Friend in surgery

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00scuba

Guest
Messages
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Location
South Suburb of Chicago
# of dives
200 - 499
Since 5pm today, and most likely carrying on into the early morning here in Chicago, Jason and I have a good friend who is having heart surgery. She is surrounded by a team of surgeons and support staff all working to save her life.

She left my house to go pick us up dinner, the next thing we know is we are getting a phone call from a local hospital because my number was the last dialed in her phone. She was involved in a car accident. As the details emerged, 3 broken ribs, broken nose from the air bag, and a punctured lung..most likely from her ribs. She was stable, but plans were being made to transport her to a hospital in Chicago. Ofcourse we were concerned, but it wasn't too bad..nothing seemingly life threatning.

At the new hospital, they discovered some internal bleeding which they could not pinpoint the source of. During exploratory surgery in the heart area, to find the culprit, our friend went into full arrest. They had to use the internal paddles to stablize her heart. They closed her up without stopping the bleeding, it was too risky now.

She had another heart attack hours later while in the ICU, but her condition improved enough to go through with the surgery this evening. The found more wrong with her heart, more than what was thought of the first time they opened her, so before tonight's surgery they went into it with a different game plan, but the outlook is still not good.

The team of surgeons working on her are the best, how do I know this? She knows all of them personally. Our friend is fighting for her life and her very friends are the ones who are helping her come through.

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Usually when people post stuff like this, it is followed by several prayers etc etc... Jason and I don't want that and either does our friend. Her life is being determined by the skill of the surgeons, her friends, working on her and her own bodies fight to stay alive. It is our hope that she will read this post soon, as I just found out that she has been lurking among us as a guest.

Instead of the token internet prayer, take a moment and be thankful for your family and friends who are still with you. It is important to realize that it is a reality that when they walk out that door that their life, as well as yours may be altered forever.
_______________________

To our friend, Jason and I hope you get to read this very soon. These last few days have really been hard on us, and even harder on your family. You will not be disappointed to learn that we have several funny jokes at your expense that need to be told to you and to you only. We need to pick up where we left off, and that is you getting us dinner!

your friends,

Sandy and Jason
 
If she's in Chicago....she's got a good bunch of people to take care of her- some of the best trauma docs in the world are found up there. I hope your friend does well....pass along my regards and well wishes when you get the chance.
 
Thanks Steve!

She is in no doubt receiving the best care possible giving the circumstances. The fact that her friends are working on her is also reassuring even though they would do the same to anyone.
Sandy and I feel helpless, we always like to determine or atleast have a say so in the outcome of just about everything, but with this we do not. So we wait and see, by the morning we shall have some more answers. The last update was that they overcame massive blood loss and are now back on track. She is well over six hours into the surgery and has not had an arrest, where as last time she had one at 2 hours I think. Not sure if that means much, but at this time we are looking for any good signs..we'll take anything.
So I go to bed, not knowing what the morning will bring. :crying2:
 
If you need someone to talk to....don't hesitate to contact me....all my contact info is listed on my profile. Your friend seems strong and I wish only the best for her.
 
Sandy & Jason,

Very sorry to hear about your friend. It's so hard to have that feeling of helplessness. You want to be able to help - but there is nothing for you to do but wait.

Please keep us posted.

Kat
 
Thanks Kat and Steve for your kind words.

Our friend Donna, died this morning at 3am. All we know is she had a heart attack and they couldn't bring her back. She contracted out for the very hospital she passed away in. She was a psychologist, as well as a RN...her primary job there was to console families on the passing of loved ones, as well as to talk with cancer patients. She was the person the hospital would have you talk to after a loved one died.
She was a work-aloholic, she loved helping people and would often go to patients homes on a drop of a dime if they just needed someone to talk to. She just got off of a 72 hour shift at the hospital when she decided to stop by Sandy's house and hang out with us. Sandy was the last person to see her as normal Donna.
I wrote Donna an email right before I went to bed, with the intentions of her reading it soon and now I know she won't, nor will she ever read this thread as we had hoped.
All she did was leave to go pick up dinner, that was on Sunday evening..she was suppose to come back.
The details are unclear, but we are pretty sure she remained unconscious since the first surgery, so she was in no pain the last few days of her life. She never got to say goodbye to her family who were all at the hospital....
thats it im done typing...
 
Sandy and Jason:
I'm so sorry about your friend. My condolences to you two, and all her family and friends.
 
My condolences to you both and her family.
 

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