outside viewing a hideous unfolding of greed and selfishness.
Boris is cognizant but mute and stubborn No one can convince me otherwise as to his awareness when he is not 'drugged up'. NO one but Gertrude seems to care for his actual rehabilitation. There is a group. They call it "Team Boris" yet it lacks one crucial member -- Boris.
I saw that little documentary. I heard him say that I was fired because I "threw away his things". I was horrified. I threw away pots full of mildew (too horrible to think of cleaning), food food growing colonies, a mattress that served as a home for mice full of their corpses, drugs dated from 1962 and cigarettes. I 'quit' because the things that were of value, each and every little thing taken from a desk, wrapped, sealed and marked as to where it had been was tampered with. In reference to this I can only say that drunkards are liars and have an agenda of their own. I believe you may know to whom I refer.
There really is only one "team" here. Those who seek to use all that Boris has accumulated throughout his life to do more than let him waste away in a dank grey room, mute and filthy. WE want "Boris to be Boris"; to be coaxed into enough rehab that he can again type, write and make his wishes known.
Please let Motte know that he cannot call Boris, he must be worried not getting a response from the old number.
There is much we have to talk about, and I hope yu will convey this information to those in Israel who know and care about Boris.
Please keep Boris in your thoughts and pray for his recovery.
I now have the power of attorney, as Boris wanted that for a long time. As you remember he asked me to find a lawyer more then a year ago, and there was one lawyers bill that Motte paid. I now have gotten him a wonderful firm and they are forcing Mr. Nadelman to account for his denial of Boris wishes, which Boris resented, and at one time, he tried to stangle Mr. Nadelman.
He wanted Aleksay out of his will, and he wrote many wishes at the beginning of his illness.
I finally got the health proxy that Boris gave me very early in his illness, which Mr. Nadelman refused to recognize. He finally let me get a health proxy at the Jewish Home and Hospital, with the doctor and social worker as wintesses, and he was there to agree. Mr. Nadelman is fighting my power of attorney, and has hired a firm to go to court. His lawyer said, "it may be academic" probably meaning that Boris was on life support and might pass away before the court could do anything. I am doing what Boris wanted and will continure to the best of my ability.
I have a copy of the Israeli will, and Boris, I think wanted everything to be combined for his father's S & J Foundation and the NO!art Foundation. This was his wish after he became ill, and Motte was ill. We spoke about it often. I intend to keep the S & J foundation completely for his mother and sisters rememberance to help Jewish causes.
His NO!art Foundation should be, as he wanted to keep the collection together and help financially, artists with a political bent who do not get help from the establishment, as he did not.
Perhaps you could fill me in on what Boris had in mind when he spoke to you of the will, as he told me you were one of the executors. Any clarity at this point would be very helpful.
Sorry to ramble, but you were very much appreciated by Boris, and he was so very fond of your parents.
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Boris died.
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Mordechai said kadish, no one talked much. Mordechai said how much Boris suffered in life, and now he would come to rest. We walked down two rows, to his father's grave and then people split away. I wished more friends were around.see more: ►OBITUARY