Day 17: Jeffrey Update for 8.30.11

Yesterday, the lung doctor decided to do yet another bronchoscopy on Jeff's lungs.  Over 600cc of fluid and junk were pulled in that one procedure.  Doctors also found an abnormal angle in his lungs, but we don't know exactly where it is or what it means.  Mom has consulted with doctors about this.  We do know that the angle is 90 degrees which is some rationale behind why Jeffrey is having a difficult time getting rid of junk in his lungs and continues to have plugs that need to be removed.

When I visited him last night, he was pretty worn out from the bronch and CPT treatments every four hours.  Rather than physically or mechanically do the CPT, the respiratory team ordered a fancy percussion bed that does the treatments every four hours.  Pretty cool stuff out there.

Although he was pretty tired, Jeffrey was semi-interactive.  He didn't want me to hold his hand, but he did listen to me when I talked to him (although he's legally deaf, he can hear some & understand what you are saying).  I told him that I was there, that I was proud, and that he needed to keep getting well so we could "bust out of this joint."  At one point in my visit, Jeffrey tried to sit up some in bed and leaned towards me.  When I looked, he was trying to pucker his lips a bit even though the tube was in the way.  I gave him a kiss while my heart filled with more love for him than even before.  (How that's possible I don't know.)  Of course, he promptly wiped it off his mouth, signed "store", and pushed me away when I told him the store was later.   Jeff continues to be precious as always - and rotten, too.  :)  That's my brother!

This morning, my brother's chest x-ray finally showed some slight improvement.  With the aid of a cpap, Jeff has been breathing on his own with 50% oxygen or less for over 14 hours now.  The weaning process is underway again and can take a couple of days, but timing really depends on the individual.   GO JEFFREY!

Well, I'm tired and headed to bed.  Hope this has made some sense.  Know that your prayers are being heard and beginning to show through slight improvements in Jeff's current state.  Please keep them coming.  It's nice to feel a little bit of hope.  FINALLY.  I'm sure Jeffrey sends a kiss to everyone  . . . even though he'll just wipe it off.

PS - Jeffrey is still intubated (meaning the ventilator tube is still in) but we are hoping that he can be completely weaned and extubated very soon.

Jeffrey Update, 8-28-11

15 days in the hospital, 9 days in the ICU . . .

As of late this morning, Jeffrey is completely off all sedation.  He is opening his eyes, but he can't communicate much since he is still intubated and lightly restrained.  The progress of improving his lung function has been minimal.  The left lung still holds a good amount of fluid, and mucus is still present.  Because of this, he can't be taken off the ventilator.  Weaning him off the vent has been basically non-existent.  Respiratory comes in every four hours for percussion treatments and breathing treatments in hopes that will loosen the secretions.  Jeffrey has to be able to cough up things to breathe on his own.  The scariest part of all of this is that the pulmonologist (lung doctor) wants to do a tracheotomy on Wednesday if Jeff's not off the vent by then.  I am opposed to this idea, but I also don't want him vent-dependent either.  It's such a fine line of what is best for Jeffrey now and in the long run.

I stayed with him for about four hours today and shipped Mom and Rick off to the movies and a bite to eat.  Jeff wasn't overly thrilled with the idea of his sister kissing him and being in his face, but he was still nice about letting me know to stop.  In the time I was there, he was suctioned multiple times, a full breathing and percussion treatment, two sticks to draw blood, one injection of insulin, and having his mouth cleaned and suctioned again.  However, through all of the poking and tubes and pounding and prodding, Jeffrey is still such a sweetheart.  Neurologically, his personality and mind are still intact.  This is relieving because we still have as much of our Jeffrey as we can right now.  I just want my little brother off that damn ventilator.  I told him today that it was time to bust out of that joint, so he needed to cough a lot and get the tube out.  And when he finally got rid of the tube, he could have all the coke he wants.

So . . . please keep your prayers coming.  Pray that Jeffrey is able to get off the vent by breathing on his own and getting extubated.  Pray that the need for a trach disappears.  Pray for my Mom, too, because she is wearing thin now (though she wouldn't dare let anyone know it) and needs support as well.  Your prayers are being heard.  We appreciate all of you and your prayer groups.  Keep it up!

Jeffrey Update 8/25

Day 13 in the Hospital

They changed the settings on the ventilator this morning for Jeff to breathe without the vent doing it for him.  It also is there to force extra air volume in at the end of expiration so Jeffrey doesn't have to totally reinflate his lungs. So, he's still on the vent but definitely stable and looking good.

The bandages/dressing was taken off his head & neck today.  Mom said that "It's our Jeffrey!  His wound site is impressive with 17 staples but looks really good.  His head is shaved on that side so we'll have to consider a new haircut."  :)  Sedation will increase and the vent will take over tonight so Jeff and his lungs can get some rest.  Then tomorrow, he'll be back to work at getting extubated.  Hoping that will take place in the next couple of days.

Jeff signed "store" today (told you it was coming!) and wanted his hospital gown off so he could plan the clothing for his exit strategy.  I'm just so proud of him.  SO PROUD!  Keep your prayers going please - they are working!!!

Progress!

Doctors ordered the beginning of the process for weaning Jeffrey from the ventilator.  He will have to be able to breathe on his own exclusively before extubation, and today Jeff made progress towards just that.  For two solid hours, Jeff did all of his own breathing without any assistance.  After those two hours, the respiratory team noticed that he was beginning to tire and provided assistance and some sedation to help him rest.  Two hours is progress considering that a few days ago the ventilator on full throttle couldn't even get him the oxygen needed!

Tomorrow comes the next try.  The team will try every day until he is fully weaned and can be extubated.  I know Jeffrey is ready because he is still holding his bag and bear and signing goodbye.  To further prove his point, he's now signing "Coke" "eat" (poor guy hasn't eaten in a week!) "shoes" and "work."  Shoes, work, and store (which surely will be his next sign to say) are Jeff's signs for "Let's get outta here!"  :)

Best of all (in my opinion( is that Dr. Q said that Jeffrey will be okay.  It is so nice to hear that.  You can guarantee that he'll be able to eat and enjoy a stockpile of Coke as soon as he can.  We just can't wait to have him back!

My family and I can't begin to express how much everyone means to us.  All of the prayers - they are being heard!  Your love and support and strength are carrying my brother and all who love him.  Keep sending those petitions to Heaven, and let us know when we can do the same for you.  We are doing it now for some of you and want to continue.

My Sweet Brother

The email from my mom earlier today:

Title: Progress

Drs. Q (pulmonary) & M (neurosurgeon) have been by. Dr. Q says there has been improvement but left lung is still full of fluid so in a few minutes he is going to do another bronchoscopy (tube down to the lungs to clean them out) and more treatment/observation. Don't expect extubation today but moving in the right direction. In the last 24 hrs, meds & treatment have pulled off 6 liters of fluids which helps get rid of secretions. Jeff's color is better & he is mostly resting due to drugs. He is not in any distress, vital signs are great & heart rhythm is great. Dr. M is just waiting for extubation now.

You can't imagine how your prayers, thoughts, support have held us all. If ever you need us or the strength you have given us, we want to be there for you as well. Wishing each of you a great day and great health. Again thank you & love to all.  ~ Jeff's Family

:)

It still shakes me to my core that we could've lost him on Sunday.  Ugh.  After six liters of fluid being pulled yesterday, another two liters were pulled from his body today.  Holy crap.  Can you imagine????  I went by the hospital after work and was happy to see that Jeffrey looks much better than he did Sunday.  When I got there, I took Jeffrey's hand, kissed it and told him I was there.  He immediately signed, "bye-bye."  I told him as soon as he got better that we would go bye-bye.  Neurological intact?  CHECK.

I told my mom and Rick to go downstairs and get some dinner while I hung out with my lil brudder.  We interacted most of the time they were gone, but Jeff did not open his eyes due to the sedation he is still receiving.  We talked about his bag (those of you who know Jeffrey at all know about that damn bag), a large teddy bear the caretakers from his home & work brought him, and talked about bye-bye, medicine and the bag again.  He reached for his face, so I released his restraints.  Jeffrey touched the ventilator tube and straps across his face.  I told him all of that was to help him feel better and they'd be gone soon.  Before he had the chance to try and pull it all, I clipped the restraints back down.  He isn't FULLY restrained, but enough to where he can't do any damage.

Jeff did cough a few times which set off alarms. Thankfully, I was aware of this but it's hard to stay calm when you see red alarms flashing, hear loud alarms beeping, and look at the hero of your life turning red in the face.  Add to that the nun's habit looking bandaging on his head, about six to eight bags of IV stuff with their pumps, a huge machine pumping air into his lungs, compression sleeves connected to air tubes on his legs, a simple blood pressure cuff, the numbers on every single monitor, and all the sounds & smells of an ICU . . . it can be just a tad scary.

The sweetest part of my alone time with Jeffrey was when I handed him his "toy" (teddy bear).  I signed toy and told him aloud that he had a toy.  We felt the soft fabric fur, touched his eyes and nose, and then - instinctively - Jeff started to pet the bear and stroke its fur.  He has the sweetest heart, and that made me love him even more than I thought was possible.

We hope for extubation tomorrow or Thursday and pray that Jeff's lungs and body can handle it.  We are all ready to have our man back, and that would be a big step.  Today was the first time I felt like my brother might survive this, and I'm going to ride that feeling as long as I can.

Keep fighting, Jeffrey.  You have so much love to give you strength and prayers from SO MANY that are letting God know we love you, too.  Thanks - as always - for your prayers.

Jeff Update: Monday 8/22

This will be very brief since I'm completely spent after surviving the first day of school.  Jeffrey is still critical but stable.  The ICU staff and the many, many other medical staff that help him are amazing.  For that, we are blessed.

Preliminary biopsy results are coming in, so we hope to know more soon.  Of course, there is a strong chance we will never know why Jeff had the seizure that began all of this, but we can hope.  Please continue your prayers that my brother's body can get some rest and healing from the ventilator and sedation.  Doctors hope to slowly wean him from the vent over the next couple of days.  It's going to be a process that will take longer than we might like/want, but it is what is best for Jeff.

Thanks for everything --- Jeff's Family

Prayers for My Hero

This is going to be as detailed as I can get in my exhausted, emotional state without being too much.

My brother, Jeffrey, has been in the hospital for eight days now.  As you may or may not know, Jeffrey is handicapped and has been through more trials in this life than anyone should have to endure.  Jeff has a smile that is contagious and a laugh that can make you lose your own breath in laughter.  He had a generalized seizure on Saturday the 13th while with our Mom and her husband.  They were shopping at W.al.mar.t and thankfully paramedics were shopping in that same store when 911 was called.  After they checked him, Mom decided to take Jeff to the ER of the hospital where she works.  They decided to admit him, and he's been there since.

In trying to determine the cause of the seizure, doctors found that Jeffrey has chronic mast.oiditis and fluid in his ears.  A lum.bar puncture was planned and happened last Tuesday (I think).  His proteins in his fluid were more than double of the high end of the normal range which is a sign of inflammation.  After infectious diseases ran a battery of tests on the spinal fluid, blood cultures & such, it was found that Jeff has no viral or bacterial issues that may have caused the seizures.  Therefore, a meni.ngial biopsy was then scheduled for last Thursday to determine the cause.  The surgery went extremely well & Jeff was scheduled to stay in the ICU for observation that night.  His poor head is bandaged like a nun's habit, but he was comfortable on pain meds and doing well.  Friday is went things went to crap.

The ICU doctor - who just so happened to be the doctor who saved Jeff's life twelve years ago when he was in the same hospital with a collapsed lung - was on the ICU floor when he noticed Jeff's oxygen didn't look good.  He determined that Jeffrey had an obstruction and within minutes, Jeff was sedated, his lungs suctioned for mucus, and placed on a ventilator.  He has been on it since (now over 48 hours).

Our hopes were that extubation would occur today, but when the respiratory team tried to wean him off the vent, Jeff's fragile lungs and body couldn't handle it.  They left him intubated, but even with the ventilator doing most of the work, Jeff's oxygen saturation was subpar.  Medical staffers finally got everything under control right around the time I got to the hospital.  When you have a mom that is a nurse, you follow her lead.  When things started going downhill, Mom got scared.  When I spoke with her by phone, I got scared.  Everyone got scared.  And we still are.

I know there are probably more details, but between working twelve hour days preparing to return to school tomorrow and worrying about Jeffrey, my world has been rocked.  I will ask for some specific prayers at this point, but general prayers for Jeff's healing will be gladly cherished as well.

Specifics:
Pray that Jeffrey can be extubated and his lungs will function independently.
Pray that biopsy results return with a cause of the seizure that can be easily treated.
Pray for my more than tired Mom who has spent all but a few hours one night in the hospital with Jeff.
Pray for the continued wisdom and caring of the medical staff caring for Jeff.
Pray for comfort and peace for our entire family and for all who love my brother (which is MANY).

Updated - Photos

I had a major fail with my last post about the Guest Suite because the slide show wasn't working.  Come to find out, Picasa changed my default settings so all of my albums were visible to only me.  Oops.

The photos have been updated in the post, so go check it out!