Prayers needed for my Dad

timcsaw

timcsaw

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Sep 25, 2007
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The short of it; My father has Parkinson's and had deep brain stimulator's implanted in '04. This involved the placement of long electrodes into each side of the brain, connected to battery packs located just under the skin below each collar bone in his chest. When the battery packs are functioning and providing the electrical impulses to the probes, he is very functional. When one of those battery packs runs out, he is in dire, dire, straights.

The battery pack on the left side has been depleted and the result is a man who can't walk, who suffers severe dyskinesia and tremoring, and most concerning, an inability to swallow. Can't swallow food, water or medications.

The doc's at Dartmouth have scheduled him for a battery replacement surgery 3 weeks from now. We are in the process of trying to explain to them that 3 weeks is much to long a wait. 3 weeks with minimal intake of food, water and medication is just unacceptable.

Please offer up some prayers that the folks at Dartmouth will be able to expedite dad's battery pack replacement surgery. It's a relatively simple surgery with an incision in his chest to replace the battery in the device just under the skin. It would seem to me that any qualified surgeon could do the procedure, sooner than 3 weeks.

If they don't get on the stick, I have lot's of sharp knives.:D

Thanks for your prayers and kind consideration,
Tim
 
Sorry to hear of the delay. Hopefully they can get him hooked up sooner than 3 weeks. Prayers are definitely in order.
 
Smoke and prayers for your dad from MI. Petey the pitbull sends pitbull kisses too.
 
Prayers on the way from New Jersey.
 
timcsaw said:
The short of it; My father has Parkinson's and had deep brain stimulator's implanted in '04. This involved the placement of long electrodes into each side of the brain, connected to battery packs located just under the skin below each collar bone in his chest. When the battery packs are functioning and providing the electrical impulses to the probes, he is very functional. When one of those battery packs runs out, he is in dire, dire, straights.

The battery pack on the left side has been depleted and the result is a man who can't walk, who suffers severe dyskinesia and tremoring, and most concerning, an inability to swallow. Can't swallow food, water or medications.

The doc's at Dartmouth have scheduled him for a battery replacement surgery 3 weeks from now. We are in the process of trying to explain to them that 3 weeks is much to long a wait. 3 weeks with minimal intake of food, water and medication is just unacceptable.

Please offer up some prayers that the folks at Dartmouth will be able to expedite dad's battery pack replacement surgery. It's a relatively simple surgery with an incision in his chest to replace the battery in the device just under the skin. It would seem to me that any qualified surgeon could do the procedure, sooner than 3 weeks.

If they don't get on the stick, I have lot's of sharp knives.:D

Thanks for your prayers and kind consideration,
Tim
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I pray for your father , I pray that he remains strong. I pray that you and yours remain strong.
Encourage your father lovingly and enjoy your time with him.

I lost my dad to parkinson's the sunday before last , it was a struggle he could not fight any longer.

You and yours have my deepest thoughts and encouragement. :thumbup:

Tostig
 
Sounds like battery swaps should be scheduled at regular intervals rather than waiting until they go dead. Anyway, I'll keep your dad in my prayers.

Shawn
 
Three weeks that is an outrage to have the man suffer for that long. Prayers inbound but also talk to the Head of the neurology dept. Maybe the squeaky wheel will get some grease.
 
Prayers sent and a St. Michael candle is burning.
 
Prayers coming from the Midwest. Keep the flame under those Doctors!
 
Thank you all so much... We are so comforted by your thoughts and prayers.

Just to update; The Neurosurgeon that did the implants in '04 is evidently away until late next week and we are being told that he is the only person who can do this procedure:rolleyes: (Bull Krap obstacle #1 for us to overcome). His office is telling us that if dad can't swallow water, food and meds for the next three weeks that he will need a feeding tube implanted temporarily (Bull Krap obstacle #2... see krap obstacle #1).

We have a number of doctors scouring the medical community to see what can be done sooner so that he doesn't need a feeding tube to hold him over for the next three weeks, so this "wheel" is starting to screech loudly.

This isn't "brain surgery".... it's making a small 3 inch incision in his chest and popping in a new 9V battery for heaven's sake! We will hopefully have some encouraging news in the next day or so and I'll keep you posted.

Thank you all again... It means so much to know that we are in your thoughts and prayers!
 
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