We have some pretty terrible news to share, Moles.
On Sunday, February 6th, our dear friend Louis Fowler – TLO's long-time food writer and culture critic, and one of the best damn wordsmiths in this state – suffered a very serious stroke at his home in Oklahoma City.
After about a week in the ICU, Louis has now been moved to a stabilization unit at OUHSC and is facing a long and difficult road to recovery.
I stopped by to see him this past weekend. As with the hemorrhagic stroke that nearly killed him in 2018, there's some good news and bad news to report.
The Good News: Louis is cognizant and aware of his surroundings, and – at least for now – the ultra life-threatening phase of the stroke appears to have passed. All things considered, he seemed in good enough spirits and relieved to see a friend. I let him know everyone was pulling for him, and as we watched The Office in his hospital room, updated him on what was going on with the world. He gave a big smile and laugh when I told him Crazy Carol Hefner finished third in the mayor's race.
The Bad News: The stroke occurred in the pons region of Louis's brain. He has extremely limited movement on the right side of his body, and outside of mustering up a few monotone words and syllables, can't really speak. He also can't text or write. The timetable on when, or even if, Louis will fully recover is unknown. He'll have to undergo intense therapy to gain back his movement and speech, and even with all that, there are no guarantees. From what I've gathered, there is a risk that Louis may need long-term care after all this, but right now it's simply too early to tell.
Obviously, Louis has a long and difficult physical and emotional fight ahead of him. Fortunately, he's a badass and can take it on.
That being said, he can also use all the financial help and support he can get. As a result, I've created the following Go Fund Me. Whether it's to help him pay medical and rehabilitation bills, or to simply show encouragement and lift his spirits – two things he really needs – you can donate below:
100% of all funds raised via the Go Fund Me will go to help Louis pay his medical, rehab, and living expenses, and hopefully, someday down the road, help get him back in the writing saddle, where he can once again bless us, and this state, with his words, wisdom, and wit.
We wish our pal the best in this fight, and will be there for him each step of the way. As Louis recovers, we'll continue to share updates on the website and social media.
