Help!

Help!

From husband Bill, August 11, 2026, home today from the hospital after eight days there with severe pneumonia

61st Anniversary of "Help!"

My all-time favorite movie, "Help!," The Beatles' second movie, was released in U.S. movie theaters on this date (August 11) in 1965, SIXTY-ONE years ago today. It opened in British theatres on July 29, 1965.

I have the movie on DVD (also with short, behind-the-scenes films) and on VHS videotape, plus the soundtrack album (both the U.S. version and the British version) on CD. I used to have both versions on vinyl record.

Here are trailers for the movie:

https://youtu.be/s5nUoShgbso

I recently found the full movie on YouTube. I have seen "Help!" more than 50 times, including many times at many annual Beatles conventions in New York City (Manhattan) and in New Jersey as a teenager during the 1970s and also at the conventions in the 1980s and early 1990s. I still enjoy watching it.

Here is a clip from the movie ("Ticket To Ride")

https://youtu.be/hJBesRuthzY?is=Z5yxBu5K8-yr_tDQ

FULL MOVIE: https://youtu.be/oEqakpFIrKE?is=-Y98DKWe0uaereFG

I officially became a Beatles fan during the summer of 1964 at age three after my mom took me to a movie theater to see the Beatles first movie, "A Hard Day's Night." My mom was a huge Beatles fan, so I was an unofficial Beatles fan before watching "A Hard Day's Night" for the first time. Of course, I have seen all five of The Beatles official movies more than 50 times, many times at conventions: "A Hard Day's Night"; "Help!"; "Magical Mystery Tour" (TV movie); "Yellow Submarine"; and "Let It Be"; plus the concert film "The Beatles at Shea Stadium."

Trivia: In the 1970s, my CB radio handle was "Algernon," the scientist's assistant portrayed by Roy Kinnear in the movie "Help!."

August 11, 2026, home today from the hospital after eight days there with severe pneumonia

Today Is ...

From husband Bill, August 11, 2026, home today from the hospital after eight days there with severe pneumonia

I am sure that I have never eaten a raspberry bombe. I have eaten a piece of a chocolate bombe many years ago. Actually, I ate a few individual chocolate bombes in recent years at P. F. Chang's restaurant.

August 11, 2026, home today from the hospital after eight days there with severe pneumonia

HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL

From husband Bill, August 11, 2026

I am HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL !!! ... after eight days there with pneumonia

Medical Update

From husband Bill, August 11, 2026, Day 8 in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

Photo: computer screen for second part of testing

Medical Update: The first part of my swallow test yesterday (X-ray monitoring while swallowing chalky, barium liquid) showed all is well. The second part of my swallow test this morning (a tiny camera on a thin tube stuck three inches into my right nostril and down my throat while eating also showed all is well.

I have been here at the hospital for eight days with pneumonia, receiving intravenous antibiotics; intravenous and oral steroids; nebulizer (breathing) treatments; and supplemental oxygen. I am expecting to return home today.

August 11, 2026, Day 8 in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 10, 2026, Day 7, in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty 

That's me every day. 

August 10, 2026, Day 7, in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

Nebulizer Treatment

from husband Bill, August 10, 2026, Day 7, in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a short video of this morning's nebulizer treatment. (69 seconds) ... See related video on YouTube.

This Morning's Nebulizer Treatment (August 10, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/Jp4NWu2GdJ0?is=Eese-74RlgREOsvi

Medical Update

from husband Bill, August 10, 2026, Day 7, in the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a medical-update video from my hospital bed. (length: 6 minutes, 48 seconds)

Medical Update: Pneumonia (August 10, 2026)

https://youtu.be/IeXebljiv-I?is=gMNP7BrVEh80pBCR

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 9, 2026, Day 6 at the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

I am (still) in the preliminary stages of compiling a book of 75 of the more than 300 self-penned poems that I have written since 1986 for self-publication as a soft-cover book. (Many of my poems have already been published in national anthologies.)

Also, I am in the process of writing an autobiographical novel loosely based on my four years (1992 to 1996) as a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for an international weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry based in the Financial District of New York City (Manhattan). I am including and elaborating on, and partially exaggerating, various aspects of my entire life so far that did NOT happen during those years. I hope to have it self-published.

I was a journalist (reporter, writer, editor, researcher, page designer, photographer) from September 1982 to April 2017 with various newspapers, magazines, a wire service, and on websites and social media.

(I actually run my longer posts through an online spell checker.)

from husband Bill, August 9, 2026, Day 6 at the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

I love rice pudding (and tapioca pudding) with chocolate syrup, specifically Bosco.

August 9, 2026, Day 6 at the hospital with severe pneumonia and swallowing difficulty

Today Is ...

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

I prefer basic chocolate frozen custard (soft-serve, specifically Carvel) with chocolate jimmies in a cup, never in a cone.

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

I like zucchini bread, but I really dislike boiled zucchini. My wonderful wife makes delicious zucchini bread, but I like her mango bread better.

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

I don't particularly like mochi, mainly because of the texture.

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

I would like to try a CBD gummy.

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

The word "lunatic" originally meant "someone who sleeps under the moon."

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026, at hospital with severe pneumonia

Abbey Road

Abbey Road

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026 , at hospital with severe pneumonia

On this date (August 8 ) in 1969, photographer Iain MacMillan took this photo of the Beatles for the cover of their 11th studio album "Abbey Road." (The Beatles 12th (last) studio/live album, "Let It Be," was released after "Abbey Road" but was recorded before it.)

It has been theorized that the "Abbey Road" cover represents a funeral procession for the "death" of The Beatles, which would break up the following year: (from left) George Harrison (the gravedigger); Paul McCartney (the deceased); Ringo Starr (the funeral director); and John Lennon (the priest or an angel).

Also, this album cover is filled with clues regarding the "Paul is dead" conspiracy. The theory is that McCartney was killed in a car accident on November 9, 1966, and was replaced by a look-alike/sound-alike named William Campbell. It was just a theory started by a radio DJ in the United States, but it caused many fans to search for "death clues."

Here is the link to a story from 2017 that outlines some of the many clues on Beatles album covers and in their song lyrics that point to the death of Paul McCartney.

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/i-buried-paul-your-guide-to-the-convoluted-conspiracy-that-paul-mccartney-died-in-1966

August 8, 2026 , at hospital with severe pneumonia

Barium X-Ray/Lunch

from husband Bill, August 8, 2026 , at hospital with severe pneumonia

I have been switched to oral steroids from intravenous steroids, so that's progress. I still am receiving intravenous antibiotics, nebulizer treatments, and supplemental oxygen.

Lunch at the hospital (photo): I am now scheduled for a barium X-ray due to swallowing problems, and it appears that they switched me to a diet of close-to baby food so that I don't choke. I feel so old (age 65).

That blue bag in the upper-right corner of the photo is an emesis (vomit) bag.

August 8, 2026 , at hospital with severe pneumonia

IV Video

from husband Bill, August 7, 2026

One of my many bags of intravenous antibiotics is finished. I am infused many times with antibiotics, as well as with steroids, here at the nearby hospital to cure me of my severe pneumonia. (I also receive nebulizer treatments.) ... (length: 36 seconds)

I arrived by ambulance during late afternoon on August 4, 2026, and I am still here, as of late afternoon on August 7, 2026.

Yet Another Bag Of IV Antibiotics Has Finished Around 7 p.m. ET, August 6, 2026 (August 7, 2026)

https://youteube.com/shorts/ICoRjQGMOzE?is=mKqldxMkpVGuGWPa

Today Is ...

 from husband Bill, August 7, 2026

I like raspberries, but I really do NOT like whipped cream.

August 7, 2026