AS MOST OF YOU KNOW MY WIFE IS VERY SICK AND CURRENTLY ON LIFE SUPPORT AT SUNRISE HOSPITAL. IN LAS VEGAS NEVADA FOR SOME FOLKS THAT DON'T I WILL EXPLAIN . MY NAME IS BRAD PIHLAK ME AND MY WIFE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 17 YRS WE WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED OUR 18TH YR ON JUNE 11TH
WE CAME TO LAS VEGAS TO FOLLOW MY CAREER AS AN ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST. MY WIFE HAS  BEEN DIABETIC HER ENTIRE LIFE BUT WE HAVE'NT ALWAYS HAD THE FUNDS TO GET HER MEDICINE .
DIABETES STARTED SLOWLY EATING AWAY AT HER ABOUT 3 YRS AGO WHEN SHE GOT AN ULCERATED PLACE ON HER FOOT THE PLACE BECAME NECROTIC. AND WE FOUND OUT THE INFECTION WAS TO HER BONE.SHE ALMOST LOST HER FOOT BUT THE DOCTOR WAS ABLE TO DO A PROCEDURE CALLED A DEBREVMENT THE SURGERY WENT WELL AND SHE DID'NT LOOSE HER FOOT. THANK THE LORD  SHE WENT BACK INTO THE HOSPITAL ON JAN 22ND 2016 TO HAVE OPEN HEART SURGERY SHE HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF EXCESS WATER BEFORE SHE WENT SO MUCH IN FACT IT WAS LEACHING THROUGH BLISTERS ON HER LEGS VERY PAINFUL I ASSUME BUT MY WIFE HAD STARTED TO LOOSE FEELING IN HER LEGS SO AT LEAST SHE DID'NT FEEL MUCH IF ANY PAIN I WAS THANKFUL FOR THAT SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RENAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER BEING ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL THEY STARTED HE R ON DIALISIS A FEW DAYS LATER AND SHE BEGIN TO GET LITERS OF WATER OFF OF HER BODY SHE ENDED UP LOSING OVER 80LBS OF WATER SHE BEGIN TO FEEL BETTER SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE HEART SURGERY SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD GIVE HER A NEW LEASE ON LIFE I DID TOO SHE WAS FINALLY GOING TO GET SOME ENERGY BACK FEEL GOOD AGAIN AND NOT THROW UP FOAM EVERYDAY FROM ALL THE EXCESS FLUID WE HAD DISCUSSED HER GOING TO THE HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY DR. BLANCO SUGGESTED SHE NOT WAIT TO LONG FOR FEAR THAT SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN AND SHE WOULD'NT GO. WE DECIDED TO TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY THAT WAS FINE IT WAS WEDS SHE WAS GOING TO GET THE HELP SHE NEEDED IT WAS WEDSDAY SO THAT GAVE HER 2 DAYS TO GET HER THING TOGETHER BUT ON THE EVENING BEFORE SHE WENT SHE DID.NT HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO MAKE IT TO THE BATHROOM I SAW HER FALLING AND I WAS THERE TO CATCH HER BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE EXCESS WATER I COULD'NT HOLD HER UP I HELPED LOWER HER TO THE FLOOR BUT SHE WAS SO HEAVY AND BY THIS POINT HER LEGS WERE SO WEAK SHE COULD'NT USE THEM I ALWAYS FELT SO HELPLESS SEEING ALL THE TRIALS DIABETES PUT HER THROUGH! IT TOOK HER 6 HRS TO CRAWL ON HER BUTT LIKE 10 FT THEN WHEN SHE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE RECLINER SHE WAS TO WEAK TO GET IN IT WE FINALLY MANAGED AND THE FOLLOWING DAY SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE SHE HAD THE HEART SURGERY A COUPLE OF WEAKS LATER AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL SHE BEGAN TO FEEL MUCH BETTER AS MORE AND MORE FLUID CAME OFF I WAS AMAZED AT THE AMOUNT OF WATER SHE WAS LOOSING 2 AND 3 LITERS A DAY INCREDIBLE!! I WAS EXCITED FOR HER AND FINALLY FELT LIKE THINGS WERE GOING TO TURN AROUND SHE HAD HER HEART SURGERY ON THE 17TH OF FEBUARY EVERYTHING WENT WELL WITH THAT SURGERY!   NO PROBLEMS BUT WHEN SHE CAME OFF THE VENTILATOR SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH HER THROAT SHE WAS HORSE AND COULD ONLY SPEAK IN A WHISPER STILL SHE STARTED HER REHAB AND WAS DOING WELL THEY ACTUALLY WERE WORKING WITH HER ON TAKING A FEW STEPS THEN AFTER FINALLY PASSING HER SWALLOW TEST SHE HAD HER FIRST MEAL I WAS THERE WHEN SHE ATE IT SOME PURIED MEAT AND VEGETABLES  SHE ATE ALMOST ALL OF IT TO SHE WAS WORKING REALLY HARD WITH THE EXERCISES TO GET HER SWALLOWING BACK UNDER CONTROL I WAS SO PROUD OF HER AND I TOLD HER AND SHE TOLD EVERYONE I WILL DO THE WORK WHATS NEXT LETS DO IT !! THAT WAS MY WIFE MY FIGHTER BUT THE FOLLOWING EVENING AFTER BEING MOVED  BACK TO A REGULAR ROOM FROM ICU. THE NEXT MORNING SHE ASPIRATED ON SOME FOOD THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT DOWN HER THROAT AND WENT INTO HER LUNGS INSTEAD CAUSING HER LUNGS TO FILL WITH FLUID AND THUS RENDERING HER UNABLE TO BREATHE. SHE HAD TO BE REVIVED AND PLACED BACK ON A VENTILATOR THEN THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN! I WAS TALKING WITH HER IN ICU THE DAY BEFORE  AND SHE MENTIONED TO ME THAT HER BACKSIDE WAS VERY SORE IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE NURSE HAD PLACED A RECTAL RING INSIDE HER TO KEEP HER FROM SOILING HERSELF IT WAS VERY PAINFUL FOR PAULA AND SHE COULD'NT SIT STRAIGHT BECAUSE IT HURT HER TO BAD BUT SHE HAD CONTRACTED C- DIFFICILE WHICH LED TO UNCONTROLLIBLE BOWEL MOVEMENTS MISERABLE FOR HER .THE FOLLOWING DAY I RECIEVED A MESSAGE FROM MY SISTER IN LAW ASKING THAT I CONTACT SUNRISE HOSPITAL IMMEDATLY. SOMETHING WAS WRONG THEY EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED ABOUT THE ASPIRATION AND THAT SHE PROBABLY HAD AN INFECTION IN HER LUNGS THEY HAD SEDATED HER BECAUSE TUBES GOING DOWN YOUR THROAT ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SO THEY TRY TO KEEP THE PATIENTS ON THEM MORE COMFORTABLE SO  NOW MY WIFE IS NOW ON A VENTILATOR AGAIN SPEAKING WITH HER DOCTOR IT IS DECIDED A TRACHYOSTOMY BE PERFORMED THIS WILL BE ALOT EASIER ON  MY  WIFE IF SHE NEEDS AIR AGAIN  MADE SENSE TO ME EASIER ON HER THROAT TEMPORARY SO THEY PERFORMED THE SURGERY AND A STOMACH TUBE WAS ALSO INSERTED SO SHE COULD EAT BECAUSE SHE CAN'T SWALLOW BUT AFTER THE SURGERY SHE COULD'NT TALK BUT SHE STILL HAD PLENTY OF ENERGY WANTING TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME EVERY CHANCE SHE GOT EVERY DAY I WOULD GO SEE HER WNATING TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME WITH HER AS I COULD
SHE WAS DOIN VERY WELL FOR WHAT SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH I LEFT HER THE EVENING OF THE 8TH OF MARCH I RECIEVED A PHONE CALL THE MORNING OF THE 10TH TELLING ME THAT MY WIFE HAD BLEEDING THAT WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND I NEEDED TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE WAS LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS  I WAS IN COMPLETE SHOCK I GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND I AM INFORMED THAT THEY ARE GIVING HER BLOOD AND A DOCTOR HAS BEEN NOTIFIED MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE LAYING ON THAT BED HER EYES LOOKING AT ME UNABLE TO SPEAK BUT LOOKING AT ME ASKING WHY IS THIS HAPPENING HER BLOOD PRESSURE WAS DROPPING AND SHE STARTED JERKING HER HEAD FORWARD JUST A LITTLE GASPING FOR BREATH BUT YET SHE'S ON THE VENTILATOR  I WAS HORRIFIED I STEPPED OUT OF THE ROOM TO SPEAK TO A DOCTOR AS I DID SHE CODED FOR THE FIRST TIME THE DOCTOR STEPPED BACK IN THE ROOM AND RETURNED SAYING WE GOT HER BACK SO CASUAL LIKE HE DID'NT CARE I WAS TOLD SHE WAS GIVEN 9 UNITS OF BLOOD BETWEEN 12AM AND 8AM SHORTLY AFTER SHE WAS TAKEN TO RADIOLOGY TO TRY TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE BLEEDING A COUPLE HRS LATER THE SURGEON CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THEY HAD GOT IT THE EXACT ONE AND THAT SHE SHOULD BE FINE BUT AT AROUND 1:00 PM I FOUND OUT SHE WAS STILL BLEEDING AND SHE WAS TO WEAK TO GO BACK INTO SURGERY SO SOON SO THEY HAD TO WAIT TIL THE FOLLOWING DAY TO DO ANOTHER SURGERY TO TRY AGAIN TO STOP THE BLEEDING BUT THIS TIME SHE WAS ONLY GIVEN ABOUT A 20% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL BECAUSE SHE WAS ON SO MANY BLOOD PRESSURE MED THE DOCTOR EXPLAINED THAT IF SHE WENT DOWN ON THE TABLE THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING THE SURGEON TOLD ME THEY WERE GOING TO GET IN AND OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THAT WOULD BE HER BEST CHANCE  SHE WAS TO HAVE HER COLON REMOVED . I KISSED HER TOLD HER I LOVED HER AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENED I UNDERSTOOD  SHE HAD TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT WHEN SHE ASPIRATED ON THE FOOD AND WENT OUT SHE SAID SHE FOUGHT BUT IT WAS SCARY BUT SHE WANTED TO STAY I ASSUMING SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN WE NEVER GOT TO FINISH THE CONVERSATION .SHE MADE IT THROUGH SURGERY" MY MIRACLE" MY NEW NICKNAME FOR HER BUT HER BODY TEMP WOULD GO SO LOW BECAUSE THEY HAD HER ON 24 HR DIALISIS AND  THE LIQUID IS COLD GOING IN !WHEN THEY STARTED GIVING HER BLOOD. THEY WERE ALSO GIVING HER MEDICINE THAT DIRECTS THE BLOODFLOW AWAY FROM HER EXTEMITIES AND TO HER MAJOR ORGANS BUT THERE ARE HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS  LIKE LOOSING LIMBS BOTH LEGS TO BE EXACT! THEY USED THESE" PRESSERS" IS WHAT THEY ARE CALLED WHICH CAUSED NOT ONLY PAIN TO MY WIFE. BUT HER ARTERIES TO CLOG IN HER LEGS THUS GIVING HER NO CIRCULATION IN HER LEGS. SO NOW TO KEEP SCEPTIC SHOCK FROM SETTING IN THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THEM MY PRECIOUS WIFE HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH SHE CAME OUT OF THE SECOND SUGERY SWINGING HER BODY HAD TO BE KEPT WARM WITH A MACHINE CALLED A BAIRE HUGGER. SHE FINALLY BEGAN TO GET HER BLOOD PRESSURE BACK SO THEY LISTED HER AS CRITICAL/ STABLE WE WOULD TALK AS MUCH AS WE COULD BUT I HAD TO LET HER REST AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT I LEARNED HOW TO READ LIPS PRETTY WELL OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS I CHECKED ON HER WHEN I COULD WITHOUT DEPRIVING HER OF THE REST SHE NEEDED TO HEAL I THOUGHT SHE WAS GETTING BETTER AND SHE WAS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT BUT YESTERDAY I WENT INTO HER ROOM TO SEE HER LIKE I ALWAYS DO AND SHE WAS NON RESPONSIVE I RAISED MY VOICE TAPPED ON HER FACE EVEN MANUALLY OPENED HER EYE NOTHING SHE STILL HAS BRAIN FUNCTION ACCORDING TO A CAT SCAN AND EEG BUT THIS WEEK HAS BEEN SET US BACK IN BILLS I HAVE LOST ALOT OF WORK BECAUSE I DID'NT TO RISK LOSING HER WHEN I WAS'NT THERE I WOULD NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO QUICKLY YESTERDAY I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED TO TAKE HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT AND IF I WOULD'NT HAVE CHECKED ON THINGS MYSELF I WOULD HAVE .I SPOKE WITH SOME DOCTORS TODAY AND THEY ALL ALL HAVE CONFLICTING INFORMATION SEEMS LIKE ONE WILL SAY POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT HER BRAIN FUNCTION  AND THE NEXT WILL THROW A HUGE "BUT" IN. ON TOP OF IT WE ARE BRINGING IN YET ANOTHER SURGEON TOMMOROW  TO EVALUATE HER LEGS AND SCEDULE THE AMPUTATION SO SICKNING MY WIFE HAS NO CLUE SHE'S ABOUT TO HAVE NO LEGS AND I'M HELPLESS !!AND SAD BUT A SERIES OF EVENTS HAS FORCED ME TO REEVALUATE THINGS IN A QUICK MANNER AND I DON'T WANT TO BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE HER FINAL EXPENSES WE HAD NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AND I HAVE NO MONEY FOR THIS I HAVE TO BE HONEST I WANT TO DO RIGHT BY MY WIFE BUT WITH NO $$$$ THATS IMPOSSIBLE "WHEN THE TIME COMES" I WOULD GIVE HER A PROPER GOODBYE SHE DESERVES IT SHE WAS MY ANGEL  MY STRAWBERRY MIRACLE NOW SOON TO BE GODS . THIS WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO ME I HAVE HAD TO LIVE AT THE HOSPITAL! SINCE THE 9TH ARE BILLS ARE COMING DUE I HAVE HAD TO DO ALL THIS ALONE NOW JUGGLING TO TRY TO MAKE IT EVERYBODY LOVED  PAULA  SHE IS  AN INSPIRATIONAL SPIRIT BEAUTIFUL SOUL SHE ALWAYS SAW THE BEST IN ME NO MATTER WHAT AND NOW I NEED TO DO THIS FOR HER I NEED THIS AS SOON AS I CAN PLEASE IT WOULD SURE TAKE ALOT OF ME AT SUCH A TRAGIC TIME THANK YOU GOD BLESS