Friends and Family of Jack Squires

In mid-October Jack was diagnosed with pneumonia in the left side of his lungs. After taking his prescribed medications for 8 days and seeing little to no change he was admitted to Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua, NY.  

After four days in the hospital he was released to go home and continue his recovery, however the pneumonia and oxygen levels continued to deteriorate. Another week had passed and he met with his primary care physician who had him walk briefly around the office and his oxygen levels dropped well below  85, at which time she admitted him back to Thompson Hospital.

During his current stay at Thompson Hospital the doctors have found that the pneumonia has spread to both lungs and because of being untreated properly for so long has hardened to his lungs with what is called a "cast".  The hardened cast around his lungs is not breaking apart after several different treatments and has resulted in Jack having to use a full time oxygen mask because at one point his oxygen levels reached below 65 and he nearly passed out.  After an incident of him coughing up a black tar-like substance his doctors moved him into the Intensive Care Unit. He has been in Thompson Hospital for over a week and is still currently in the Intensive Care Unit.

He does not have a spleen to help fight off bacteria because of a car accident that occurred as a young man. Having owned a paving business and working physically all his life he also has rheumatoid arthritis which the doctors told us also shrinks the lungs. The analogy given by the doctors was that his lungs should be the size of a soccer ball but because of all the factors working against him it is more like a baseball.

This is going on his second week in the hospital and the doctors still do not have answers or solutions on how to treat his condition.  New tests are being performed everyday and the doctors are trying new treatments each week. He is in good hands and is working with some of the best pulmonary specialists in the area (doctors from Thompson and Strong hospitals) however, as you all know current costs of medical testing and recovery are not cheap and the doctors predict another 4-6 week stay in the hospital for Jack. He is very worried about accumulating financial burdens and helping with this would be a burden lifted off his shoulders so he can try and focus on what really counts-his recovery.

Thank you all and god bless,
The Squires Family

**Also, a special thank you to Jack's sister Susan Newkirk who will be managing this for us and for taking the time to help create this**