Brother Jim Alaska Surgery News

[HappyChristian]

Brother Jim's surgery is complete. I will post updates here as I get them from his wife. Please be sure to pray for her as well.

First - "I am beyond exhausted, but I know many are waiting to hear how Jim's surgery went. The surgery went very well. They ended up doing a quadruple bypass. The Doctor said his heart was like brand new in how it functions now  - 

 

However, the last I heard he hasn't woke up. They did a CT scan to see if there was anything wrong that would keep him from waking up.  But they said they didn't know how long it would be before the doctor would read them and get back to me. So, I chose to go home because we have a dog that needs taken care of and the hospital doesn't like people to sleep there.  I will update you all further, but I have to get some sleep. I  will call before I fall asleep to see if the doctor has looked at them. I will update as soon as I know. If I don't update within an hour there is no news to tell."

 

An hour later - "Ok, the doctor called. The ct scan shows he has had some small multiple strokes on both sides of his brain. But it doesn’t show how old they are. But this may be why he isn't waking up. They are treating him like they would if he had just had a stroke. They are also going to do an MRI soon."

 

A few minutes ago - "I just got through talking to the nurse. There are no changes. I will call in every morning to check on him. And if there are any changes the nurse will call me. At this point they said his no waking up would probably be because of the stroke."

 

Hospital Address: 

Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center

2825 E. Barnett RdMedford, OR 97504
 

He is in Room 2011. Jim Foley. If you want to send a card.

[DaveW]

Thanks for this info - I had been wondering.

Please pass on my love to Mrs JimAlaska - it would take forever for a letter to get there from here.

For Mrs Jim, I know Brother Jim would love this version. We are praying over here in Western Australia also.

 

[HappyChristian]

11 hours ago, DaveW said:

Thanks for this info - I had been wondering.

Please pass on my love to Mrs JimAlaska - it would take forever for a letter to get there from here.

For Mrs Jim, I know Brother Jim would love this version. We are praying over here in Western Australia also.

 

I have passed on the message and the song.  Thanks, Dave...I know she'll appreciate it (as will Jim).

[HappyChristian]

Update from  this morning:

 

"As of today there is still no change. I asked the nurse to have his doctor call me. We are trying to get an MRI to see how much damage the small strokes have done. He has an implant in his back for his neuropathy, which is metal. They are trying to determine if it would be safe for Jim to get the MRI.

 

I will let you all know when I learn anything more.

 

Linda"

 

@DaveW, this is her response to the message and link:  "

Thank you so much for your message and yes he does love acapella music! Because he is hard of hearing he turns it up real loud! lol.

Again thank you

 

Linda"

[Pastor Matt]

Thank you Online Baptist members for your continued prayers for Jim.

Thank you HC for the updates

[Invicta]

On 7/15/2023 at 4:42 PM, DaveW said:

Thanks for this info - I had been wondering.

Please pass on my love to Mrs JimAlaska - it would take forever for a letter to get there from here.

For Mrs Jim, I know Brother Jim would love this version. We are praying over here in Western Australia also.

 

Thank you bro DaveW  I like that  version I also like his "Jesus Paid It All" 

Praying for brother Jim and Linda.

 

[HappyChristian]

The neurologist has been with Jim for about an hour. Linda will let us know when there is news. 

[BrotherTony]

30 minutes ago, HappyChristian said:

The neurologist has been with Jim for about an hour. Linda will let us know when there is news. 

We're praying here. Thanks for the update.

[HappyChristian]

Sorry I didn't add this update earlier - we were at a discipleship meeting. It doesn't sound good, but here is what Linda said:

"I did talk to the neurologist. But give me a little bit to digest the information I received, so I don't give it to you wrong. I will get back to you tomorrow. Please be patient with me.  I will say there is some chance he might somewhat recover, but it would not be soon. The stroke did occur during his surgery."

 

[TheGloryLand]

The good Lord is in control, a special blessings to my brother in Christ and his family. Today we prayed for Jim, and tomorrow will be for us.

[HappyChristian]

Here is the latest:

"As I said last night I spoke with the Neurologist yesterday. The neurologist had another CT scan performed yesterday afternoon. The results show that he experienced several strokes to various areas of his brain during surgery. What the Doctor does not know yet is the extent of damage done to those areas of the brain. The neurologist cannot evaluate the brain damage until Jimmy wakes up from the coma.  If he does wake up, then the Doctor will have a better idea of the extent of brain damage. I wish I could give more concrete answers but we just don’t know yet. The Doctors said his condition is very serious but we can only wait to see if he wakes up to know more. 

 

I won't be sending any more updates until we actually know more than this. 

 

Linda"

[HappyChristian]

Some good news:

 

"I talked to Jim's nurse a few minutes ago. As of this morning they have him on a C-pap. He is breathing on his own, and the oxygen is just for back up. 

Linda"

[HappyChristian]

The power of prayer, as Linda said. Thank you, friends, for lifting our brother and his wife to the Lord. It means more to her (and to him) than we can really know (unless we've been in that situation).

[HappyChristian]

Not so good news...

"I am sad to say I misunderstood the nurse yesterday. He isn't on a C-pap. it is just a setting on his ventilator that they have set. I am sorry for giving the wrong information and getting everyone's hopes up. There really isn't any change. 

 

Linda"

[HappyChristian]

Please pray especially harder for Linda and their kids. Received this an hour ago.  Any messages you might have for Linda, please post them here or pm them to me and I will relay.

"This email is very hard for me to write and send. But it makes me feel better to be able to voice (write) this.

 

Over the last few months before Jim had his surgery - in my grief now - I had forgotten. In Jim's prayers, that I heard, he often dwelled on his home in heaven and distinguished it from his home in heaven and his home on earth. To most people that may not mean anything, but for me, it told a lot. He had never really done that before a few months ago.

 

Now that he is not waking up, the doctors have their reasons why. His brain is severely damaged by the stroke. If he did wake up it is likely that he wouldn’t be able to see, speak, feed himself, or breathe on his own. He has also developed an infection (Pneumonia) in his lungs. But I think there is an added reason - he doesn't want to wake up. He really has nothing to look forward to, he hated what the neuropathy was doing to him and it was getting worse, to the point that at some point he wouldn't have been able to do anything but sit in his chair and wait to die, which he felt he was already doing.

 

I really think he was ready to go months ago, long before he knew about his heart problem. Even though he did have great hope that he would recover from his surgery and feel better and have more energy. I also feel he was torn between the desire to die and leaving me a widow. But there is also that he felt trapped in his body.

 

So I have decided that I will let him die peacefully. I think he has a few more days before he has to have the stomach feeding portal installed. I am going to tell them not to. It will also be at that time I will have them remove his ventilator so he can pass peacefully. There really is no hope he will recover, but even if there was - recover to what? To continue his neuropathy deterioration? I really think he doesn't want that, and is one reason he hasn't woke up.

 

I am sorry, so very sorry. Not just for me, but for him, his family, and his close friends. I also know he loved his children dearly. I don't know the exact date they will do this, but it will happen soon. I will go and see him one last time tomorrow and say my goodbyes. I cannot bear to watch him die. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. But he would not want to live like this, and I am abiding by his wishes. Please know, my heart goes out to you."