Where I've been - paralyzed

Last month I came down with a nasty head cold that had been going around the valley. After about a week, I started feeling a lot better and thought I was over it. I woke up one morning feeling like a slept wrong or pinched a nerve in my back. My legs felt like I had worked out too hard and my finger tips were a little numb---like pins and needles. By the next day it got progressively worse. I had trouble walking, standing for any length of time and my dexterity in my hands decreased. My wife called her doctor for an appointment the next day. By the evening we decided that I needed to go to the hospital. I went to UMC and by midnight couldn't stand or move my legs more than a few inches.

My symptoms matched some very unpleasant and fatal diseases and for the first 2 days my diagnosis wasn't set in stone. After a spinal tap, two MRIs, two cat scans and several x-rays, they were able to rule out a lesion, tumor, ALS (known as Lou Gehrig's disease) or MS. I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, something I had never heard of until I had it. Initially the doctors told me I would probably be hospitalized for at least two weeks and would need several months to recover. The treatment is a five day course of medicine given through an IV. The paralysis finally stopped when it reached my left lung (thankfully I didn't need to be put on a ventilator) on day 4. I was finally able to stand again four days after that and was released on day 10. Currently I'm in out patient rehab for the next several weeks.

To make matters worse, like most Americans I don't have health insurance. My good friends in Arizona set up a fund to help pay my medical bills. (You can get the widget there as well)

Donate to the Charles Richey Fund

Friend, husband and fellow real estate blogger was unexpectedly hospitalized read more

Gary Schmitz of the US real estate directory fame has generously donated all proceeds of his new start up directory Affordable real estate solution for new signups for the month of July. There are so many people to thank that I will be revisiting this topic over the next several months. Thank you all for your support.

Change The Neighborhood, Change The Neighbors

A couple of neighborhoods have seen significant changes in the past year or so. Lots of new development, lots of changes in the atmosphere. In particular, Ballard and West Seattle have seen tremendous upscale in the fit in finish of the area. It is pretty interesting to witness the chicken and the egg appearing nearly simultaneously, especially when changes in real estate take years of planning.

Ballard:
There are about 1,500 new residences in the area and many exciting new restaurants and upscale retail. The old Ballard, the conservative Scandinavian influenced area, is nearly gone from view now. Rents on new construction are some of the highest in Seattle now and the product being offered in excellent, appealing to the upscale renter who previously did not select Ballard as a top choice neighborhood.

West Seattle:
After about two decades of little or no new units in the area there is construction activity on nearly all corners now, much of it being done by the region’s biggest developers. Over the past 5 years West Seattle has undergone a significant upgrade in the quality of retail and dining which has attracted many new residents to this area that previously was unknown to “outsiders.” The retail core now seems to be anchored by the best bakery in Seattle, which has spawned very hip new dining spots and retailers. This has furthered the appeal of the area which has caused many more new people to move into the area which has caused the success of the new places to continue which has caused more new places, etc.

What I see is that these two neighborhoods are now very hip areas to live and can command rents to match desire if the product is there. Most of the old landlords are not providing the product therefore they are not getting the premium tenants and rents but those that do are. Once again if you build it they will come. This time though, once they are there they attract more of their kind: high style, high rent, and active consumers. Makes sense to me.