Help Mark make a comeback!

My Husband Mark Agwiak Teague has always been an active guy. His big love is making things, whether building houses, doing scroll saw art, or using his woodworking skills to make unique boxes, small furniture, or wooden toys.

 

The week of August 2nd, 2021, Mark began experiencing severe back pain and was unable to work. The pain became so intense that I drove him to the ER of our local hospital (Heart of the Rockies Medical Center). Tests were inconclusive and he was sent home with pain medication. After a phone visit with his regular doctor, he was advised to return to the ER for more tests because his temperature was high. Test results were again inconclusive, and he was once again sent home with pain medication.

 

During that week his condition worsened, with swollen feet and hands and difficulty talking. He could not walk and was disoriented. So back to the ER where blood tests discovered that his sodium count was dangerously low. He was admitted to ICU that same day. This condition is known as Hyponatremia and can be life threatening, requiring intravenous electrolyte solutions and medications, administered over several days.

 

After a week, Mark seemed to improve but then went downhill again. More tests found that he had masses in his chest area and pelvic area. He was transported by ambulance to a Class 1 trauma center (St. Anthony’s Hospital) in Denver, 150 miles from home. Infectious Disease specialists there determined that Mark was suffering from a Systemic Infection (Sepsis: a severe infection that involves the entire body).

 

While in this hospital Mark endured many CT scans, X-rays, MRI’s, and blood tests. He has had surgery on his spine and neck to remove and drain abscesses, and a later surgery on his wrist as well. He had tubes inserted into his back, chest and pelvic areas to drain infection and fluids. He received constant IV antibiotics since he was admitted. Basically confined to bed, Mark has experienced a great deal of pain.

 

Thanks to the dedication of all of the skilled nurses, doctors, surgeons, techs, and aides during Mark’s two-week stay at St. Anthony’s he was determined ready for the next step in his recovery.

 

Mark is now a patient at Post Acute Medical (PAM) in Denver where he will continue IV antibiotics and receive the needed physical therapy to help him get back home. He will likely be at PAM for several weeks gaining strength and mobility. Even once at home Mark will need IV antibiotics until mid October.

 

The medical bills are just starting to roll in, and even with some health insurance, they are really starting to add up. In addition, Mark is the principal wage earner for our family and has not been able to work for many weeks. He may not be able to return to work for many more. I am retired so my income is limited. It is not possible for me try to return to work now as I need to spend a great deal of time traveling back and forth to Denver (150 miles away) every week to visit Mark,staying there for several days at a time.

 

A long hospital stay is hard on an active guy who would rather be at his construction job or in his workshop with his woodworking projects. He misses his family and his big dog Cody. Please make a donation if you are in the position to do so. All donations will go directly to Mark's medical bills, family living costs, and travel expenses. Thank you in advance for your generosity and caring.