MM and Colleen: I lit a candle for the both of and asked the universe to send some healing for Elie, some comfort for Colleen and some strength for the both of you.

Colleen, you said something about Elie being able to hear you even though he's comatose? I work for a hospice, and part of my duties include sitting with people who are dying. They're usually unresponsive and in a coma, but there's no doubt in my mind that they hear me talking to them. Absolutely none. Some of my patients have had pretty poor vital signs - until a family member with a voice that they recognize came to sit with them, then their blood pressure and heart rate improved. They may not have been able to speak and tell us that they heard us, but their bodies told us that they did. Even people who haven't had any family to sit with them have had improved vital signs when I've gone and sat and talked to them for a while. So, rest assured that Elie CAN and does hear you when you talk to him.

Elie, Dave and I are both thinking about you and sending as much positive energy as we can muster. We need you here at JU, the pinko liberals are taking over!

I mailed a card and I'm hoping he'll be awake and able to read it by the time it gets there. Sending love and prayers.

I mailed a card and I'm hoping he'll be awake and able to read it by the time it gets there. Sending love and prayers.

me too 'cept it wasn't a card. Just a hastily scribbled note written off and dashed in the mailbox.

Get well soon, old man.

Just a hastily scribbled note written off and dashed in the mailbox.

Finest kind.

Hello All - not good news to report at the moment.  Elie's fever came back with a vengeance last night and peaked at 104.  White blood cell count, respiration, etc..all jumped accordingly.  Today he was back down to 100.2 - keep those prayers and kind thoughts coming his way as he is battling for his life here.

Just a couple of asides.  Elie will appreciate, when the time for him to wake up comes that 1) I have finally gotten to shave him.  2) I have finally gotten to give him a pedicure.  3) Even when he is unconscious, it takes 3 women to hold him down and 4) His ex-wife and I have now bonded and today, each of us was massaging lotion onto a foot (at the same time)

I did indeed read him every one of your beautiful messages and I am sure that he heard me and knows that you are all pulling for him.  I expect him to wake up to a collage of cards on his wall that goes all the way around his room.

Bless you all for taking the time to show both Elie and me, how much he is valued in this life by others, even those that have, well......shall we say, a liberal "tilt"? 

Colleen

 

 

 

I am sincerely pulling for him. I regret that I am out on the road and unable to send him a card or other symbol of my well wishes, but am praying for him just the same.

They're usually unresponsive and in a coma, but there's no doubt in my mind that they hear me talking to them. Absolutely none. Some of my patients have had pretty poor vital signs - until a family member with a voice that they recognize came to sit with them, then their blood pressure and heart rate improved. They may not have been able to speak and tell us that they heard us, but their bodies told us that they did. Even people who haven't had any family to sit with them have had improved vital signs when I've gone and sat and talked to them for a while. So, rest assured that Elie CAN and does hear you when you talk to him.

This is true. My mom was in a coma for a while and when we were with her, talking and praying and just conversing, she could hear us and it made her seem so much more at peace.



Colleen, thanks for the update. God bless you both.

His ex-wife and I have now bonded and today, each of us was massaging lotion onto a foot (at the same time)

Pulling together for the ones you care about - so important. It is good you are there for each other to give one another strength and support to be there for him...bless you both.

Modman - you hang in there and keep up the good fight I am sending you healing energy and both you and Colleen are in my prayers. Fight it!

I can't say we've ever really gotten along but I have always respected his passion. I hope he gets better soon. I'm thinking of you, you old bastard.

Thanks for the update.

Keep fighting Elie.

Colleen, thanks for the updates. I check here often in hopes of hearing that MM is doing better.

It must be pretty stressful for you so I really admire the thoughtfulness of keeping everyone here posted.

I'm hoping for the best.

I never know what to say to these sort of posts. I guess that is a good thing because his condition becomes a regular thought throughout my day. I am also not so good at praying and I think I will print Forever's prayer and print it out. When thoughts of Mod's condition cross my mind I will take it out and pray those words.

I don't interact so much with you Eli here at JU but I am pulling for your return. Come back. JU will be less without you.

Does anyone know what the latest is on Modman?

i am anxiously awaiting an update as well, as i've been away for a few days.

Just wanted to add my own "Get well soon" to the list.

I'm really worried by the fact that he hasn't regained consciousness yet. It seems like they could at least pin down WHY this is happening in all this time. I hate doctors and hospitals. My family tries to keep me out of them when a family member is sick, because i have a tendency to grab the staff around the neck and shake them.

I'm really worried by the fact that he hasn't regained consciousness yet

It sounds to me like he's septic. A lot of times blood tests failt to pinpoint any one particular problem when a patient is septic like this, and physicians pull their hair out and use all kinds of antibiotics in an attempt to treat it. It's like shooting in the dark; you know there's a target somewhere, but you're firing all over before you hit it....and sometimes you hit everything BUT the target.

We're still sending positive and healing energyand thoughts Elie's way, and we won't stop....

I wrote this poem for Elie some time ago. I was reading it again today and thought the words so fitting. I'll post it again here. And here's the link to that article:
Link

Elie, Sweet Elie

though it seems thy shadow
is cast
doom and gloom tis not to be

shine on my friend
shine on
your light is yet to dim


though it seems so hard just being
sometimes you gotta
even when you don’t want to

shine on my friend
shine on
your light is yet to dim

the mountain seems harder
to climb
the more you try
the higher it gets

shine on my friend
shine on
your light is yet to dim

for naught my friend
it is not
for you to hang around a wee bit longer
yes

it is time
for you to rise up
from the stench
claim it not
for it’s not time
your fight tarry on


for life, hope, love, family, friends
your fight tarry on
we stand aside to let you be
but we cannot
in that stench leave thee


we carry thee
with prayer, hope, love, friendship
we carry thee with wishes
from the Universe
from the Earth
from our Gods
that dwell herin

we rise with you
to help you shine
shine on my friend
your light is yet dim

beautiful, FS -- simply beautiful.

Thanks, LW, for keeping us informed.

I'm just worried what sort of toll that prolonged high fever took on him, it was over 103 for days and days on end, spiking even higher, (to 105 at one point) and that can cause an awful lot of damage to various organs, including the eyes, the brain, and the kidneys.

A temperature above 42C, or 107.6F, is the really dangerous one...so as long as it stays below that, serious damage to tissues should not occur. However, the prolonged fever is probably taking a hell of a toll on him anyway...

Elie, Sweet Elie

As shades said, simply beautiful, FS. Pure and raw emotion...that's what really makes a poem great.


I'm still hoping, praying, and thinking about him. Wish those doctors could figure out what bug is causing this...at least then there'd be an enemy to fight instead of waiting.

~Zoo

Elie, Sweet Elie As shades said, simply beautiful, FS. Pure and raw emotion...that's what really makes a poem great.

let me add my accolades to the others. And thank you. I hope Colleen gets to read it to him soon.

A temperature above 42C, or 107.6F, is the really dangerous one...so as long as it stays below that, serious damage to tissues should not occur

That's not necessarily true. A prolonged fever of 105 can do just as much (if not more) damage than a fever spike of 107.

The highest fever I've ever had was 106.4. I walked into the ER, told them what my temp was, and, after they verified it, all hell broke loose. It had been 104 -105 for a day or so prior to that, but the doctor told me I had the flu. As it turns out, I had mastitis.

The more and more I think about it, the more I think that he's septic, and I suspect that's probably what his doctors are thinking as well.

Elie has health issues that a prolonged fever isn't going to help. I'm worried about the toll all of this is taking on him too.

The highest fever I've ever had was 106.4.

I had a 106 when I was a baby...or so I hear from my parents and I ended up in the ER.

~Zoo

That is a very beautiful poem FS and I mean that very sincerely.

Hello All,

Sorry for not staying on top of the reports.  The truth is, there is not much TO report.  I do want to clarify a couple of things though.  Elie lapsed into unconsciousness from the fever initially, but was still physically agitated and combative.  When they intubated him Wednesday last week, they found a huge "wad" of gunk, hardened from the bipap, in his air passageway.  Once they removed that, he was much less agitated, but it was at that time that they began to chemically sedate him.

Since then, there have been many ups and downs; fever, heart rate and respiration wise.  He has had two "bronchetomies" (sp) both showing still large amounts of liquid in his lungs.  His temperature and other vitals are stable and good today - it's the nightime that gets him.  The fever is much improved however, no more spiking at this time.  Highest it has gotten recently is 102, but most of the time it is hovering between 99 and 100.

They discontinued sedation on the 22nd and he is still unconscious and non-responsive.  I cannot say that I am overly concerned, as the Doc does not appear to be.  He was disappointed but not surprised as folks wake up from sedation and illness on thier own schedule and you would need a crystal ball to predict it.  In a way, I'm glad that he is not awake as it looks as if he will be on the ventilator for an "unspecified amount of time".

So, we are still in a holding pattern.  In answer to a question several of you had, no, they do not know specifically what the virus is.  It could actually have been something latent and opportunistic that was already in his system, or from the outside.  All that they really know is that, symptomatically, he has pnuemonia.  His physical strength is not great at the best of times, so it really packed a wallop.

Last but not least, I wanted to say some thank yous.  First, thank you all for your kind thoughts, prayers (in Sabrinas case, animal sacrifices at midnight) and general well wishes.  I take a great deal of pleasure in reading how valued Elie is by others and I know that Elie will be delighted when he does wake up.

A special note of thanks to Sabrina and Simon for the wonderful care package that they prepared for Elie. (okay, he can't eat anything, so it was really for me:) with help from....uh, oh...senior moment..can't remember who was visiting that helped although I just got off the phone with Sabrina.  Anyway, it was full of all kinds of snacks and goodies, wrapped up in a blanket with a Teddy Bear in a huge basket.  Just beautiful and, I might add, looks yummy!

Thanks for the beautiful poem Donna - I will enjoy reading it to Elie more than I can say.

And to Donna (and Amanda:), Joe, Dr. Guy, Rose, Amy, Sabrina and Simon, thank you all for the beautiful cards.  I am turning one of his walls into a "collage of love" and it is filling up nicely, so keep the cards coming.  I have them up right where his head is tilted and in his line of vision, so it may well be the first thing he sees when he awakens.

Thank you all again - I hope that I missed no one, but if I did, please forgive me.  I promise to post more as I know more.

Elie is very fortunate to have the blessing of so many caring souls thinking of him!

 

Colleen