Well, what a week....

[quadman Find all posts View Profile Close quadman]

Well, I just went through a week I'd rather forget. It all started sometime last week. I'd been feeling pretty puny and "not up to snuff" pretty much all week. Of course, I've been working on my bathroom for those of you following my thread. Well, late, late Sunday evening (sometime after midnight) I woke up and couldn't catch my breathe. I began to panic because I couldn't breathe and I'm sure I hyper ventilated to a large degree as well.

Anyway, the Mrs called 911 and the paramedics arrived. I guess I went into respitory arrest. Which then put me into cardiac arrest on my way to the hospital. Now, I wasn't flatlined, and they didn't need to use the paddles, but my rate was so low, they started some aggressive CPR to keep oxygen moving throughout my body. They ended up breaking/cracking my sternum and two ribs.

I also had a very aggressive case of pneumonia and they ended up putting me on a respirator for 24 hours until the antibiotics started kicking in. So, of course they sedate you while on the respirator so Monday is gone completely. I woke up Tuesday when they pulled the respirator and had a femural I-V, a cathetar and a morphine drip for my broken chest bones. Which until you need to cough (which you need to do regularly with pneumonia) and have broken ribs and sternum (try getting the hiccups :nervous:) or breathing etc.... it doesn't hurt all that bad. :rolleyes:

Anyway, they also found that I'm borderline diabetic or I guess pretty mild... They've got me on 40 units of Lantus once a day and my sugar never went above 133 and was usually less than 107 The only insulin shot I gave myself for high blood sugar was when I had to "practice" on myself. But I do need to regulate my diet and check my sugar four times a day now.

Bottom line, I'm home now. It's GOOD to be home.... and alive I guess. Broken chest bones and all.

Oh yeah.... I guess they figured "while I was there" they would regulate my blood pressure with drugs. So, now I have that script to purchase as well.

[Kevin_Wadsworth Find all posts View Profile Close Kevin_Wadsworth]

Goodness John, that does sound like a rough week. But we're all glad you pulled through it.

I've been told that properly done CPR will probably break ribs; I guess that's true. I guess you can look on the bright side that at least they discovered the insulin and B.P. issues before they cause major problems so hopefully you can get those in line. In the meantime, hopefully they also gave a you a prescription for good pain meds until you are fully healed up!

Best of luck and our prayers for your recovery.

[gonk Find all posts View Profile Close gonk]

Ouch! That sounds like an all-around bummer of a week. Glad to have you still around, certainly, but just the combination of pneumonia and cracked ribs by itself is enough to spoil anyone's fun. Take it easy, and I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[sbisheff Find all posts View Profile Close sbisheff]

Wow John! That is QUITE the week but its really good to hear you're ok!! Keep us up to date on how things go and if there is anything we can do to help.

Also, I forwarded this on to MLS as requested.

Feel better my friend!

Scott

[Jed M Find all posts View Profile Close Jed M]

Wow John! That is great news! Funny how when you just survive a tragedy people always tell you how lucky you are, but I am really glad it turned out ok. I can imagine you are in some pain right now so hopefully they hooked you up with something strong. :smoke1: Get well soon buddy and get some rest.

[arthurs Leave the Gun ... Take the Cannoli Find all posts View Profile Close arthurs]

Glad to hear you're on the mend John...that's a scary week! Take the meds, rest and heal...

[fanuminski Find all posts View Profile Close fanuminski]

Yea..... so what? What about the bathroom??? :scratchchin:

:whoopie:

J/K - Wow, I would say that that was a tad bit more than
most would like to experience!
glad you're doing better and best to your full recovery :big beer:
-M

[toddbagwell Find all posts View Profile Close toddbagwell]

glad you're home and on the road to recovery. I hope to have some speakers to share with you once you are road-worthy again!

todd

[brh986 Find all posts View Profile Close brh986]

John,

I am soooo sorry you went through all of that, but am soooo happy that you are back home and on the mend. Praying for your continued recovery.

Please do take care of yourself. Must have been equally scary for your family. You are a beacon of light in this community and we need you around to keep us all in line. :D

Keep us all posted on you progress.

Derek and "The Waylands" :goodvibes:

[alhull Find all posts View Profile Close alhull]

Quadman - sorry to hear of your woes...at least you got out of the hospital without catching any other infections.

As far as your broken bones go, I'll bet you'll have a whole new perspective the next time you cook up a slab of ribs... :applause:

[dvenardos Find all posts View Profile Close dvenardos]

Hope you feel better, that is some scary stuff.:nervous:

[quadman Find all posts View Profile Close quadman]

Roger that on the slab of ribs. I don't think I've ever experienced such pain before. Sure, a broken rib here and there.... but the sternum? And NEEDING to cough up all the mucus and crap in my lungs right now.... Damn. And those hiccups I got? Forget about it.... I almost asked them to put me out right then. They had already removed the femural I-V and Morphine drip....

[quadman Find all posts View Profile Close quadman]

And, all that stuff about "knowing" family and loved ones are there when you're in a coma.... forget it I call BS. The only thing I remember was feeling something in my mouth/throat and trying to pull it out which I guess is normal. Then they just pop you again with sedative so you don't fight the tube.

The last thing I do remember before waking up Tuesday, was telling Denise I was sorry I didn't get the bathroom done, I loved her, not to forget the life insurance policy and to watch out for my girls (I really did think I was going to die). The very last thing I actually remember was asking her to put a pair of socks on me right before she opened the front door to say that the paramedics had arrived. I guess I sat there and talked with them for a bit and even got on the gurney without assistance.... But I don't remember it, nor do I remember the ambulance ride, arriving at the hospital nothing, zip, nadda until I woke up Tuesday morning (other than the very brief clawing at my mouth). And even then, I wasn't all there.

I guess with the femural I-V, it puts the drugs right in the bloodstream faster right up by the heart. They used some sort of new fangled I-V antibiotic that's about as powerful as they get. It took three doses and broke my white cell count in half. Which was when they decided to pull me from the ventilator and sink or swim on my own. I had one more day of the ultra powerful antibiotic then switched to a horse sized pill taken twice a day.

The cardioligist said there was no damage to my heart because of our quick action. He wants me to lose some weight, and of course, I MUST quit smoking, but he said the vital organs were all pretty good. So that's a relief.

[Ajax Administrative Janitor Find all posts View Profile Close Ajax]

HOLY CRAP, JOHN!

Hell of a way to start the week. So sorry you had to deal with all this, but so happy, you're home and on the mend. Take care of yourself.

[Daryl RL Find all posts View Profile Close Daryl RL]

Wow - glad to hear all turned out well. I know - broken ribs and all, but it could have been a lot worse.

TAKE CARE, John!