Jimm Updates: Update Oct 8th

Monday, October 8, 2007

Update Oct 8th

Oxybutinin or Ditropan, an antispasmodic/anticholinergic drug for bladder issues, was causing Jimm to get the shakes a few days ago. It has been discontinued and he shakes a bit only when exerting himself lifting his arms. He is still quite weak.
Jimm's urinary bleeding was investigated with a cystoscopy today, and nothing substantive was found. However, urine will be sent to an outside lab for further testing.
The trachial bleeding has for the time being been blamed on the installation of a new downsized trach tube.. a positive step. But a complete endoscopy will be done soon to check his entire digestive tract. Of special interest is his stomach which has been problematic in a number of ways.
Today, in addition to the cystoscopy, he was dialysed and so is one tired cowboy right about now.
The temp spike on Friday was traced to an infection in his central line which was quickly removed and actually has not been replaced as of earlier today. With no mechanism to administer sleep meds, this led to a sleepless night Saturday. He is still getting insulin as needed.. pain meds as needed.. IV feeding of some sort(TPN or PPN), and is still on the vent which has been dialed back as much as possible. Getting off that device is seen as a necessary step in further improving Jimm's condition.

Jimm has been very tired the past few days and this has made it tougher for family members to communicate with him. He hardly moves his lips when fatigued like this. He does seem to better understand where he is, and he now fully realizes that he has an ostomy. He of course is not happy about that and has been depressed at times. Currently he has a good bunch of nurses who understand the situation and push Jimm to do more. At this point he needs that.

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The 4 Jimm Blog Pages

The Blogs-

http://jimmupdates.blogspot.com/ will continue to be added to as needed.. and will remain as a record of Jimm's final days.

Jimm loved racquetball.. and his friends in Westminster put on a tournament to earn extra money for Jimm’s cause, and have a good time as well. The tournament will be an annual event and many contributors have provided continuing gifts.. so the website will remain active throughout the year, and the totals generated by the event will be constantly updated. Please go to: http://jimmrball.blogspot.com

Blogger Note: The blog below is not kept up to date.. but feel free to visit and use it as a reference for things that have taken place in past years. Thanks.

And the funding blog will give you info on helping Jimm and his family financially. Now, this is as important as ever. The bills are not going to go away. http://jimmrevellefund.blogspot.com

Also, don’t forget that we have a blog featuring various pictures of Jimm, family and friends. Please visit and feel free to contribute. http://jimmpics.blogspot.com/

Summary of the situation:

Jimm was brought to University of Maryland Medical Center on June 1st 2007 after having been cared for at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, MD for three days.
He was diagnosed with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas caused by a stone lodged in his bile duct. Throughout the upcoming months other systems and organs became involved and Jimm was further weakened by constant nosocomial, or hospital originated infections. He was on a constant roller coaster getting better then back-sliding.. never making the desired amount of progress.

Prior to, and during the 2007 year-end holidays he had improved enough to be off the ventilator and was consistently using his tracheal speaking valve to communicate.

On Jan 7th 2008 he was doing well enough to be moved to his first non-intensive care room on the 5th floor. After only hours in this room he had an attack in the early morning of Jan 8th. He was found not breathing and they blamed it on aspiration of foreign matter into the windpipe or lungs. How long he had been in distress was not stated. He was immediately moved back to SICU(surgical intensive care)on the fourth floor.

By Fri Jan11th they determined that he had suffered a stroke.
On Thurs Jan17th, tests showed evidence of a severe bilateral stroke caused by anoxia(oxygen starvation), and on Jan 18th doctors estimated that there was an 85 to 90 percent chance that Jimm would need long term care. Pretty much the worst case scenario had occurred. Almost all parts of his brain had been damaged, with the exception of the brain stem, which continued to control his breathing and heartbeat.

Since then Jimm had had his eyes open much of the time and was often following action with them, and had been breathing for himself with no assistance from the ventilator. Unfortunately, little else had been happening.. no talking, movement or reaction to questions or commands.

In the early morning of Feb 18th, Jimm began to encounter trouble breathing and eventually was unable to breathe for himself at all. He was hooked back up to the ventilator in full assist mode.

Later in the day Deborah and all members of the family came to the hospital, and after speaking at length with medical teams lead by Dr. Steven Johnson, made the decision to let Jimm's suffering end. He passed peacefully at 7:58 PM Feb 18th, and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

On Feb 22, 2008 Jimm's family and friends assembled at Schimunek Funeral Home in Bel Air.. ironically, right across the street from UCMC where he was first taken for treatment. His life was remembered and honored in a moving memorial service, and he will never be forgotten by even his most casual friends.
Rest in peace Jimm.. you will live in our hearts forever.

Jimm Updates

Monday, October 8, 2007

Update Oct 8th

Please visit our companion blogs and related links.. click below

The 4 Jimm Blog Pages

Quick Link for Greetings Page

Summary of the situation:

Deborah & Jimm

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