Jason Tannehill StarDust Heart Medical Fund
Spende geschützt
Let me introduce you to a very kind and unique individual that We, his co-workers, friends and family have had the pleasure of knowing or working with...he is Jason Tannehill.
He refers to himself as "M.c. Cheeze Gee, The Original White Chedda," since getting his dream job at the Fred Meyer Gourmet Cheese Shop!
Truly, Jason is a genuinely compassionate person. He is an incredible upbeat person and has positive thoughts about every situation. He can always be counted on to be the first one to greet you with smile and laughter and the first to say “Have a great day” as you leave for the day. He’s a jokester to all, if he picks on you you know he cares. Actually I think he picks on everybody:) I can say I’ve never seen him in a down mood, he is always happy go lucky, always has a Cheshire grin and he’s always there to lend his laughter to you! That smile...it’s incredibly infectious to those around him!
**
His mom Linda, describes him as this “He truly is made of the same dust that stars are made of; He is a brother, a nephew, a cousin and an uncle. He is well loved and loves well. He brings joy and laughter to so many. He feels passionately about justice for his loved ones and the universe. He is crazy smart and incredibly talented and kind. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he shares his emotions freely. He’s a fighter and a survivor but most of all he’s a blessing and my son...”
And we all can attest that this is truly an accurate description of Jason!
Currently, Jason’s place of employment is gathering funds to help with Loss of time worked but it won’t be nearly enough to help the mounting medical expenses, let alone his parents out of town travel and lodging expenses. He could sure use outside help from anyone that is able to.
***
You see, When Jason was 38 years old, he had a dissection of his ascending aorta of the heart. That is the main artery of the body which passes over the heart, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. (the mortality rate is 80% in the first 10 minutes) This led to genetic testing because he before that didn't have anything wrong with his heart.
It was then they discovered he has a connective tissue disorder called ehlers-danlos syndrome. That is a group of inherited disorders that mostly affect the skin, joints, and blood vessels.
6 years later; April 2nd of this year, 2018... he had his 2nd open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve... he had a 2 month recovery period. They all assumed that was behind them.
The the doctors were also addressing his chronic abdominal tears as well as his Popliteal Arteries that branch from the Femoral Artery behind the knees.
This brings us to Thanksgiving day, November 22, 2018...
Jason had not been "feeling well" on Saturday but he worked through it... because he loves his job as a cheese monger! Lol
He had the next few days off so he felt he could shake it off with rest. Tuesday the 20th he went to urgent care and was told it was a viral infection where they gave him a prescription and anti-nausea medication. He asked his parents to pick up the prescription and bring over some Pepto Bismol, crackers and broth. His Mom Linda, checked on him later that Tuesday and he said he was taking some NyQuil and going to sleep. Wednesday she texted several times to check on him, he didn't respond but if he was resting she didn't think too much about it.
Since Jason and his mom speak several times a day and without her hearing from him barely at all on Tuesday and none of Wednesday she became uneasy. Then on Thursday she checked with his employer and was told that he wouldn't be in until noon. They became very concerned and decided to go to his house again. Once inside, his parents found Jason... he was freezing and not very responsive... he didn't know his nor his parents name. He could not stand. They immediately called 911. Mom could see in his face that he was frightened!
He was taken to our local hospital and it was decided on Friday that with the connective tissue disease, his Asperger's as well as the intense bacterium in his bloodstream they felt it would be best that he be flown to OHSU in Portland...where Jason is receiving excellent, yet very spendy medical care.
He was first admitted to the Neuro ICU at OHSU where it was determined that he had had stroke, and he had a staph infection in his bloodstream. With an educated guess they believed that it was due to the initial infection. After being moved into acute care area of internal Medicine floor, he was assigned an infectious disease team, general medicine team, cardiac team & thoracic team. He was given antibiotics right away which has caused damage to his kidney. Now he has a kidney team. He also has an embolism in his spleen, a couple in his liver and several in his brain.
He is having great difficulty adjusting to the antibiotics and has developed adverse reactions to several. He's covered in a rash,(thrush) and has fluid retention around his lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe and causing him to have panic attacks. This a fluid condition equals- 2 steps forward and one step back... and some days it is 2 steps back and 1 step forward. He now has a pulmonary team. Such a popular guy!
Next, after 5 days of not responding to the antibiotics, (his blood cultures were still coming back positive for bacteria) it was decided they needed to do a T.E.E. where they send a camera down the throat to look at the back of the heart. Unfortunately it was confirmed that he did have "vegetation " in the grafts & the valve. It was a piece of the vegetation that broke off causing the stroke and the embolisms.
It was a little daunting for his parents to understand completely all the medical terminology So one of his close friends did a great job looking up the diagnosis for them and these are good, simple explanations:
Bacterium is a bacteria in the blood, endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart. Septic emboli is an embolism in which the blood is infected which can create puss, Subarachnoid hemorrhage means bleeding between the brain and the surrounding memory.
And all of this at once has taken a ragged toll on Jason.
He does have his memory. At first he was struggling to find words, they do come but he remembered nothing of the events after his ultra sound. He was however, actually able to go for a short walk those first few days after arriving at OHSU and had that happy, Cheshire Grin plastered on his face much of the time. His mom says, “ He truly hates to disappoint people.” and by that I mean his teams of doctors, medical staff, friends and family. What a genuine guy to think of others first at such a time!
Jason Tannehill for a few days because there have been so many ups and downs, it has is been a bit overwhelming.
AN UPDATE TODAY:
He has been fairly stable for the last few days...
Here is the short answer as to how he is doing...
A few days ago he received a blood transfusion of full "red" cells they installed, a PICC line, they gave him new antibiotics and they gave us the nitty-gritty of his condition.
It was very difficult for him and he struggled for a couple days trying to regroup.
1) He did have an infection in and on his heart valves. He also has an abscess on his heart.
They have a sterilized the bacteria... however they cannot get the bacteria out with out another surgery.
2) He did have a stroke, he has a brain bleeds, he has embolisms in his spleen, liver and brain.
3) All of this is the result of the convective tissue disease known as: Ehlers Danilo type 4
He had a severe reaction to one of his antibiotics. One of the antibiotics caused him some kidney damage.
He must get stronger in order to even be put on the operating table. With that said... his best chance of survival is 50%. It would be 80% if he was completely healthy. It is a very serious surgery.
As the cardiologists said there "are surgeries and then there are EPIC surgeries...and they feel that this is an EPIC surgery".
It will take more than 10 hours with two surgeons working.
He & will stay in Portland he will to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility once they feel that he is well enough to work on getting strong enough for surgery. Hopefully the end of December or the 1st of January.
He will undergo several procedures at OHSU before the surgery to check his progress and or lack of progress. It is just too difficult to be moving him back and forth to Medford and/or to Seattle.
===================================
We can well imagine Jason will have a long road to recovery ahead of him after upcoming surgeries. Likely, he will be unable to work well into next spring. And with his family being out of town, the travel and lodging expenses alone are adding up quickly.
We know that times are hard, there are so many people in need and with the approaching holiday season, finances are tight for most. But if you could just lend your kind and thoughtful support to this gentle soul, one of the most remarkable and kindest of people you could ever have the pleasure of knowing, it would be so greatly appreciated!
By making a donation in his honor, you can Sprinkle a little bit of Stardust back to this exceptionally Bright Shooting Star! Any amount would be so greatly appreciated by Jason and his family.
If you’re unable to donate that’s completely understandable, but could I offer up a challenge for you to Share it on Facebook and/or your mode of social media instead? Spread the word to people you'd like to share Jason's story with by tagging your closest friends So they may be able to see it and possibly help?? Also sharing the link...
gofundme.com/jason-tannehill-stardust-heart-medical-fund
FYI; campaigns with the option to leave GOFUNDME a voluntary tip, the minimum tip amount is $1, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ADD ONE. This tip DOES NOT go to the champagne receiver, it goes directly to GOFUNDME
Getting the word out there quickly that Jason and his family are in dire need of assistance is crucial and would help his parents be close at hand, easing their heavy burden.
Thanks for reading his story and your kind consideration! We will keep you updated on his journey.
From the friends and family of Jason Tannehill
He refers to himself as "M.c. Cheeze Gee, The Original White Chedda," since getting his dream job at the Fred Meyer Gourmet Cheese Shop!
Truly, Jason is a genuinely compassionate person. He is an incredible upbeat person and has positive thoughts about every situation. He can always be counted on to be the first one to greet you with smile and laughter and the first to say “Have a great day” as you leave for the day. He’s a jokester to all, if he picks on you you know he cares. Actually I think he picks on everybody:) I can say I’ve never seen him in a down mood, he is always happy go lucky, always has a Cheshire grin and he’s always there to lend his laughter to you! That smile...it’s incredibly infectious to those around him!
**
His mom Linda, describes him as this “He truly is made of the same dust that stars are made of; He is a brother, a nephew, a cousin and an uncle. He is well loved and loves well. He brings joy and laughter to so many. He feels passionately about justice for his loved ones and the universe. He is crazy smart and incredibly talented and kind. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he shares his emotions freely. He’s a fighter and a survivor but most of all he’s a blessing and my son...”
And we all can attest that this is truly an accurate description of Jason!
Currently, Jason’s place of employment is gathering funds to help with Loss of time worked but it won’t be nearly enough to help the mounting medical expenses, let alone his parents out of town travel and lodging expenses. He could sure use outside help from anyone that is able to.
***
You see, When Jason was 38 years old, he had a dissection of his ascending aorta of the heart. That is the main artery of the body which passes over the heart, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. (the mortality rate is 80% in the first 10 minutes) This led to genetic testing because he before that didn't have anything wrong with his heart.
It was then they discovered he has a connective tissue disorder called ehlers-danlos syndrome. That is a group of inherited disorders that mostly affect the skin, joints, and blood vessels.
6 years later; April 2nd of this year, 2018... he had his 2nd open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve... he had a 2 month recovery period. They all assumed that was behind them.
The the doctors were also addressing his chronic abdominal tears as well as his Popliteal Arteries that branch from the Femoral Artery behind the knees.
This brings us to Thanksgiving day, November 22, 2018...
Jason had not been "feeling well" on Saturday but he worked through it... because he loves his job as a cheese monger! Lol
He had the next few days off so he felt he could shake it off with rest. Tuesday the 20th he went to urgent care and was told it was a viral infection where they gave him a prescription and anti-nausea medication. He asked his parents to pick up the prescription and bring over some Pepto Bismol, crackers and broth. His Mom Linda, checked on him later that Tuesday and he said he was taking some NyQuil and going to sleep. Wednesday she texted several times to check on him, he didn't respond but if he was resting she didn't think too much about it.
Since Jason and his mom speak several times a day and without her hearing from him barely at all on Tuesday and none of Wednesday she became uneasy. Then on Thursday she checked with his employer and was told that he wouldn't be in until noon. They became very concerned and decided to go to his house again. Once inside, his parents found Jason... he was freezing and not very responsive... he didn't know his nor his parents name. He could not stand. They immediately called 911. Mom could see in his face that he was frightened!
He was taken to our local hospital and it was decided on Friday that with the connective tissue disease, his Asperger's as well as the intense bacterium in his bloodstream they felt it would be best that he be flown to OHSU in Portland...where Jason is receiving excellent, yet very spendy medical care.
He was first admitted to the Neuro ICU at OHSU where it was determined that he had had stroke, and he had a staph infection in his bloodstream. With an educated guess they believed that it was due to the initial infection. After being moved into acute care area of internal Medicine floor, he was assigned an infectious disease team, general medicine team, cardiac team & thoracic team. He was given antibiotics right away which has caused damage to his kidney. Now he has a kidney team. He also has an embolism in his spleen, a couple in his liver and several in his brain.
He is having great difficulty adjusting to the antibiotics and has developed adverse reactions to several. He's covered in a rash,(thrush) and has fluid retention around his lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe and causing him to have panic attacks. This a fluid condition equals- 2 steps forward and one step back... and some days it is 2 steps back and 1 step forward. He now has a pulmonary team. Such a popular guy!
Next, after 5 days of not responding to the antibiotics, (his blood cultures were still coming back positive for bacteria) it was decided they needed to do a T.E.E. where they send a camera down the throat to look at the back of the heart. Unfortunately it was confirmed that he did have "vegetation " in the grafts & the valve. It was a piece of the vegetation that broke off causing the stroke and the embolisms.
It was a little daunting for his parents to understand completely all the medical terminology So one of his close friends did a great job looking up the diagnosis for them and these are good, simple explanations:
Bacterium is a bacteria in the blood, endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart. Septic emboli is an embolism in which the blood is infected which can create puss, Subarachnoid hemorrhage means bleeding between the brain and the surrounding memory.
And all of this at once has taken a ragged toll on Jason.
He does have his memory. At first he was struggling to find words, they do come but he remembered nothing of the events after his ultra sound. He was however, actually able to go for a short walk those first few days after arriving at OHSU and had that happy, Cheshire Grin plastered on his face much of the time. His mom says, “ He truly hates to disappoint people.” and by that I mean his teams of doctors, medical staff, friends and family. What a genuine guy to think of others first at such a time!
Jason Tannehill for a few days because there have been so many ups and downs, it has is been a bit overwhelming.
AN UPDATE TODAY:
He has been fairly stable for the last few days...
Here is the short answer as to how he is doing...
A few days ago he received a blood transfusion of full "red" cells they installed, a PICC line, they gave him new antibiotics and they gave us the nitty-gritty of his condition.
It was very difficult for him and he struggled for a couple days trying to regroup.
1) He did have an infection in and on his heart valves. He also has an abscess on his heart.
They have a sterilized the bacteria... however they cannot get the bacteria out with out another surgery.
2) He did have a stroke, he has a brain bleeds, he has embolisms in his spleen, liver and brain.
3) All of this is the result of the convective tissue disease known as: Ehlers Danilo type 4
He had a severe reaction to one of his antibiotics. One of the antibiotics caused him some kidney damage.
He must get stronger in order to even be put on the operating table. With that said... his best chance of survival is 50%. It would be 80% if he was completely healthy. It is a very serious surgery.
As the cardiologists said there "are surgeries and then there are EPIC surgeries...and they feel that this is an EPIC surgery".
It will take more than 10 hours with two surgeons working.
He & will stay in Portland he will to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility once they feel that he is well enough to work on getting strong enough for surgery. Hopefully the end of December or the 1st of January.
He will undergo several procedures at OHSU before the surgery to check his progress and or lack of progress. It is just too difficult to be moving him back and forth to Medford and/or to Seattle.
===================================
We can well imagine Jason will have a long road to recovery ahead of him after upcoming surgeries. Likely, he will be unable to work well into next spring. And with his family being out of town, the travel and lodging expenses alone are adding up quickly.
We know that times are hard, there are so many people in need and with the approaching holiday season, finances are tight for most. But if you could just lend your kind and thoughtful support to this gentle soul, one of the most remarkable and kindest of people you could ever have the pleasure of knowing, it would be so greatly appreciated!
By making a donation in his honor, you can Sprinkle a little bit of Stardust back to this exceptionally Bright Shooting Star! Any amount would be so greatly appreciated by Jason and his family.
If you’re unable to donate that’s completely understandable, but could I offer up a challenge for you to Share it on Facebook and/or your mode of social media instead? Spread the word to people you'd like to share Jason's story with by tagging your closest friends So they may be able to see it and possibly help?? Also sharing the link...
gofundme.com/jason-tannehill-stardust-heart-medical-fund
FYI; campaigns with the option to leave GOFUNDME a voluntary tip, the minimum tip amount is $1, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ADD ONE. This tip DOES NOT go to the champagne receiver, it goes directly to GOFUNDME
Getting the word out there quickly that Jason and his family are in dire need of assistance is crucial and would help his parents be close at hand, easing their heavy burden.
Thanks for reading his story and your kind consideration! We will keep you updated on his journey.
From the friends and family of Jason Tannehill
Organisator und Spendenbegünstigter
Tami Klein Lallo
Organisator
Medford, OR
Jason Tannehill
Spendenbegünstigte