Help Jeffrey Breathe & Recover

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for the tremendous love and support over the last few weeks during the recent challenging time for my dad, Jeffrey. After being under the weather for some time, he decided to admit himself to the ER at Foothills Hospital in Boulder on January 5th, following an immediate recommendation from his GP. He was having trouble breathing and was in intense pain. Anyone who knows my dad knows he wouldn’t take a trip to the hospital lightly.

After his first night and a series of x-rays, his care team discovered that he had a significant amount of fluid built up on the exterior of his right lung that was restricting his ability to breathe. The decision was made to insert an intrapleural chest tube between his ribs to try and drain the fluid. Connected to a reservoir 24/7 the drain required suction and injections of fibrinolytics to help break up the fluid, both of which are extremely painful. Over the next several days he drained over 5 liters of fluid and numerous tests were run, but the daily x-rays and a CT scan showed that there was still more fluid and test results didn’t show any clear cause. The growing uncertainty around the origin of the issue prompted his care team to grow, including several infectious disease doctors exploring possible uncommon causes. It was advised that he would need to go into surgery to try and remove as much of the fluid as possible, during which they would take direct samples from the exterior of his lung for further testing. The days leading up to surgery were filled with coughing fits and extreme pain, as well as tremendous care and 24-hour attention from the hospital staff. The surgery, a thoracotomy, ultimately took much longer than anticipated, but was successful and he only ended up having to spend one night in the ICU. Doctors decided to leave the chest tube in place to ensure draining continued.

Initial recovery was intense as they had to spread his ribs during surgery, but his breathing began improving right away and his spirits lifted. In the day's post-surgery a test culture finally came back with growth of a severe form of bacterial pneumonia, following this clarity he was put on a strong schedule of antibiotics which he will be on at least until the end of February. After a few more days of recovery, he began receiving PT and was thankfully cleared for discharge on January 18th, nearly two weeks after he was admitted to the ER. Even though he was discharged, his chest tube was left in place to make sure fluid didn’t continue to accumulate - he has since had several follow-up appointments during which the tube was trimmed each visit and finally fully removed (a huge relief)!

He continues to have follow-up appointments and x-rays with his surgeon and infectious disease doctor as there is still some fluid in the area that they are monitoring - his surgeon has reminded him to “remember how very sick he was” as he continues to recover. The river along this journey has flowed with so much love, gratitude, support, tears, laughter, and holding of space from his community. It was clear he wouldn’t be able to go straight back to Eldora and was generously welcomed into a dear friend's home for a few weeks to continue his recovery. On February 10th he was able to move fully back to Eldora and the lifeline of support continues to flow in through delicious food, sweet-hearted and tearful texts/letters/calls/Zoom, and the soulful connections to all of you.

He is now entering a new phase of the journey and needs a different kind of bolstering - financial support. While there is hope that much of the hospital bill will be covered by Medicare, no bill has been received so this cost is not yet known. A few other areas of recovery, health, and well-being the financial support will go to are:

A few words from my dad:

As Keith so kindly spoke at the end of my, our return from Jeffrey’s pneumonia Zoom call this past Sunday, February 4th responding to further support as I get my strength back people have been reaching out to Keith and Mary to see the possible ways this could happen.

The call lasted a little over an hour and was deeply beautiful and healing for me being with all the beautiful folks holding my body in their hearts and prayers. It felt like a community healing in a way also. It worked and keeps me saying yes to being alive. The Zoom circle call was recorded and I can send you a private personal copy if you’d like to feel the gloriousness of our community. A number of folks have requested this.

Ways to help me continue to regain my soul strength: continued sending your love prayers, send a letter to me (please reach out if you don’t have the mailing address) or if it is in alignment for you - help in financial support in getting massage, acupuncture, possible hospital bills, filling of my two propane tanks for heat in the cabins, etc.

Thank you dear friends of mine this lifetime, my family Luke and Mary, you, each other and this kind giving soul alive-filled living earth, 4.5 billion years of creation’s beauty…

It is a stretch for me to ask for support. I've been intensely strong for 70 years now, hauling wood, water, ritual gear, and love in all the circles we have shared…you all have been my greatest inspiration and teachers…

Megweetch, My Ojibway friend in the Great Lakes says “see you down the roads less traveled”.

For our young people to be loved, for our planet.

Much gratitude,

Jeffrey

Uncle Pine Cone...

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With deep gratitude, love, and appreciation from Luke with Mary, Keith and Tom nearby ❤️