Great news!

Michelle’s update

9/14/21 86

Welcome back to the roller coaster -Mike had a rough night last 24 hours and seems to have taken a little step backwards. His pain has increased over the last 24 hours and he’s been very “out of it” for lack of descriptive words. Right before drifting off he told me “this sucks”. He received two extra doses of dilaudin overnight and called me at 4:30 in the morning to talk to his nurse. Condensation had gathered in his O2 tube causing a rattling noise and spiking his anxiety. When I came in today his respiratory rate is very high 50-70 and he’s satting in the low 90’s and his O2 is up to 50-60 %. He is awake, but lethargic and listless. As far as I know he is still scheduled for the valve placement on Wednesday or Thursday.

10:30 saints this is a spiritual battle. I am suggesting things to help occupy his mind and he said legos “sounds like suffering”, my reply was that wallowing in your misery isn’t helpful. You’ve come too far and I’m not going to wallow with you. I’ll be over here reading until they come to move you to your chair.”

11:30-well it’s always more fun with a hallucination. He did have several doses of dilaudid and the docs are waiting for that to clear his body. I went and asked the nurse if we could check his CO2 levels. We’ll see how long that takes.

Michelle’s update

9/15/21 87

Good morning saints. Mike had a peaceful evening. So I just want to make sure I clearly write ways that I saw God working for him yesterday-1) his nurse was in the room when he altered and desatted
2) his doc was walking by outside his room when he needed additional help
3) dr. Warren came for her surgical consult right after all this and decisively made the call to go to MICU-unaware of what had occurred.
4) Keilah Hieb asked a friend to pray he either goes to room 2 or 3 on MICU and that Mike would be his nurse (a nurse we’re familiar with-no idea if he’s working) on our way to MICU the nurse says “He’s going to bed 2 and Mike will be his nurse.”

This morning his CO2 continues to climb and his Red blood count has dropped despite the unit he received last night. He vomited once since I came in this morning.

Suspicion of another internal bleed. He’s getting a CT soon.

Because of the blood thinner he needs to be off that one for 4 days, the valve will happen next week.

Thank you for your continued prayers-for all those that are suffering from the beating that is COVID and the caregivers.

3:45 Exodus 14:14 The Lord is fighting for you, you need only to be still.

Mike’s CO2 has continued to climb today. He is resting peacefully through it. The CT did not show any specific bleed. The Fellow suspects that it is the general ooziness that can occur in patients on blood thinners. There have been several various coagulation blood tests. It is more difficult to blow the CO2 because his “good” lung took the aspiration hit and is inflamed/pneumonia. He’s starting a new antibiotic soon as it comes from pharmacy. His cough is very weak today. One of the things Mike has always had on his side, is a good cough, so that is a little concerning. It’s been 3 months since he first told me “I’m sick”. Nearly that since I’ve heard his voice. I miss his voice.

4:18 doc just came in and said his CO2 is finally down trending!

I can't imagine what Mike and his family have been going through, or how long it has gone one. Prayers n Love to all of you

This thread has been going on for two and half months and Mike seems to be getting better one day only to give most of those gains back the next day. This disease is such a b!tch. Keep fighting strong, Mike. These internet strangers are all rooting for you!!!

Sending prayers Mike’s way.

Prayers for Mike, hope he's having a good day.

Michelle’s update

9/18/21 90

Good morning saints! What a beautiful day here in San Antonio! Mike reports sleeping well and Keilah said he’s definitely more alert and awake this morning. I’ll be chatting with the docs this afternoon as we’ve been missing them every morning. I guess Mike is first on their rounds. He’s still off CRRT and on Cpap mode.

Our housemates names are Nikki and Nevin. His parents are Dennis and Norma. They have 3 beautiful kids ages 9 and under. Thank you for your openness to pray for more. Josh and his family are improving and grandma did not get it! Our friend Victoria’s grandfather has been hospitalized as well. Continued prayers for Beth (hospitalized-hieb army family) and her parents who have now tested positive and are symptomatic.

2:30. Mike is off cpap and back on oxygen!! He’s improved so much!! He doesn’t remember much of the last week and is just so much more himself today! I’ve turned on football and he’s moved to the chair (which that alone is quite a bit of movement). I did connect with the doctor and he just wanted to discuss a medicine switch which I had a chance to research and if it works as it is supposed to, will be a big help. I’ll find out Monday, but I think we are on track for the valve! Praying that it will be the tool we need to help that lung heal!!

Thanks for the great news..

Michelle’s update

9/19/21 91

Good morning saints, keilah is with Mike and he is sleeping right now, so he hasn’t told us how he felt his night was. Nephrology will talk to MICU, but they don’t think he needs CRRT again, his kidneys seem to be recovering well from this set back.

His nurse last night was one that Mike hadn’t felt comfortable with before. I had time to pray for God to work on all of us and asked for the Holy Spirit to guide our conversation. When he came to the room I thanked him for being the person to discover separating Mike’s meds helped with his nausea. This was before the PEG and subsequent g-j tube. I didn’t know that until after our other conversation. That then led to me being able to ask more questions about his life, while he was very capably and gently caring for Mike and moving him back to bed. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that God loves everyone else as much as he loves me. He does not desire for his children to be in conflict with one another. I am very grateful we got another opportunity with this nurse.

Mike was sleeping before either of us left the room last night.

10:30-the docs just had rounds, he’s doing so well they want to move him back to 3E. Will you please pray with me that this move will happen at the right time and that I can rest in the knowledge that God is fighting for him, I need only be still. Mike isn’t the only Satan attacks through changes-he comes after me and the kids too.

6:30 he has slept pretty much all day, I asked if they’d checked his CO2 recently, his nurse checked it with his scheduled labs and it had gone up again. So he’s back on cpap. He hasn’t moved yet, it’s possible but unlikely to happen overnight. Again, all in God’s perfect timing.

Michelle’s update

9/23/22 95

UPDATE:traveling now-procedure is at 11:00!

Good morning saints-a little confusion over timing- Dr. Warren said 11:00, but everyone today is saying 1:00. Either way it’s today and we are grateful. Mike is sleepy as he didn’t sleep well last night. But, he continues to be fully present and engaged. His flat affect is gone and he’s more animated with his expressions. He said he’s not nervous or anxious about today’s procedure.

We have a nurse I haven’t met before. I asked if Keilah and I could be together with him today before the procedure, and she needs to “ask the chain of command”. So we are both here, swapping out for now.

Whatever the outcome. God has ordained our steps and each day continues to be a miracle in my eyes. The anesthesiologist who came in said she’d been researching his history to be prepared for today’s procedure (apparently, he’s complicated?) and said “you are a miracle” when she came for us to sign consent. I agreed.

Thank you for praying with us and being witness!

1:07 no updates so far. But, I did get the name of a patient and his wife that we’ve been praying for. I’ve visited with his parents before as we all wait in the ICU. David has been on ECMO for 4 months and needs a transplant, but experienced some setbacks that may keep him from being a candidate. Please pray for him and his wife Nya.

2:51-Mike tolerated the procedure well, but they were unable to safely place the valve. Everything is too fresh and raw and I’m still processing what it means for his healing. Keep praying and I’ll update tomorrow.

thanks Jim

I'm sure I'm not alone among those here who don't post here to keep the thread clean, but we are praying each and every day and check this thread first thing each time we're here. Thanks for the update. God is great. Praying for continued blessings and healing.

Michelle’s update

9/27/21 99

Howdy Saints-I woke to texts from Mike, that docs were coming to talk to him, and he wished I was here. So, I quickly dressed and came over. I missed the docs and Mike was unable to communicate what they said, so I asked at the nurses station to have the docs come back and tell me what they sad. Mike has two teams of doctors-the pulmonary team drive the train and the medical team run his care here on 3E.

Fortunately they were able to come back through pretty quickly and it was a lot of information. First is that there are multiple steps for this process and not everyone who would benefit from a transplant is accepted for transplant. His team also expects because his Kidneys did take a hit, that he would need a kidney transplant as well, due to the post-transplant medications.

As I mentioned before Mike needs to get stronger. So they are looking for a LTACH that will accept him with a chest tube that needs continual suction. The hope is this move can happen sooner than later, but regardless. He needs physical therapy and therapists here are more about assess/discharge than actual treatment planning and executing.

I'm reminding myself continually that God is fighting for us. We need only to be still. We still have the spectre of retirement hanging over us as well-the request to rescind was submitted last week but we have not received an answer yet (I'm told it can take 30 days).

We are counting on God to order our steps and continue leading us through this journey.

Sending prayers out.

May God have mercy on and bring healing to Mike.

Michelle’s update

10/3/21 105

Good evening saints. Mike had to go back on bi-pap for the day because his CO2 a has been climbing. He texted me yesterday evening that he “didn’t feel well”. He’ll switch to cpap for bed, and hopefully tomorrow can go back to “blow-by” oxygen. Even though that has been higher too. He’s been on an antibiotic for the last few days-the same bug that cultured from his pic line was growing from a lung culture. Perhaps that is what is causing this little set back.

These last 24 hours have been a whole lot of me talking to Jesus to remain calm and in my place and trusting God-it doesn’t matter how small the set back, it’s unnerving.

We however had a nice day, watched a couple of episodes of Hart of Dixie and got to watch a live stream of Shepherd playing at the Tater Patch.

I got second vaccine shot yesterday. Feeling really rough. I try to put myself in Mike’s shoes and I simply cannot imagine what he has been through. I pray that he finds relief soon. God bless him and his family.

Michelle’s update

10/5/21 107

Good afternoon saints.

Today has a calm healing day. After breakfast Mike got into the chair where he spent 5 hours! He also did two sets of 10 of 5 different leg exercises. That's the most I've ever seen him do! So his lungs may have stalled out a bit, but the rest of him is getting stronger!

No word on when we will be moving-that's a case worker-paperwork job. He's had a few quirky phospate numbers and I very much appreciate his doctors staying on top of things and being proactive instead of reactive. I guess that is a benefit of being in the hospital for a long time.

I also want to thank my sister Kirsten Sacra for going to hang out with my boys at FLW this week. It was a huge relief to have her go through my mail for me, something teenage boys just didn't quite get the importance/urgency for mom of unopened mail.

Always thanking God for all of you as well.

Prayers for continued improvements..