Just got back from the hospital ... Nate's Gone

aspeck

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Re: Just got back from the hospital ...

Re: Just got back from the hospital ...

Just curious Aspeck, but did your friend get a flu/swine flue shot recently?

Nope, no flue shots.
 

pduquette

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Re: Just got back from the hospital ...

Continuing to add prayers .... Art Have YOU got your shot ??? Keep healthy!peter.
 

kenmyfam

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We are still with you. Glad to hear that the updates so far are in the positive direction.
 

WAVENBYE2

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One more added to the prayer list.
 

j_martin

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My friend's son is just barely surviving a bout with blastomycosis, which is a supposedly rare fungal pneumonia. It was misdiagnosed and treated with antibiotics, but in a few days he got so bad he couldn't survive even on a respirator. They put him on a machine called an oscillator, which is a very rapid ventilator, like many pulses a second. No adult in the hospital that was treating him has survived on an oscillator longer than 6 days. He was on it for 22 days.

He's in rehab now, trying to put on some of the 40 lbs he lost, and regain enough strength so he can survive at home. It looks like that will take about two weeks.

Here's the link for the disease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blastomycosis

Here's the Caring Bridge Journal for Scott Stepp
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/scottstepp/journal

hope it helps
John
 

aspeck

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Thanks John ... have called the family and they will talk with the doctor. Thanks for the call!
 

j_martin

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Aspeck, You have mail.
 

aspeck

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Sunday Evening Update ...

He had a fever, but they put a cooling blanket on him, it went down. His numbers are the same. They've started feeding him with diabetic tube feeding to keep his blood sugars under control. The blood sugars are elevated due to the steroids, so they have to lower them. He's doing better, but he's still very critical.

His mom and dad also mentioned to the doctor about the fungus j_martin mentioned, and at this point, they are treating the ARDS no matter what the cause. Although, the doctor said he may treat with an anti-fungal eventually. They cannot do a scope to diagnose it. He's too critical.
 

waterinthefuel

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Hope everything turns out for the better.

How old is he?
 

Blue Crabber

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Hope everything turns out for the better.

How old is he?

26 years old, mentioned in the first post ;)

Art - Glad to hear things are getting better. Continued prayers are headed his way and to everyone else affected by it.

Thanks for the updates.
 

kenmyfam

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Kenmyfamilies prayers still going out to them all.
 

rbh

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For what its worth-
I believe that a strain of group A streptococcus has been found living on the trees near the beaches on the west coast. Wash state/ BC, ?
this disease has the ability to bring on such things as pnemonia to necrotizing fasciitis (flesh eating disease)
If you cut yourself at the beach, clean and dress immediatly.
 

adamjr

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Prayers said. Blasto is a nasty one. I worked in a vet emergancy hospital. It's one of the few illnesses that can transfer from animals to people. God bless and best wishes that the cause is found and proper treatments prevail.
 

aspeck

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Doctor just said they believe there is no organ damage, except to the lungs. Oxygen saturation is up to 94% and the doctor was optimistic when with a report of a 20% chance of survival.

Nate has no insurance, so I am sure many tests are not being run because there will be no re-imbursement for the procedures. Thanks for your prayers ... they are working.
 

gonefishie

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I learned a little bit of info earlier today. It seemed the virus attacks fast and furious. Right now, the primary focus group is the female under 25 yrs old, pregnant women, and healthcare workers in that order.
 

aspeck

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Just got a call ... heading to the hospital ... oxygen sat is down to 10% ... all vitals went south ... going to be with the family ... pray. Thanks! I know you have been.
 

eaglejim

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Prayers going out to the family
 

QC

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Praying for the best!!
 

kenmyfam

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Still with you all.

Kenmyfamily (all of us)
 

aspeck

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What a night! Hospital called family in ... it was the end. Thought his lung collapsed,thought he developed a blood clot that moved, thought that ... in the end his vitals came back to where they were, his lung x-rays are much clearer, they say he does not have pneumonia now, well, maybe not, but then again, maybe ... has H1N1, no he doesn't, yes he does, will be 2 weeks till the CDC tells us if he does or not ... too sick for tests, can't take him off ventilator for CT scans or MRI's, can only do bedside tests ... you have to wear a mask and breathing apparatus to see him, that one isn't approved, well, maybe it is okay ... you have to call ahead and be screened and then put on a decon suit, don't call, just come, you didn't call ...

Anyway, all that to say that Nate is holding his own again and his vitals are improving. Thanks again and again for your prayers. The fact that Nate is still hanging in there is a testament to their working power.
 
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