Brian Doherty Medical & Recovery

A few days ago a good friend of mine, Erin Ring Doherty, posted up on facebook unexpected news that hit their family earlier that week. 

I have known both Brian and his wife, Erin, for several years now. They are both the type of people if you need something and they are able to assist they will do their best to help. 

I decided to create a GoFundMe page for them to try and raise some funds to help them out during their trying times right now. Right now, Erin is driving from North Andover, 30-45 minutes north of Boston, to go visit Brian while he is in the hospital. Brian is currently the bread winner in the family. With his current health situations and recovery it is taking a toll on the families funds. Friends and family are helping assisting by watching Brian and Erin's youngest child, Siohban, while Erin goes and visits her husband. But with the already stacking medical expenses, ambulance bills, the recovery and rehabilition costs after, and trying to stay a float and keep their home while he is getting better. I figured its the least we can do is maybe help. 

I have attached Erin's updates she has posted on Facebook about what is going on with Brian. 

Anything that can be donatate will be much appreciated by them. 

Erin Ring Doherty with Brian Doherty Sr. and 2 others.
July 21 at 1:20pm ·  
Family and dear friends

Im typically a pretty private person. Its easy to share the joys of life to your loved ones from afar with facebook. It’s not always so easy to speak up to the world when your having difficulties. It has taken me many days to decide to write this letter.

My Brian, the love of my life, my sweet, incredible, amazing and giving husband, is in need of whatever good thoughts and prayers you can muster. He was transferred to Boston with a severe case of pancreatitis and is currently in ICU. 2 days ago, his breathing became too compromised from the inflammation, it was necessary to insert a breathing tube and have a ventilator do the job for him. He is in critical condition. This came on so suddenly, and his body is working so hard to fight all the effects of the pancreatitis. He has pneumonia, his kidneys were in failure (that has been resolved, thank God) and his entire body is so full of fluid he is bloated from head to toe.

I am frightened. Really frightened. I cannot imagine my life without him. I am struggling to be accepting and take things day by day. Its often difficult to not think of the longer term….will there be any ill effects from this? How long will recovery take? Will there be a rehab stay afterwards? What if he doesn’t improve? How will we cope? NO MATTER WHAT I WILL BE RIGHT BESIDE HIM TO HELP HIM FIGHT!!!

We are hopeful that he will make a full recovery, but have been warned this could be a long road. Every day he gets just a touch better, and then something new turns up to set him back. The good thing is he is otherwise healthy. He eats well and works out, doesn’t drink do drugs, or smoke. He is big and strong so all these are working in his favor.

Please everyone, say some prayers, think nice thoughts, fairy dust, whatever you got, we will take them. He really needs them all right now.

Anyone that know my children well, please feel free to reach out to me if you can help in anyway. It is difficult for me to ask for help, but my sister and my oldest child have been holding down the home front for me, so I can be by Brians side in Boston. It is becoming overwhelming for both of them, and we all would appreciate any help your willing to give.

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. HUGZ to all.

Erin Ring Doherty with Brian Doherty Sr. and 2 others.
July 23 at 12:13am ·  
ICU Day 6

Many have been messaging asking how Brian is doing. I thought this would be not only a good way to inform you about his triumphs as well as set backs, but also a way to document each day of his illness in case he wants to read up on how things went, when he is better and feeling up to it.

So the day started out pretty adventurous for Brian, as he managed to shimmy his way down his bed and was able to get his hands to his face. Troublemaker decided he was done with his breathing tube and pulled it out himself, taking along with it his NG tube that is draining the fluid from his belly. They decided to see if he would fly and soar since he took it out, but although he was oxygenating well, his was working too hard again, and the decision was made to re-intubate him. He still has a lot of fluid in his lungs and he just wasn't ready. UGH, I wish I had been there to hear his voice. I miss his loud laugh and dumb jokes.

Despite this setback, he otherwise did very well and even improved some. He was able to offload 5 liters of fluid overnight!!! That is an incredible amount of fluid, and it is apparent in how he is less bloated. They will continue to pull the fluid off of him, and once the fluid if gone from his lungs, they plan to take the breathing tube out.

There is no pneumonia. His scan was negative, so all his breathing difficulty is a result of the excess fluid. This is great news!!

His sedation was turned off while I was with him today. He needed a babysitter since they felt they couldn't trust him to not pull that tube out again. As a result, he was much more awake and aware of what was going on. He blew me kisses and continued to squeeze my hand. He mouthed that he loved me and asked me to come down for a smooch. Around that tube I was able to kiss my husband, and he seemed fairly comfortable as long as I was with him and he wasn't alone.

He tried to communicate his needs to me, and I tried so hard to understand what he was trying to tell me. He seems to be a little of his old self, rolling his eyes at jokes. He still has a sense of humor. He is quite frustrated at the communication difficulties, and so am I, but once we figured things out, he was comfortable and resting, just sitting in the dark squeezing my hand after all his needs were met.

He does get quite anxious at times though, but who wouldn't with all this going on, and not being able to speak. I don't blame him.

On the home front, Siobhan spent the day with her teacher at the splash pad, and playing all afternoon with her friends. It was a wonderful distraction and she is thoroughly pooped. I am so grateful that she was willing to take her so I can focus on Brian.

Still taking it day by day, but today we saw significant improvement. I am still frightened, and am having moments of being weepy, but my job as his wife is to pull it together so I can look him in the eyes and tell him that he is safe, that he is being taken care of by the best, that I love him, that he is getting better, that this is temporary, and that I will be by his side while he continues the fight. We are in this together.

Thank you all so much. I am overwhelmed by your continued prayers and support. Keep them coming please!!

Erin Ring Doherty with Brian Doherty Sr. and 3 others.
22 hrs ·  
ICU Day 7

Wow!! What a day! I decided to spend the morning being lazy with Siobhan, and went grocery shopping to get my kiddo’s and sister set up for the week. School lunches, ingredients for dinners, and junk food to appease them while I’m with sitting beside my love. I am so so grateful that my sister and daughter have agreed to hold down the home front for me. As a result I didn’t head into Boston until 3:30.

As I was driving down the highway, lost in thoughts of events of the last week, my phone rings. It is Brian’s sister, who had gone to the hospital to visit. She asked me if I had spoken to the nurses yet, which I hadn’t done so since I called to check on him at noon. I prepared myself for whatever bad news I was about to receive, some new setback………

But NO!!! The news was what we were waiting to hear for days now. BRIAN HAD HIS BREATHING TUBE REMOVED!!!!!! What an incredible surprise to be walking into this afternoon!!

Days upon days of sitting by his side, holding his hand, and reassuring him all would be ok……this news honestly couldn’t be any better.

I couldn’t get to the hospital fast enough to hear his voice. Oh my goodness nothing sounded so sweet.

He is sounds like a bullfrog, and is weaker than a kitten, but he is AWAKE, AWARE, and ALIVE!!!

I could not feel more grateful and blessed.

There is a long road ahead with recovery, but we are improving. His numbers look better and he is offloading lots of fluid. Baby steps in the right direction, but still stumbling along.

Thank you everyone for your support, and please keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. They worked cause MY BABY IS AWAKE!!