Jack Sutton Seton Hospital ICU |
On March 26th 2014 after several days of feeling
ill, I was rushed to Seton Hospital’s emergency room and teetered on the brink
of death with a 104 temperature for several days. The hospital staff likened
the illness to some sort of meningitis as fluid had formed on my brain. I
underwent a spinal tap, MRI, and every possible test to ascertain what the
problem was. I was pumped full of
antibiotics and eventually after about 5 days in ICU, I started to respond.
After 12 days in the hospital and 4 days in rehab, I returned home.
My recovery seemed to be going well, when again I got sick
and was once again in the Seton Hospital’s emergency room on May 2nd
2014. I became totally unresponsive and was put on a respirator for several
days. This time my hospital stay was 14 days, ICU
and recovery, then another 14 days in Linda Mar Rehab in Pacifica, California. This
inactivity resulted in several blood clots forming in my lungs and in my leg.
Currently, I’m on Coumadin (Warfarin) and need blood test about once per week
that is monitored by the Anticoagulation clinic at the Veterans Administration
hospital in San Francisco, CA. Again, a battery of tests and procedures could
not isolate what caused me so much agony. The head neurologist at Seton put it
to me this way; we ended up on your case with no name, no pathogen, and no idea
what happened. He also said I had a remarkable recovery.
So right now I feel like Damocles with a sword hanging above
my head held by a human hair, so the story of the Sword of Damocles becomes for
me the Sword of Don’tDropPlease. Sure could use a Dionysius to trade back places with. I guess we all eventually have to deal with the Sword of Damocles!
Wow Jack! Here's wishing that the sword doesn't drop! So, you still have no idea what happened? Speedy recovery and get back your strength. Paul Fay
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul, I'm still hanging in, fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteHello Jack. I can relate. I was in the Seton ICU about the same time as you. My wife tells me I looked just like you in this picture. I had a lot of ICU induced PTSD for about a year. Still just a tiny bit. Glad you made it.
ReplyDeleteHello Jack. I can relate. I was in the Seton ICU about the same time as you. My wife tells me I looked just like you in this picture. I had a lot of ICU induced PTSD for about a year. Still just a tiny bit. Glad you made it.
ReplyDeleteThat's very interesting that we were in the ICU at the same time. I guess both of us were to ill for social calls! I think I may be suffering from some sort of PTSD, not sure. I seem to be more frustrated than I should be, sometimes even the smallest of things can set me off. Did you have any experiences like that?
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