My cousin, the one I asked for prayers earlier in the week - it doesn't look like he's going to make it.
The doctors know he has some type of infection but they can't pinpoint what kind. They are treating him with what they have but nothing is working. He is still on the ventilator (since Sunday) now on Dialysis, and all of his organs are failing.
He has a 23 year old son and a g'friend (he's divorced) The doctors told my aunt and uncle on Monday to get the immediate family there. They have a daughter, his sister, too. She is now there and her 2 daughters who are in their 30's. One of these young women told me on the phone yesterday that her Mother told her he wasn't going to make it but not to tell Mama and Papa.
God, I hate this. This is my sweetest aunt and uncle. They are in good health to be 76 and 80 - they are in good health for any age but this will bring them done. I hope not but I hate for this to happen to nayone - but they are just so happy and not lie some when they get older. They really enjoy life.
He is ONLY 57, I asked his niece yesterday. I knew I was close but that is way too young. She said he had a spider bite before the hospital and his whole hand is swollen but the doctors say it has nothing to do with it.
Please send your prayers. His name is Rick.
They are in New Smyna Beach, Florida.
Thanks and Love,
Jean
Dear Jean so sadden to hear hes not doing any better.Of course we will keep him in our thoughts & pray.If you need to talk you know we will be here.Try & take Care....mj
Good Lord Jean...so, so sorry..I will keep on praying....Love you, Sharonn P.S. We gotta get you out of the house!!!!!!!!!
sorry to hear this negative news Jean....my prayers as always for you and your family
Sorry Jean, but if it was a brown recluse that could sure do it! They are super toxic. My sister was an EMT and they had special emergency training because you CAN die.
Thanks Wendy:
I just talked with my aunt, she is a mess and my poor uncle can't even talk and he's usually the joker.
I am going to call my cousin(his sister) and tell her this. My aunt said they had (8) doctors working on him at times. The doctors asked them today if they wanted to hear the truth and they said yes - The doctors said he is now living minute to minute - only 56 yrs old - I am going to call immediately. I don't know about their hospital but I always think it's better to get to another place if you have to - my cousin, the sister says this is a little hospital mostly for retirees. My cousin who is sick never drank or smoked - exercised regularly and now he's slipping away, today they say he's in a coma on top of e'thing else.
Will call my cousin now.
THANK YOU so much Wendy, I hope it's not too late if this may be it.
Love you,
Jean
I just talked with my aunt, she is a mess and my poor uncle can't even talk and he's usually the joker.
I am going to call my cousin(his sister) and tell her this. My aunt said they had (8) doctors working on him at times. The doctors asked them today if they wanted to hear the truth and they said yes - The doctors said he is now living minute to minute - only 56 yrs old - I am going to call immediately. I don't know about their hospital but I always think it's better to get to another place if you have to - my cousin, the sister says this is a little hospital mostly for retirees. My cousin who is sick never drank or smoked - exercised regularly and now he's slipping away, today they say he's in a coma on top of e'thing else.
Will call my cousin now.
THANK YOU so much Wendy, I hope it's not too late if this may be it.
Love you,
Jean
Let me know how it goes...I know two people who have had those bites and one was air ambulanced and the other has a horrible deep almost gangrene looking hole in her leg a year later. Both are lucky to be alive. They called right away though.
Oh BeckyJean. I'm so sorry to hear this. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Your family has been through so much. I'm so sorry.
Love,
DeNae
Love,
DeNae
Hey Wendy and Denae;
I tried. I'm starting to wonder about this hospital. When I called my aunt back, she said they had removed my cousin's finger where he was bitten and said they got all of the poison out. She said that his whole hand is still swollen and red but the doctors just dismiss them when they ask about it, saying that's not the problem. He wa perfectly healthy, never smoled or dank or drugs, and now he's in a coma and e'thing else and the only change is a Brown Recluse spider bite.
I am so afraid this is it b/c the doctors won't even go back to that.
It's like they are to expect him to go at any minute now, the doctors told them that when his liver shuts down - that would be it. They are so believing in doctors (from the old school)
I hope they know what they are doing but he's been on the ventilator since Sun., or Mon. so it would be hard to even come off of that if he got any better at all. I know from my niece that the longer you are on one, the harder it is to breathe on your own again.
Thank so much Wendy, you tried and it was a Brown Recluse.
Thanks to both of you, Wendy and Denae for caring so much.
I will let you know but it doesn't look good at all. We need a miracle.
Love you,
Becky Jean
I tried. I'm starting to wonder about this hospital. When I called my aunt back, she said they had removed my cousin's finger where he was bitten and said they got all of the poison out. She said that his whole hand is still swollen and red but the doctors just dismiss them when they ask about it, saying that's not the problem. He wa perfectly healthy, never smoled or dank or drugs, and now he's in a coma and e'thing else and the only change is a Brown Recluse spider bite.
I am so afraid this is it b/c the doctors won't even go back to that.
It's like they are to expect him to go at any minute now, the doctors told them that when his liver shuts down - that would be it. They are so believing in doctors (from the old school)
I hope they know what they are doing but he's been on the ventilator since Sun., or Mon. so it would be hard to even come off of that if he got any better at all. I know from my niece that the longer you are on one, the harder it is to breathe on your own again.
Thank so much Wendy, you tried and it was a Brown Recluse.
Thanks to both of you, Wendy and Denae for caring so much.
I will let you know but it doesn't look good at all. We need a miracle.
Love you,
Becky Jean
Dear Jean
I Have just gotten in from work, had to go in at 2:00 today........Just reading this now.......I Am so truly sorry, 57 Is way too young, I'm so sorry for all the pain this must be causing his Parent's.........I Can't pretend to know how helpless they must feel. Please know your entire family is in my prayers & I will pray that God can work a miracle, as only he can!
If you need anything, yell, scream, write or call, I'm there for you!
God Bless Your family & Rick!
Love Dottie
I Have just gotten in from work, had to go in at 2:00 today........Just reading this now.......I Am so truly sorry, 57 Is way too young, I'm so sorry for all the pain this must be causing his Parent's.........I Can't pretend to know how helpless they must feel. Please know your entire family is in my prayers & I will pray that God can work a miracle, as only he can!
If you need anything, yell, scream, write or call, I'm there for you!
God Bless Your family & Rick!
Love Dottie
Jean
I Was just reading another post from you, about the brown recluse........That is what almost killed me 2 years ago, But I Had such a violent reaction that I Was at the hospitol within minutes from anaphlactic shock, had to get about 9 injections immediatly........To this day I Have to carry an epi-pen to give myself an injection when I Get bit........Did your cousin get medical attention right away when he got bit? Forgive me if you already said he did, was just curious
Florida is so bad with insects, It scares the hell out of me
Dottie
I Was just reading another post from you, about the brown recluse........That is what almost killed me 2 years ago, But I Had such a violent reaction that I Was at the hospitol within minutes from anaphlactic shock, had to get about 9 injections immediatly........To this day I Have to carry an epi-pen to give myself an injection when I Get bit........Did your cousin get medical attention right away when he got bit? Forgive me if you already said he did, was just curious
Florida is so bad with insects, It scares the hell out of me
Dottie
Hey Dottie, my Dear Twin
Thank you - I am so worried about my aunt and uncle.
That crazy hospital. They did remove his finger but per my aunt and my niece, that area is still red and swollen. The bite was about a week before entering the hospital. Now in a coma. I thinks he's too far gone and they are older, not asking many questiions of doctors. I would hope they would have gotten him transferred to somewhere like Duke or Emory but they are just going along with the doctors and the doctors say minute to minute - hour to hour and they can't find the infection.
He was so healthy and now after this bite, he's in a coma - on a ventilator and on Dialysis. I don't even know what else. I just let my aunt talk. She does love for us to call but she does start crying - who wouldn't - she apololized to me yesterday b/c she started crying. I told her to stop that, that she had way too much on her, I don't see how she's holding up as well as she is.
I saw that at the retirement community. Some lost children while I was there and they thought losing control of your emotiions in public as a sign of weakness and embarressing. - Not me - when it's that bad, I can't help but cry.
How is your Mother-in-law? Any better. Have you gotten to see her yet?
I am so sorry. She sounds like the Mother, Mother-in-law, Grandmother, aunt, uncles - that everyone wants to have. I'm so glad she has lived such a full life and knows how her family feels about her.
Sometimes we left things unsaid.
May call you today, we can talk about either being tested or chased by the devil. My family was just calming down and now this.
Do you know where New Smyna Beach is? I'm afraid they just have a little hospital there for the retirees. It's only 2 miles from their house.
Talk with you soon.
Love you,
Your Twin
Thank you - I am so worried about my aunt and uncle.
That crazy hospital. They did remove his finger but per my aunt and my niece, that area is still red and swollen. The bite was about a week before entering the hospital. Now in a coma. I thinks he's too far gone and they are older, not asking many questiions of doctors. I would hope they would have gotten him transferred to somewhere like Duke or Emory but they are just going along with the doctors and the doctors say minute to minute - hour to hour and they can't find the infection.
He was so healthy and now after this bite, he's in a coma - on a ventilator and on Dialysis. I don't even know what else. I just let my aunt talk. She does love for us to call but she does start crying - who wouldn't - she apololized to me yesterday b/c she started crying. I told her to stop that, that she had way too much on her, I don't see how she's holding up as well as she is.
I saw that at the retirement community. Some lost children while I was there and they thought losing control of your emotiions in public as a sign of weakness and embarressing. - Not me - when it's that bad, I can't help but cry.
How is your Mother-in-law? Any better. Have you gotten to see her yet?
I am so sorry. She sounds like the Mother, Mother-in-law, Grandmother, aunt, uncles - that everyone wants to have. I'm so glad she has lived such a full life and knows how her family feels about her.
Sometimes we left things unsaid.
May call you today, we can talk about either being tested or chased by the devil. My family was just calming down and now this.
Do you know where New Smyna Beach is? I'm afraid they just have a little hospital there for the retirees. It's only 2 miles from their house.
Talk with you soon.
Love you,
Your Twin
Sorry Jean,
Can't sleep and was just reading this for the first time. You know it sounds like his infection became so bad he is in mulitorgan failure. The swollen hand sure sounds r/t the bite but also they could have put an iv in there at some time which blew and seeped into his hand. Which could cause it to look the same. At any rate if a miracle turned around and he got better. Since he was healthy before and did not smoke, etc. he might come off that ventilator pretty quick. The main thing is they have to find the source of infection and treat it before everything just shuts down and also have they been able to keep the oxygen levels up in his brain and enough blood to his heart and brain? Has his blood pressure bottomed out and that's why he needed dialysis? Poor guy. Happened so fast.
Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I pray all goes in his best interests and your family is strong and can make it through.
love,
pm
Can't sleep and was just reading this for the first time. You know it sounds like his infection became so bad he is in mulitorgan failure. The swollen hand sure sounds r/t the bite but also they could have put an iv in there at some time which blew and seeped into his hand. Which could cause it to look the same. At any rate if a miracle turned around and he got better. Since he was healthy before and did not smoke, etc. he might come off that ventilator pretty quick. The main thing is they have to find the source of infection and treat it before everything just shuts down and also have they been able to keep the oxygen levels up in his brain and enough blood to his heart and brain? Has his blood pressure bottomed out and that's why he needed dialysis? Poor guy. Happened so fast.
Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I pray all goes in his best interests and your family is strong and can make it through.
love,
pm
Dear PM;
I don't know why he had to start the Dialysis. It seems my aunt and uncle are just not asking questions. Maybe their age. My cousin, his sister lives in Irmo SC and I wish she could find her way down there - if for no other reason, than to be with her parents. She teachers at Irmo High - I don't know how their school system works, I know Irmo is a huge school but the teachers in our county and employees get 15 personal days plus the 8 weeks off in the Summer. I just wish she could/would be there - this is going bad fast.
I don't know either about his BP. If I ask s'thing and my aunt doesn't know, she just starts crying and tells me that he was healthy one day and the next day the hospital called and he was already on the ventilator. They have kept him very sedated, he has not spoken since and now in a coma.
When my Father-in-law was on a ventilator, he would come around sometimes and get his point across to us but my cousin has not been able to speak at all.
I think my aunt is even trying to accept it b/c she told me he was in God's hands and whatever happens, it will be His will. My uncle just can't talk about it.
My s-in-law and I were talking last night and we had so many questions, 2 of us (siblings) are calling each day. She started saying the same thing, they are just accepting e'thing. It has to be their age. We were asking questions to each other on the phone last night - but we are just guessing, not medical.
My cousin, his sister has been given the PIN# to call and the hospital will discuss his health with her on the phone. I think I'm going to try and call her when she gets home from school.
I just want something, I'm afraid it's already too late.
Do you think he will be able to come off the ventilator since he's been on it close to a week? I remember hearing that with my husband's Father, the longer they were on it, the harder to breathe on their own again. If he does pull through some of these other things, do you think he could make it w/o the ventilator?
Won't hold you to it, just your opinion.
I will call his sister today. She has to know more even from phone conversations with doctors. Maybe the doctors aren't telling my aunt and uncle e'thing b/c of their ages. My uncle's son and his 2 nieces are also staying down there. His son is 23 and the 2 nieces are in their 30's so I thought they might could tell me more which the day I called and got Jennifer, she's the one who told me about the spider bite.
My aunt just believed that the doctors said that wasn't it, so she believes the doctors. I think he should be sent soemwhere big if he is to have a chance.
Sorry it's so long.
I think you are a nurse, by your questions.
Thank you for caring and giving me some good questions to ask.
Love, Jean
I don't know why he had to start the Dialysis. It seems my aunt and uncle are just not asking questions. Maybe their age. My cousin, his sister lives in Irmo SC and I wish she could find her way down there - if for no other reason, than to be with her parents. She teachers at Irmo High - I don't know how their school system works, I know Irmo is a huge school but the teachers in our county and employees get 15 personal days plus the 8 weeks off in the Summer. I just wish she could/would be there - this is going bad fast.
I don't know either about his BP. If I ask s'thing and my aunt doesn't know, she just starts crying and tells me that he was healthy one day and the next day the hospital called and he was already on the ventilator. They have kept him very sedated, he has not spoken since and now in a coma.
When my Father-in-law was on a ventilator, he would come around sometimes and get his point across to us but my cousin has not been able to speak at all.
I think my aunt is even trying to accept it b/c she told me he was in God's hands and whatever happens, it will be His will. My uncle just can't talk about it.
My s-in-law and I were talking last night and we had so many questions, 2 of us (siblings) are calling each day. She started saying the same thing, they are just accepting e'thing. It has to be their age. We were asking questions to each other on the phone last night - but we are just guessing, not medical.
My cousin, his sister has been given the PIN# to call and the hospital will discuss his health with her on the phone. I think I'm going to try and call her when she gets home from school.
I just want something, I'm afraid it's already too late.
Do you think he will be able to come off the ventilator since he's been on it close to a week? I remember hearing that with my husband's Father, the longer they were on it, the harder to breathe on their own again. If he does pull through some of these other things, do you think he could make it w/o the ventilator?
Won't hold you to it, just your opinion.
I will call his sister today. She has to know more even from phone conversations with doctors. Maybe the doctors aren't telling my aunt and uncle e'thing b/c of their ages. My uncle's son and his 2 nieces are also staying down there. His son is 23 and the 2 nieces are in their 30's so I thought they might could tell me more which the day I called and got Jennifer, she's the one who told me about the spider bite.
My aunt just believed that the doctors said that wasn't it, so she believes the doctors. I think he should be sent soemwhere big if he is to have a chance.
Sorry it's so long.
I think you are a nurse, by your questions.
Thank you for caring and giving me some good questions to ask.
Love, Jean
