Quote:
Originally Posted by TK Burk
I want to thank you all for your prayers.
I went to my Doctor on Wednesday, November 21st with what I thought was bronchitis. As I drove there, I had to leave my van's windows open to breathe—and it was 25 degrees outside. Once in the office, I could not catch my breath. My oxygen levels were so low they put me on oxygen and asked that I go to the emergency room. I started to get up to drive myself the four miles to the hospital when they told me that was impossible. When I suggested my wife come to drive me they told me I was not understanding the seriousness—that I may not make that four-mile drive if I was taken off oxygen. So, to get me to the hospital they called an ambulance. The three EMTs that came allowed me to walk to the ambulance with oxygen, but I was so weak I needed two of them to help me get into the truck. Once inside they started working on me. From there on, things get fuzzy. I remember them taking me into the ER. I remember getting my X-Rays. I kinda remember being wheeled to my hospital room. But after that, I remember almost nothing until Sunday.
I was released to go home on Tuesday the 27th. Before I left I had several of the hospital staff tell me they were happy to see me and that I looked better than I had before. I did not fully grasp what they were saying until my Doctor and my wife told me that on Thanksgiving day things got so serious that they almost lost me. I remember none of it since I was incoherent most of that day. Even on oxygen, I had way too much carbon dioxide in my lungs. To remedy that they fitted me with a BiPAP mask. This was to expand my lungs to remove the carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen. Later that night, I still was not responding as they hoped. Because of this, they thought about moving me to ICU, but because I wasn't getting any worse, they left me in my room. On Sunday things took a good turn. My levels changed and they switched that BiPAP for regular oxygen tubes to my nose...that was a very welcomed change! Unfortunately, I had to go home with oxygen and will need it until my lungs strengthen completely.
One good thing from this is when I was finally awake and coherent, I got to share with some of the medical staff some of the things the Lord has done. A hospital bed is not my preferred pulpit, but seeing how those testimonies touched them lifted me a great deal.
This past Thanksgiving week has given me much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the caring medical staff at Aurora Hospital. I am thankful for the help that came from our neighbors and our friends. I am thankful for the love and prayers that came from my family. I am thankful to still be a husband to my wife, Lori—she is truly a God-given gift. I am thankful to still be a dad to my two great kids, Joel and Carlye. I am especially thankful to be a son to my Heavenly Father, for after all is said and done, it is because of His mercy and His power that I am here today.
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Glad to hear the Lord granted our prayers and you were able to go home!
What was the cause of the trouble? Cardiac related? Lung related? Circulation? Honestly, your symptoms sounded like heart failure, but you said it started as bronchitis? I've never heard of this before.
Anyway, glad you're back home and doing better.