A dear friend of mine needs urgent prayer (Sad news update at #80)

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He's had another stroke, his second in 2 years. This one sounds even worse than the first, from what his sister-in-law has said so far. This is what she posted initially, on 7/31

"I AM ASKING FOR PRAYERS FOR MY BROTHER-N-LAW. HE HAS HAD ANOTHER STROKE THIS MORNING AND AS OF RIGHT NOW THINGS DON'T LOOK VERY GOOD. SO PLEASE ASK GOD TO HELP HIM RECOVER."

"LONE UPDATE.....HE HASN'T WOKE UP YET BUT WHEN I GOT UP THERE I STARTED I STARTED PESTERING HIM TO WAKE UP AND HE DID OPEN HIS EYES BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. HE IS MOVING BOTH LEGS AND BOTH ARMS. HE JUST WON'T WAKE UP YET. THE BLEED IN THE BRAIN IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE THIS TIME. THIS STROKE CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. THANK GOD HIS SISTER WAS THERE TO CALL 911 AND GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. I'LL TALK TO YOU TOMORROW AFTER I GET BACK FROM HOSPITAL AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE"

Please send up prayers, mojo, good thoughts, etc for one of our own who needs it right now. Skidoo is a great guy and a good friend to many.

ETA: Here's the sad update from his sister as of this afternoon, (a few days ago)

"To friends and family. He had another stroke,on Sunday morning. He has lost his ability to speak and to swallow. He has directives that do not allow a feeding tube, ventilator, etc. Since he can't swallow his saliva is collecting in his lungs and he will get phenumonia. He can still communicate with thumbs up and down and he has chosen to go to Hubbard Hospice House to die. They say it will be about ten days. Please pray for God to comfort him and make this journey go as painlessly as possible.:

Then, another update...My friend Lone_Wolfe (who was shot in theater, survived against all odds and is now struggling with cancer) flew to be with him and he changed his mind and wants to fight to live. Wolfe called the police when he had the last stroke. She hadn't heard from him in a few days and got worried. She was in the sandbox then, where she could get better care for her injuries. The police went to his house and found him on the floor having had the first stroke. If she hadn't called, he would have died then.

A few days of updates that I have missed. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for Jeff and his family and friends.

Here’s today’s updates from his sister. I’m still not giving up hope, and neither is she. This first one she sent to me (Lone_Wolfe), and I edited out a few private comments. I’d like to smack that doc she called Mr Morbid.
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“He was furious with me all night, because I had taken you away. He did forgive me this morning though. The Dr was very discouraging this morning, before his surgery, the Hospitalist. He said Jeff would likely never get any better and always be in the bed. However, before Mr. Morbid cleared a neighbor from Woodbine Ave. came in. She has been a nurse there for over 30 years, and she says that isn’t true. She said that talking led to swallowing and that if he is doing well in physical therapy, he will probably be able to walk again. I had the Dr speak to Jeff and tell him what he thought about his, Jeff’s, future and Jeff gave thumbs-up when I asked him if he wanted to try to live. The social worker is trying to get him a room in a Nursing Home with Rehabilitation. They are all awful but I found a few that weren’t as bad as the others. If he’s still in one in 4 months, maybe he can get in a better one with Medicare. I am numb. I don’t know where to turn or what to do. Keep us both in your prayers. .......... “

Here’s what she posted on FB,

“Jeff had an emotional day today. He failed his camera swallowing test which means he will have a feeding tube put through his stomach wall tomorrow. He needs enough nourishment for his body to heal. His blood pressure has been extremely high today; the last reading was 213 over 165, which is very dangerous for him. Another emotional event was that Lone_Wolfe had to go back home today to finish her chemo. On the positive side, he said his first full sentence today. He needs uplifting. Please pray for God to help him heal and be able to LIVE again and not just survive.”

This news has me really worried. I know he wants to try to live, but the idea that he’ll regret his decision later scares the hell out of me. I really want him to be happy he’s still among us, and to be able to come back here and tell us that. He did say a short sentence yesterday; I forgot to ask what complete sentence he spoke today.

Here’s the last BF update she posted, he’s got his tube in. That means they can start feeding him after 9 days of no food. Now we have to start praying she can get him into a nursing home that’ll actually work him and help him get better, instead of just leaving him in a bed to decline.

“Please do Not come visit Jeff until late today or tomorrow. He is recovering from having a food tube put into his stomach and needs all the rest he can get. They want to discharge him from the hospital into a nursing home for rehabilitation. I’m hoping to get him into Marmet, for now. Maybe we can do better when he gets Medicare in 4 months.”

Looks like his spirits are good, he’s not mad that I had to leave, and gets fed today through his tube. His sister posted an update here,

“Everybody is welcome to visit today! He is doing much better today, they are going to start his feedings today and move him to the Nursing Home, I think. They were talking outside our door that he was being moved out today but no-one has spoken to me. Please pray that they send him to a place that can help him. With Medicaid, he doesn’t have much of a choice.”

She’s really sweating which nursing home he goes to, because a lot of them there don’t bother doing rehab, which Jeff REALLY needs if he’s going to get out of there. Patty sent me this, “Pray that it’s Marmet, because they are good to them there.” She’s done her research, and this is the best one that’ll accept what insurance he has, now that his previous insurance ran out.

“Jeff is doing good today. They started his tube feedings today and gave him his heart medicine and a bottle of protein also.
He will be going to Riverside Nursing and Rehabilitation, in St. Albans, either tomorrow or the next day. They will do rehab with him six times a week and up to twice a day. I am really thrilled that they are willing to work that hard with him. The only down side is that there will be four men in one room. I hope none of them are screamers, like Dad. Ha! We have had a lady that has screamed all night for 4 nights. I feel so sorry for her; I know there is nothing she can do about it. When Mom was in here she would call 911 and tell them she was being held hostage! The Police showed up twice. Ha! That’s my Mom!
Please keep us in your prayers. We need them all.”

Unfortunately the nursing home isn’t the one they wanted, and a former employee posted this warning,

“I hope all goes well but you still need to try to get him in marmet or oakridge i have heard horror stories and when I worked there it was bad and that’s why I left” (We have been warned not to take these comments too seriously as “Ex” employees tend to have bad things to say about their old employer due to bad feelings. The family and friends are going to keep a good eye on the situation, but not allow these comments to color their thoughts in advance)

That has me concerned, since it’s too far from his sister to visit every day and keep an eye on him. I’ll really be glad if they do the twice a day rehab they’re talking about. If they abuse Jeff I might come here to round up a GT posse. How many volunteers would I get?

“Jeff is now in Riverside. The first indicator of a really bad nursing home is its smell I am very glad to say that it does NOT sell like old pee which is a sure sign of bad treatment. It is old, but clean. They are packed and understaffed, but that is a description of all of them. I introduced myself and Jeff to his 2 room mates, and they seemed like nice old men. I am going down by 10 tomorrow to talk to the therapist to make sure they really intend to do rehab with him. I am going to try to put my nose in their business all day. Ha! They will be glad to see me go. Poor Jeff didn’t want me to go. I told him to not be afraid and be strong and work hard, so he can get out of there. His tube feeder was working good. He looked much more bright eyed today. Please pray for him to have mental and physical strength to get back on his feet and eating again. Also, please pray for him not to give up. To do so would be to accept his worst nightmare.”

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