Hi everybody, normally I'd be busy putting up the tree and my Christmas railroad but instead I was in a coma for two weeks. The hospital kind of wrote me off the first night by calling all my family to get to the hospital because I wasn't going to make it through the night. Then a doctor that happened to be a family friend ordered a hemodialysis catheter access put in for dialysis against hospital recommendations. Which probably saved my life. I was in a coma for two weeks from septic shock and my organs were shutting down. I was basically on life support with a 17% chance of living. None of the doctors had any hope of me surviving. So then I spent two weeks in ICU and now I'm in a rehab center to learn how to walk again. I have to build all my muscle back up. The other day I walked forty feet with a walker but I still can't feed myself. I have not been home since Veterans Day, And their estimating me to be in rehab for three months. I'm unable to type or press buttons on my cell phone so I'm having my daughter post this for me. Happy holidays!
Johnny- This happened to me in January of 2009! For the second time in my life, (reasons still unknown!), I developed a bacterial infection in my spine. It went to sepsis. The neurosurgeon sent my wife home to make arrangements, as I was not going to be going home, let alone survive the night. Fooled them. I went through everything you are experiencing, so do understand completely. My love of this hobby and a few other interests, plus friends therein kept me going. Take it easy. Do as they've instructed for your recovery and you will be well again. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a fine New Year!
Johnny, Glad to hear that you are still with us! We pray for your continued recovery and look forward to hearing from you frequently. Charlie
I finally made it home for Christmas although my house doesn’t look much like Christmas because nobody expected me to be home so soon , but I’m just so happy to be here. Sorry for taking so long to reply, but I just have been so incapacitated. I can stand up and use the bathroom, but can’t walk very far without a walker and I don’t have much use of my hands and arms yet. I’m having some of my exercise equipment moved into the living room so I can work on my arms and shoulders. I just learned to eat last week, but I still end up with a lot on my face until I can increase my strength in my hands. I saw myself in the mirror for the first time last night and I’m shocked at how much weight I’ve lost about 50 lbs. My arms can’t be more than 1 ½” in dia and my ribs and collar bones are sticking out like in some horror movie. Back pain is my worst nightmare at the moment and I don’t know yet what I’m going to do about that. My wife has been at the hospital everyday helping me with therapy which really helped me get through it all. She just will never know who much that helped me because it was just so humiliating wearing diapers and having complete strangers ruffling through them to see if I needed changed. My first and most important agenda from the time I got there was to be able to use the restroom by myself and get rid of the diapers. I made every attempt to get out of bed on my own when nobody was looking although my roommate would squeal on me every time. The night nurse would try to fence me in with tables and chairs around my bed like I was some farm animal, but it just made my task a little harder. They also had an alarm attached to me that was constantly going off until I learned how to disable it. Anyway that whole effort helped me to use my legs. I know it was dangerous because of the fall possibility, but I’ve always been a risk taker and did not get as far as I have by sitting back worrying about things. I'm hopping that I'll be able to pull some of my Lionel trains out this weekend even if I can only set them up on the floor.
Glad to read that you are home! Please do not push too hard, as your body has endured quite a shock. It will take a little time to get back to old normal again. Hope you can enjoy a little bit of Christmas!
Easy does it Johnny, glad to hear that you are the mend. Slow but steady wins the race. See you around more sooner than later. Merry Christmas
Glad to hear you are home and we wish for good health for you in the future. Merry Christmas! Charlie
I just got a call from the doctor saying they made a mistake in letting me go because I have 3 more days of IV antibiotics to do because they discovered an infection in my blood a few days ago. They are not going to readmit me, but I have to go to the infusion center for my treatment. Since its such short notice and in the middle the holidays, they can't get a RN to come to my house.
