Update Nov 29th

Stable with a normal temp is the report for today, but Jimm remains exhausted. It seems that the trach clogging episode on Monday was more severe than the family was lead to believe at first, and took quite a bit out of him. Jimm was turning blue and had to be intubated, with a scope entering into the process at some point.. then a heavily bleeding vein had to be cauterized.. and afterwards, air in his chest became an issue. As happens so often with our friend, it was not simple, and evidently put a good number of extra years on one particular respiratory therapist.

Second opinion update: The request for records has been made, but it will take about two weeks for them to be copied and delivered to Deborah. After that they have to be taken or faxed to Hopkins, and doctors will be assigned to analyze the case with levels of expertise to match Jimm's various medical needs. Only after that will he actually travel over there to be examined.
More on that as the process unfolds.
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Yesterday's Applebee's Dining for Jimm Day was rewarding for all those present who we saw.. lunch and dinner groups were launched to up the ante as much as possible, and if you were able to go, we thank you very much and hope you had a pleasant time and a good meal. The results of the event will of course appear here, and on the Funding site as soon as we get them.

-six months hospitalized

Update Nov 27th

Jimm was very tired over the weekend. Part of that may have been dialysis which leaves him quite drained, another reason may be a lung infection the family didn't know the scope of until just recently.. we kind of knew that pneumonia in some form or another has been present often.. but this is an additional factor. The most obvious respiratory issue that was most likely the culprit in making him tired and causing breathing problems during the past few days is a badly clogged tracheostomy tube that was discovered yesterday. That has been replaced. Also, an irritated bronchial vein was found which may have contributed to bleeding. This in turn lead to the clotting which was partially responsible for the trach clogging.

Deborah is closer to being able to get a second opinion now that a hospital caseworker is helping, and the insurance company is in the loop. If things go as planned, Jimm will be ambulanced to Hopkins to be checked out soon.
Thursday it will have been 6 months since Jimm was first hospitalized. During his stay at University, he has suffered setbacks and been weakened by infection after infection. This examination by another team of doctors can't be a bad idea.
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A note from Deborah's daughter Laura Andrews-
Copied in part from the blog's Jimm Greetings post:

I don't want to post a comment for Jimm as my family and I tell him regularly how much we love him and want and need him to get better!! I want to post this comment for all of Jimm's friends who have been so wonderful and so supportive through this horrible ordeal. THANK YOU ALL so much for all of the love, prayers, support, fund raisers, notes on the blog and everything that you all have done. You are all amazing and Jimm is so lucky to have you in his life and now all of the rest of us are so lucky to have you in our lives and we are so grateful!! We cannot thank you ALL enough!

Thank you and much love to you all!

Please keep praying!!

Laura

Update Nov 23rd

No move from room 432.. and no further success with the feeding tube. Jimm was having dialysis as of 1:30 today, and has spent increasing amounts of time off the ventilator.. which is of course a very good thing.
Dr. Jonhson will be on duty this coming week and the family hopes that he will provide clearer details concerning what's going on, and what the prognosis is for Jimm's case.

Thanksgiving day, as you can imagine, Jimm got numerous visits from family members.. and he was appreciative, but probably would have preferred dinner at home. Ya think?
Next year, we all wish for Jimm to have more than an IV in a hospital bed on this wonderful holiday.

aw

Update Nov 21st

Jimm was on the trach collar earlier today, and had dialysis this afternoon. No word on results of latest scans or blood work, but the fever is under control and he's doing well. Well enough to spur talk of a return to the less intensive 7th floor soon.

aw

Update Nov 19th

Jimm had a very good weekend. However, Deborah got a call from the hospital at 10:00 Sunday night that Jimm had spiked a fever and was being moved back down to the 4th floor so they could keep a better eye on him. More on the situation later today.
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Additional Update:
Saturday Jimm spent 8 hours on the trach collar and about 7 on Sunday. Both days he was talking away and enjoying visits from many family members, including Jenna's mom Susan, Deborah's mom Ellie, and Laura's boys. Much of the time he was able to sit up in the chair, and he looked sharp thanks to a shave and mustache trim by Deborah.
Late Sunday evening he spiked a temp and his BP went into the dumper. He was taken back down to the 4th floor SICU, where they administered pressors to get his BP back up, and fought the fever. Here, with one-on-one care, he would be better looked after. As a matter of fact, Kim.. one of the family's favorite nurses, called Deborah to tell her that Jimm would be well cared for.
They are awaiting results of results of blood work and a CT scan done today, but no further news regarding what caused this most recent setback is available yet.

Jimm's new room is 432.

aw

Update Nov 14th

The infamous tube feed, although just a trickle, has started to cause vomiting problems again. If it keeps up they will have to discontinue liquid nourishment again. So frustrating. TPN drip continues.

No dialysis has been done as of 3:30.. they may do it later today or wait until tomorrow. A new line was put in Jimm's neck today.. prompted by the removal of an older one a couple days ago suspected of harboring an infection, which he still has. This procedure ruled out trach collar use, and any chair sitting.. but our pal was in good spirits anyway, telling many of the staff to "have a good day"!!

All right! Keep that thought Jimmer.

aw -day 170

Update Nov 12th

Mandi and Deborah are with Jimm today, and he had dialysis so he's very tired.. but is doing pretty good. Mandi was putting lotion on his hands when I spoke to Deborah, who has had a stinky cold but is feeling a bit better. She has to wear a mask in the room as well as the usual gown and gloves.
Jimm was on the trach collar (speaking valve in.. the vent unhooked) for a very short while today. Dr. Lissauer says what they will try this week is Mon-Wed-Fri dialysis.. and Tues-Thurs getting out of bed and sitting up in the chair as much as feasible.

Tube feeding has been cautiously resumed at a very slow rate, and a central line in the left side of his neck has been removed for testing since an infection is suspected at that site.
Nursing care seems good.. better than it was at times back in late July on the same 7th floor.

aw

Update Nov 9th

To state the obvious, all of us following Jimm's case are very disappointed after having our expectations built up about so many things.. then, not having them turn out as we had hoped. Our job remains to hang on.. roll with the punches and be there for our friend with a stubbornly positive attitude. It's not easy, but look what Jimm is going through.
The most recent let down, postponing rehab, was caused by a number of issues.. one of them the intestinal blockage causing feeding tube probs. They still have not found out what is causing this.
The ventilator is not a deal-breaker, but has been a thorn in recovery's side for a long while. The experts say that some patients sort of get hooked on breathing assistance. They don't know if that is true in Jimm's case, but are thinking of disconnecting the vent without Jimm knowing and seeing what happens. If this takes place we will let you know.

Anyway.. he remains tired but is resting comfortably with only TPN IV and anything else only as needed.
They have scheduled dialysis Mon,Wed and Fri next week.. more often than usual.

Laura visited last night and took the boys along. She was told they could not go in. She told them that Jimm needs to see them, and they need to see Jimm.. call security if you want but the're going in. They went in to see Jimm without incident. Way to go Laura.

aw

Update Nov 8th

Not much to report. Jimm was very tired today.. yesterday he had a fever and by today it was brought down to about normal. He had a clot clogged central line at around noon. It was cleared in a couple hours and TPN was resumed. He needed two units of blood this afternoon to boost anemic readings.
When he was awake today he was in an OK mood.. and seemed moved by seeing a picture book from the rball tournament that Kathy had so kindly put together for him.
Deborah has gotten a nasty cold so she won't be able to visit for a couple days.

aw

Update Nov 7th

During a recent CT scan doctors found a large mass of fluid on Jimm's side. Drains are working to reduce that now.. but this doesn't seem to answer the question of what is blocking things up in the intestines that has again put an end to tube feeding. Last night it was said that they are in another "wait and see" mode regarding this problem, which makes it pretty obvious that rehab is not an option for a while.
Considering the fact that he wants outta there, and now that's on indefinite hold, Jimm has been in better spirits.

aw

Tournament Pictures Now Available- More RBall and Golf Shots Just Added

You can now go directly to the Flickr page for each tournament by clicking on link list on upper right of this page. We also urge you to go to Funding page and RBall page for more info on each event.
The Golf Tournament and Racquetball Tournament, held on consecutive weekends.. have together earned $7,550.00 for the JR Fund.
The organizers of the Racquetball Tournament have decided to make it a yearly event.

Update Nov 5th

The trip to rehab has been postponed, so no move out of the building has been made.. only one within the building. Jimm has been moved back up to the surgical step-down floor to room 764.
They are researching with a CT scan, and dye, the cause of blockage.. or whatever is causing the jejunum tube feeding liquids to come back up- and not go where they should go.. down. No trips anywhere until this, and a couple other issues are addressed.

Jimm is doing OK. His BP has needed adjusting with meds, but is under control. He got very anxious during the move, and it doesn't take much to get him that way it seems.. but most of the time he is good. He got a nice warm bath, with actual water and moisturizing soap last night. Most wounds and graft sites are healing very well, and he was able to speak through his trach tube the other day because something was screwed up with it. Here he is getting good O2 and the respiratory assist he needed, but was able to croak something like.. "I shouldn't be able to do this, but hey, I'm talking..", etc. What perverse fun for a short while!

He was told about the racquetball tournament and was glad to hear about the family visiting and how well it went.. but wanted to know who won. What a competitor.
The answer is.. Joe Cornell. Joe and his wife Kathy put the tournament on, and they have known Jimm for many years. He will be glad to hear that Joe won in the top Open/A Singles division.

aw

Update Nov 4th

Our friend's condition remains about the same. In the past few days he has been able to sit by the window, and has been observed wearing a Penn State cap while doing that.

As of Saturday they were still talking about moving Jimm to USH(they pronounce it that way.. ush as in usher)or University Specialty Hospital on or about Monday. If you are interested, you can review USH's various care plans on the website and check out its location. There they specialize in things like weaning patients off the vent, and have what they call a "medically complex care program".. sounds to be right up Jimm's alley. It has become clear that in many ways Jimm's drive down the bumpy road to recovery has become stalled. Maybe these folks can help him to begin a new improvement phase that will lead to a more positive medical future. Later, maybe he can move on to a more advanced facility like Kernan.. although other institutions have been named that may be even more suitable for him.

When the subject of this upcoming move has been brought up in Jimm's presence, he has become quite upset. So, in case you should see him before it happens, better not to mention the topic to him. Thanks.

aw

Update Nov 1, 2007

Things are about the same in Jimm's overall situation, with the exception of the feeding tube. It is installed way past the stomach in the jejunum but still causes vomiting often, and so that feeding route has again been discontinued.

Today, procedures have been approved to stabilize and strengthen the ports for TPN(IV feeding), and dialysis. This is in anticipation of moving Jimm from University Hospital to University Specialty Hospital. There, a different phase of rehab would begin. They are thinking of making the move as early as this coming Monday. We will see.

In the meantime, at Jimm's current location, where he has been for five months.. a new rule has been instituted. No visitors, including family, between 6:30 and 8:30 PM. This is the very time that the family members often arrive at Jimm's side. It is supposedly for confidentiality during nurses report, when they exchange information during a shift change. None of the family members are remotely happy with this new policy, and have asked that an exception be made since they have been operating under the old visitor rules for so very long.

Yes, we may be seeing Jimm moved out soon, but what rules will the new facility have? Perhaps even more strict. And what about the level of care.. all of these are of course unknowns at this point, so only time will tell.. but Deborah and the others are concerned nonetheless.

aw