The letter set out below was written to my personal friends and those of my wife Teresa. I am sharing it with my Substack subscribers because it explains the reason, I have not been more active in this venue than I had hoped to be. To be sure there are events in life that are completely out of our control. But as responsible human beings we are called to not always do what we prefer but to do what we can to help others. This year has been a very difficult year for Mrs. Taylor and myself. But we both plan to make the best of all the blessings we have and to share what we can with others. As such I do hope to more frequently share my thoughts about markets and more important matters here on Substack more frequently as 2024 gets underway. December 10, 2023 Dear Friends, Normally, Teresa and I send out personalized Christmas cards every year. But 2023 has been such an eventful year for us that we felt the need to share with you the most significant events in our lives in this form letter. After a series of tests, a cardiologist here in New York City, discovered that one of my major coronary arteries was 70% to 80% blocked. In August, a potentially lifesaving stent was implanted into my problem artery. Modern technology at Lenox Hill hospital in NYC made this an incredibly easy procedure for me. Little did I know then that a few months later Teresa would be hospitalized at that same Lenox Hill hospital. After returning from California in late August to visit our family there and from Portugal in September to sell Teresa’s house, she was planning to have a knee replacement. However, the pre operation blood work revealed her kidneys were not working well so a knee replacement is not currently possible. With her creatine score over 3.0 on its way to 8, she was hospitalized to determine the reason why the sudden kidney demise from a very healthy 0.6 score in January of this year. During a one-week hospital stay, it was discovered that Multiple Myeloma was the culprit. Teresa began chemo therapy in the hospital and is now continuing with that program on an outpatient basis. As it turns out, earlier in the year, I had stopped producing my weekly YouTube video series mostly because it was becoming too difficult for the two of us to handle. Discontinuing that activity turned out to be timely because it has freed me up now to assist Teresa around the house and accompany her on frequent appointments to her nephrologist and oncologist. Given knee pain, it’s very difficult for Teresa to walk very far so I have acquired a portable wheel chair to take with us on our frequent Uber trips to her Manhattan doctors. The good news is that Multiple Myeloma is treatable and we have seen some improvement in her kidney scores. Her nephrologist is hopeful that kidney dialysis can be avoided. Through it all, Teresa has been an amazing inspiration and encouragement to me and to the women at Christ Church where she remains as active as she can be given her current difficulties. Her Godly faith is sustaining her and is most helpful to me as well. When Teresa asked her oncologist if she could go to church, Dr. Wozney said, “Yes you can. Church can be good for your heart and soul.” On a happier note, our son Scott and his wife Sarah and our 2 yr. old granddaughter, Edith came to visit us during Thanksgiving. We also learned that Sarah and Scott are expecting their second child in February. Although Sarah is equipped with a PhD in nursing that could pave the way for a career, she has found the joys of full-time motherhood. That has made us very happy. Scott continues to work as a software engineer mostly from their home in Daly City, outside of San Francisco while entertaining entrepreneurial ambitions In summary, 2023 has been a not so gentle reminder of our mortality. Scripture reminds us that in this life, we are like grass that wither away. But the difficulties of this past year also make this joyous Christmas season all the more precious as reminder that God is with us and that He will sustain us through our remaining days within these 4 dimensions of time and space. And when we enter the New Heaven where we will not be encumbered with current restrictions, kidney scores and blocked arteries won’t be of any concern. To top it off, this old gold bug geezer, won’t have any need to tell you all to buy gold because there will be no need for holding on to that or any other monetary asset after these days are over. Teresa and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and strong faith in Creator God who designed and created each of us for a specific purpose—to use the gifts we were given to serve Him by serving one another. Best wishes for a joyous 2024. Jay & Teresa Taylor You're currently a free subscriber to J Taylor's Gold Energy & Tech Stocks. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |