Hello everyone! If you have missed Jeff’s posts, there is a good reason for that. Before I tell you why, I need to tell you that I’m not Jeff. I’m Carrie, his wife, and I’ve taken over for the time being.
On October 8, 2024, Jeff woke up speaking a language not known in this universe – Klingon, maybe? After listening to his gibberish for a few minutes, I told him something was not right with him and we needed to see the doctor. One phone call later, and we were on our way to her office. It took her about thirty seconds to realize that we needed more help than she could give. So, off we were again, instructed to go directly to the local ER, and NOT to stop at the local Tudor’s Biscuit World (that’s a thing in West Virginia).
We arrived at the ER for Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston, WV. Jeff walked into the ER under his own power (that will become important later). Testing revealed a brain bleed located just above his left ear (that also becomes important later). He was then whisked into a helicopter for a trip to Ruby Memorial in Morgantown, WV, flagship hospital for the WVU Medical system. I followed in my car after a stop at home and drove up the interstate at about the same speed as the chopper, alternating between prayers to arrive in one piece and rehearsing what I would say to any police officer who stopped me.
When I arrived at Ruby, I found Jeff in the Neuro Critical Care Unit, where he was taken after having been stabilized in the ER. I also found my son Andrew. He arrived while Jeff was in the ER, He had a shorter trip, since he was coming from Pittsburgh. I couldn’t have gotten through this without him.
For each of the next two days, Jeff underwent a procedure in which the surgeons entered his body through his groin, somewhat like a cardiac catherization. Unlike the more familiar cardiac version, the surgeons threaded their instruments to the brain, using x-ray as a guide. There, they shut off the blood flow, using a combination of surgical glue, mesh, and cauterization. It was necessary to do this twice because there is a limit to the amount of radiation a person can have in a day. But after the second procedure, one of the neurosurgeons, Dr. Lee, came to Jeff’s room, showed me images of Jeff’s brain, and told me they believed all the vessels had been shut off. He used the word “cure.”
To me, this is a miracle of modern medicine. Thirty years ago, a brain bleed like Jeff’s would have likely resulted in either death or permanent brain damage, possibly rendering a person a vegetable. Fifteen years ago, surgeons would have had to shave the head and saw through the skull to reach the bleed. Such invasive surgery had very little in the way of guarantees and a whole lot of risks. I find myself grateful.
Jeff’s brain bleed (actual medical term is hemorrhagic stroke) was caused by something called and A-V malformation that Jeff may have had all his life. Normally, arteries lead to capillaries, which then lead into veins. Arteries can be imagined as the water main carrying water up the street – high pressure lines. Veins can be imagined as the plumbing inside your house – usually lower pressure lines. Capillaries in the vascular system serve the same function, in part, as a pressure reducer found just inside a house’s plumbing system – they reduce the pressure of the flow. In an A-V malformation, the capillaries are missing, putting too much pressure on the veins, which, in Jeff’s case, began to bleed. His general blood pressure had been elevated, exacerbating the situation.
In total, Jeff was in the hospital for sixteen days. After a few days of heavy-duty monitoring in Neuro Critical Care, he was moved to the general Stroke Unit, and ultimately to rehab at the United Hospital Center in Bridgeport, WV. There, he received at least three hours of therapy daily, divided between physical, occupational, and speech.
On October 24th, Jeff was released to come home and start receiving outpatient therapies. He no longer needs physical therapy. What he did have as an inpatient was to restore strength after the surgeries and just from being in bed so long. The brain bleed did not affect his mobility (remember what I said about his walking into the ER). He continues with speech and occupational therapy because the place where the bleed happened is the area of the brain that governs speech, reasoning, concepts of time, and memory. It will be a long-term project (years, maybe) to get those things restored to the extent they can be.
A few final observations about this experience:
- It is NEVER a good idea to give someone four different laxatives at once. ‘Nuff said. At least I didn’t have to clean that one up.
- The nursing staff are the real heroes/heroines in the hospital system. See point #1 above.
- Although the care at Ruby Memorial was outstanding, being hospitalized there is problematic during football season. The front of the hospital is a parking lot away from the WVU football stadium, and hospital parking is kicked off the lot for home games. Since my car has a license plate frame that says, “We Are Marshall” (in-state rival), I made sure to observe the deadlines, because I really didn’t want to be towed.
- Thank goodness for Medicare and our Medicare supplement plan. From the time Jeff walked into the Thomas ER, until he was discharged to come home, every bit of the cost has been completely covered. That included the medical helicopter, originally billed at over $62,000.00.
- I have the best sons. David and Andrew have been completely supportive throughout, as much as they can be, with the demands of their work.
- If you know someone who is the caregiver for someone who is in long-term recovery, be nice to them. It’s a hard job. Better yet, ask them what they need in the way of help, and then follow through.
If you have read all this, thank you. Jeff hopes to be back soon.
Even A Broken Clock 