Scott Allen was on top of his education career and had recently won several awards such as the 2020 Oklahoma Principal of Excellence. On October 20, 2020 he became sick with Covid. Covid wreaked havoc on his body and caused neurological, lung, and heart damage.
After two sleep studies, specialists discovered he has several apnea’s at night with one being central apnea. His brain isn’t signaling for his lungs to breathe over 40 times an hour. There are times he stops breathing for almost a minute at a night. His oxygen levels drop in the low 80s at night. Doctors have ordered an ASV machine to help him breathe and get oxygen through this body. He also suffers from central apnea during the day, but it is not as frequent as at nighttime. His sleep specialist has said he is an “extraordinary case” considering all his symptoms.
Recently, he wore a heart monitor for the second time. Even though he rests all day and only walks a short distance, his monitor showed his heart rate varied from the 20’s to 197. Cardiologists are unable to do anything with his high heart rate and high blood pressure because he has a 2nd degree heart block. The signal for his heart to beat is blocked at times and his heart doesn’t beat. Doctors are hoping that addressing the breathing and oxygen issues at night will help with the heart block. If it doesn’t, he will need a pacemaker. He had no heart issues at all before Covid. His cardiologist has said what he is facing is “very rare”.
He has a history of severe asthma, and Covid attacked his lungs. His last CT Scan showed his slow recovery. A nodule in his lower left lung was found and will be looked at again at the first of August. During the same CT scan they found a growth on a vertebrae. They aren’t sure what the growth is and will look at it again for a referral to a neurologist and/or an oncologist if needed.
Scott Allen hasn’t been able to work since October 2020. He uses a wheel chair when he needs to go any distance. He can walk around the house and in the yard some. He is also unable to drive due to his symptoms.
Principle Mr. Allen is an excellent representation of greatness. He promotes faith, courage, and change to his staff and students at Monroe Elementary School. He instills “hope” and the belief that “when we get knocked...we rise up”. This respected man in the Enid, Oklahoma community has inspired many and now it is our time to help him and his family in their time of uncertainty.
His story has been covered many times by Oklahoma’s KFOR news channel. His hope is that he can show people that they can overcome the obstacles in their lives.
