Loss of an MSDucker

[Hammer]

I was in the airport in Chicago last night when I got this terrrible news and have just gotten back in the office to make this post...Kudos to the above posters for your heartfelt sentiments...

I met BIGS one day in Panther Swamp when he was hunting in the "Bag Hole" which lies behind the very treacherous "Ed's Hole"...He was hunting by himself and had limited out before my group finished...He stopped in our hole to rest and we immediately hit it off...We hunted together many times during the following years in Panther, at my duck clubs in MS and LA and he hunted deer in my club at Raymond for a year or two...He guided a few duck hunts for me when I was in the outfitting business and worked for me on a tree planting job in Concordia Parish, LA one year....

We were friends and I will miss the hell out of him...Most recently I saw him at the OM vs. MSU tennis match at RHC (Go Rebels!) in February and talked with him several times over the phone since including right after the epic OM vs. FLA tennis match in Oxford when BIGS DQed a FLA player from the deciding singles match, giving OM the victory and FLA coach Andy Jackson the reddest of arses....

Big Mike had a heart as big as Texas and a sweet disposition...He was smart and did his best to deal with his DISEASE...He was a food addict and could not break the food addiction try as he might...THis is the same addiction as drugs, alcohol, not eating, eating and throwing up, gambling,etc, it just takes on different aspects for different people...

Sadly, he had tried exhaustively to get Medicaid coverage for lap band surgery but told me that MS - unlike LA, AR, TN and AL- does not cover the procedure...Tragically, Medicaid in MS was paying $1200-$1500 per MONTH to deal with BIG's SYMPTOMS but wouldnt pay the one time charge of $15000 or so to deal with the PROBLEM...

Sound familiar? We got 100s of 1000s, maybe millions of mentally ill people all over this country that are not getting the medical help they need courtesy of "managed care" and "survival of the fittest" government policies that have basically fed our weakest fellow citizens to the wolves over the last 25 years....

There is no guarantee that the lap band surgery would have worked or that it would not have killed BIGS, but like with Harden who went to UMC for help and did not get it, we will never know.

Is there anything worse than "we will never know"?

I hope as many of yall can come tomorrow as possible. It would mean a great deal to BIGS mom (Marty). They were very, very close.

RIP my dear friend.

[bodeen]

Sleep apenea is serious...It is NOT something to be taken lightley...I will miss his DU observations...

[booger]

Gosh, always sad to lose one of your friends, even internet distant ones. I hope his family is doing okay.

[Seem too Xtrema2 you?]

Prayers sent

[master guide]

Prayers sent.

[Bankermane]

Michael Hallam Lyell

Michael Hallam Lyell, 49, died of complications from sleep apnea, Tuesday, May 8, 2007 at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi.
Mark Seepe Funeral Directors & Crematorium in Jackson, Mississippi is handling the arrangements. Visitation is being held this morning at 10 a.m. with a memorial service to follow at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson.
Mike, the youngest of three sons, was born to G. Garland Lyell, Jr. and Martha H. "Marty" Lyell on July 10, 1957 in Jackson, MS.
Mike had a great passion for the outdoors, he loved hunting and fishing with his father and brothers. If his health and finances allowed it, he probably would have hunted and fished every day. His hunting and fishing created many special friendships over the years.
Mike's other passion in life was tennis. Because of his size, he was never able to acquire the playing skills he would have wanted, but he studied the game intently and became a very good instructor. He taught tennis, mainly to groups of young people, for most of his life. He will be remembered fondly by the scores of kids he taught. Later, he became a very good Umpire and officiated at many important tournaments.
Mike was a large imposing character - not easily forgotten. He had many friends and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include: his mother, Martha H. Lyell, two brothers, G. Garland Lyell, III (Kathy) and Henry M. Lyell (Joanne) and niece Clare Lyell, daughter of Henry Lyell.
Preceded in death by by his father, G. Garland Lyell, Jr. and his nephew, Garland Michael Lyell, son of Henry Lyell.

Memorials may be sent to In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to MS Ducks Unlimited or to the MS Animal Rescue League.

[weimhunter]

Memorials may be sent to In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to MS Ducks Unlimited or to the MS Animal Rescue League.

OL sporty would have a fit if new that DU was involved! LOL Man this is priceless. I have a check made out right know! Heres to your sporty!

[Duck Nawteek]

Prayers sent!!! RIP Sportsman, Bankermane a couple of weeks ago we were pickin with him about havin to drink that GOlytly for his procedure. I'm shocked.

[Hammer]

Weimhunter makes a great point...BIGS did not think much of DU- blamed them for taking duck dollars and not producing ducks, etc...For the sake of kharma, it might make more sense to send those memorial donations to DW...The writer of his obituary (his mother and brothers) would not have understood the complexities of this situation like we do....I almost choked when I read it.

[Bankermane]

Well I think we should omit the Limited and send it to MsDucks. What is the distinction between Ms Ducks Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited?

On another note, I went to visitation and the ceremony. There were a few more MsDuckmen there. Old Sporty was 450 lbs but now he fits in an 8 inch square urn. I forgot that I use to play golf with him 25 years ago. It hit me when his old golf friends called him Baby Whale. That's what we use to call him.

[Hammer]

Helluva an idea...I second the motion....Memorials to MS DUCKS...Do I hear a second?

[GordonGekko]

I'll second....err third....whatever....

[peewee]

Prayers sent for his family. We are gonna miss him.

[mallardchaser]

I thought it was a really nice service. I hope Mike knew hown many friends he really had, even if he didn't talk with some of them very often. It was really neat, about half the folks were his hunting/fishing buddies, the other half tennis buddies. I KNOW Mike is in a better place. Please pray for his mother and brothers.

[matt.courtney7]

prayer sent