Help Tony wake up again
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On Dec. 25, 2017 at 3:30 am, I found my husband and soul mate Antonio (Tony) Grzegorzewski unresponsive on the livingroom floor. He was getting a cold and has asthma. This time the combonation this time was not good. He called out my name in a voice that will haunt me for the rest of my life, CALL FOR HELP. Within the time I called 911, he had died on the livingroom floor. The first responders worked on him for about 13 minutes while I stood there hopeless and helpless as I watched someone I love and have been married to for 10 years not respond. After an extended period of time, they were able to get his heart going again. He was rushed to our local hosiptal here in Northampton, Ma. and was put on life support and rushed to the ICU. He is only 34!!!
While Tony was in the local ICU, they could not get him to wake up. He was in a coma having seizures and they could not find where they were coming from or figure out a way to stop them. At that point they decided to keep the coma induced and to lower his core body temptaure to 91 and try and preserve his brain from further injury. After a 24 hour period, they began the slow process to warm his core temptuare back up, take him off the supression drugs and see if he would wake up and respond. He did not wake up or respond. At first the seizures were internial, however now they are physcial and worse.
At that point the decision was made to transfer Tony to a hosiptal that can deal with his condition. We are extreamly blessed to live in MA. because he was sent to Mass General Hosiptal in Boston! It is the best hosiptal on the east coast for brain injuries!
Tony was put in the Nurological ICU when he arrived there on December 30, 2017 and remains there.
Sense Tony has been there, they Birth Supressed him twice. That is when they adminster drugs to supress his brain function to almost nothing to try and reset his brain. This is a very serious prosediure and the drugs they have to adminster get stronger and more devistating to Tonys body the longer it goes on. The 1st supression was for 24 hours and after that they try to wake him up and take him off ALL the drugs. It is very painful for Tony and for myself and his mother to watch. The seizures came back almost immeaditaly and they supressed Tony again. This time it was a 48 hour supression and a 48 hour wake up process. When they tried to wake him this time, things were a bit different with the brain scan. The Doctor said it was not a bad change but stoped short of saying it was a good change.
At this point the doctors have done all they can do for Tony. The harm of doing another Birth Supression out weighs the good that could come and it probally will not come,
Tony will now be sent to a Dissorders of Consciousness long term care facility. The hope is that while he is there, his brain can heal on its own and Tony can start showing signs of wakefullness. This will be a very, very long process and there is still a good chance that Tony may never regain consciousness.
His treatment while there will vary according to how he resopnds over time. To begin, he will have to remain on 5 anti sezuire drugs to try and controll his angry brain. Tony will get physical theripy and undergo testing for wakefullness. This is still unfolding as I compose this so I am still learning daily on what treatments will be required.
As you can iminange, the cost of Tony's care is very expensive. My insurance is only going to cover a portion of his care. Our income has been cut in half and I have not been able to work sense this happened. The savings we have had was used already and we are behind in our rent and other bills. Tony has severe depression and anxity disorder on top of all of this and only worked when he was able.
The funds raised here will cover his medical expences and help me keep our house. I live 2 hours from Boston and I can not afford to get a hotel. We also have 2 dogs and a cat who need me also.
This is a very hard thing for me to do. I have always prided myself on being able to care for my family. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! PLEASE!!
I realise that I need help and can not do this on my own. My family doesn't have money and I was paycheck to paycheck. It is a horriable feeling. I am blessed with friends to help pull me through this and try to guide me.
Anything will be greatly appreciated and thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
While Tony was in the local ICU, they could not get him to wake up. He was in a coma having seizures and they could not find where they were coming from or figure out a way to stop them. At that point they decided to keep the coma induced and to lower his core body temptaure to 91 and try and preserve his brain from further injury. After a 24 hour period, they began the slow process to warm his core temptuare back up, take him off the supression drugs and see if he would wake up and respond. He did not wake up or respond. At first the seizures were internial, however now they are physcial and worse.
At that point the decision was made to transfer Tony to a hosiptal that can deal with his condition. We are extreamly blessed to live in MA. because he was sent to Mass General Hosiptal in Boston! It is the best hosiptal on the east coast for brain injuries!
Tony was put in the Nurological ICU when he arrived there on December 30, 2017 and remains there.
Sense Tony has been there, they Birth Supressed him twice. That is when they adminster drugs to supress his brain function to almost nothing to try and reset his brain. This is a very serious prosediure and the drugs they have to adminster get stronger and more devistating to Tonys body the longer it goes on. The 1st supression was for 24 hours and after that they try to wake him up and take him off ALL the drugs. It is very painful for Tony and for myself and his mother to watch. The seizures came back almost immeaditaly and they supressed Tony again. This time it was a 48 hour supression and a 48 hour wake up process. When they tried to wake him this time, things were a bit different with the brain scan. The Doctor said it was not a bad change but stoped short of saying it was a good change.
At this point the doctors have done all they can do for Tony. The harm of doing another Birth Supression out weighs the good that could come and it probally will not come,
Tony will now be sent to a Dissorders of Consciousness long term care facility. The hope is that while he is there, his brain can heal on its own and Tony can start showing signs of wakefullness. This will be a very, very long process and there is still a good chance that Tony may never regain consciousness.
His treatment while there will vary according to how he resopnds over time. To begin, he will have to remain on 5 anti sezuire drugs to try and controll his angry brain. Tony will get physical theripy and undergo testing for wakefullness. This is still unfolding as I compose this so I am still learning daily on what treatments will be required.
As you can iminange, the cost of Tony's care is very expensive. My insurance is only going to cover a portion of his care. Our income has been cut in half and I have not been able to work sense this happened. The savings we have had was used already and we are behind in our rent and other bills. Tony has severe depression and anxity disorder on top of all of this and only worked when he was able.
The funds raised here will cover his medical expences and help me keep our house. I live 2 hours from Boston and I can not afford to get a hotel. We also have 2 dogs and a cat who need me also.
This is a very hard thing for me to do. I have always prided myself on being able to care for my family. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! PLEASE!!
I realise that I need help and can not do this on my own. My family doesn't have money and I was paycheck to paycheck. It is a horriable feeling. I am blessed with friends to help pull me through this and try to guide me.
Anything will be greatly appreciated and thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
Organizer
Justin Grzegorzewski
Organizer
Northampton, MA
