Forwarded from: Anna
Subject: Update on Jim
Jim is still a very sick man. He has infection in his heart, his kidneys stopped working and he has fluid in and around his lungs. His blood is being cleaned by dialysis and it is doing much better than even Monday. He was supposed to get a trach breathing apparatus and get a feeding tube directly to his stomach but the surgeon called yesterday to say that operation had to be postponed. Jim would have to be well enough to come off some of the blood pressure medicines and it is too risky to do that right now. He is on two medicines that are keeping his blood pressure up. He produces no urine. His fever is down and maybe normal. He is being kept sedated so that he doesn't try to talk or try to remove the tube down his throat. The doctors and nurses surrounding him have a vested interest in getting him better and they are so attentive and ever present. He is in the best hands possible. His brother's wife, Moira, has done a marvelous job of seeing to his every need and she has been of tremendous help. She has been my line of communication. I will be getting daily updates from her (I hope) and from Jim's doctors. Jim can hear and we all took turns talking to him and I will be speaking to him via the phone daily. I have a mountain of work taking over the house and the bills. Luckily we have Blue Cross/Blue Shield but they will cover only about 80% of the thousands and thousands of dollars to be paid. I'll make it though one way or another. Please pray for him. He is in so much trouble.