Howie’s Healing: from ICU to Recovery to Home

It's another day at the office, they say - a new nurse shift, new doctors passing by, new breathing goals to reach but oddly there is an unwelcomed sense of familiarity with the beeping monitor sounds and distinct hospital smell as you enter down the hall into his room. Today's nurse asks, "what does he go by?" and its an immediate reminder that she hasn't had the pleasure to meet him as his pure self: a son, brother to 2 sisters, an unremarkable father of 3 daughters, an uncle to many, now a grandpa to 3 granddaughters, the most loyal friend youll ever have and such a hardworking provider and husband. Instead she sees a patient shes assigned to for her 12 hour shift today. But we will always see Howard, Howie, Dad, Papa, Papi, The Best Looking Guy in South Florida (if you know, you know).

Here's how we got here...

Just 3 days after the celebration of our dad’s birthday, the unforeseen event occurred on January 14th. Our dads heart went into VFIP pattern causing him to have a heart attack and cardiac arrest. Thankfully our mom with the help of 911, was a natural superhero and literally saved his life by bringing him back to life just moments after he collapsed to the floor.

Dad was immediately put onto 100% life support and rushed to the hospital - it was then when we realized that this was the moment that changed everything.

Dad experienced severe trauma to the head from his fall leaving outer brain swelling and 2 abrasions (brain bleeds) that took over 10 days to finally get cleared of any neurological damage.

His heart was immediately diagnosed with not only a fatal pattern known as VFIP but a fully clogged artery. Not knowing if this was the full reason on what caused his heart to stop, we patiently waited for Neuro to clear him for a stent surgery. After a long 3 days dad’s heart procedure was successful while the waiting continued as Cat Scans soon became the new normal. Once the MRI was taken and reviewed 10 days after being intubated, Neuro finally cleared dad’s brain of any concerns and damage that won’t heal itself. 2 days later, on his 11th day in the ICU, at 11:11am dad was extubated by Emanuel (meaning "God with us"), and we all thought we were finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! Unfortunately, his story doesn’t end there.

3 days later (14 total in the ICU) we received the painful phone call at 8am stating dad had been re-intubated due to his inability to produce adequate oxygen levels & blood pressure dropping.. According to the doctors “we start all over now” - how up lifting.. Resulting in dad’s kidneys taking a heavy hit causing him to be put onto dialysis. And we soon learned that he now has Aspiration Pneumonia.

Though our exhaustion, pain and heartache weighs heavy, we continue to hold on to the one thing that got us through the first time, FAITH. We knew that dad needed to let go and let God. So the prayers got even heavier, the support continued to rally, and silencing the noise was never stronger.

At 22 days, after 3 Bronchoscopies & 1 Thoracentesis, the decision came that it was time dad get the Tracheotomy placed in his trachea. With strong hopes and beliefs this procedure will not be permanent, we continued to wean him off the ventilator entirely.

Although we would get a wink here, a hand squeeze there, a nod to answer a question, or a cry of emotion stream down his face, we long for his big bear hugs, his tender kisses, and his contagious laughter and jokes.

MARCH 2025 update:

With countless amount of prayers and God’s healing power, our dad was able to be weaned off the ventilator support entirely, decantilated from his Tracheostomy, no longer needing oxygen support, AND officially being nondependant on dialysis as his kidneys have been healed! After more than 50 days inside a hospital setting dad got to finally feel the fresh air on his face, the sun on his skin & payment on his feet. His physical therapy has improved from legs lifts while laying down, to sitting at the edge of the bed, to taking steps with assistance, to climbing the stairs, to now challenging himself to walk without a walker. His speech therapy has gone from tube feeding, to only allowed ice chips, to emulified foods & thickened liquids, to now slow and steady normalization in eating and swallowing with caution.

With our continued hopefulness that the hospitalization days are coming to an end we are currently asking for your support. As emotionally and physically exhausting this has been for the family but mostly my dad, the stress around finances is the last thing we want dad to worry about every time he lives his new, second given life to live.

As we will be heading out of recovery and soon to be home, with the days of physical therapy, speech therapy and swallow therapy, slowly behind us, unfortunately we have come to the position where we are now asking for anything that you can help financially provide as my dad was always the one person who put everyone else before him.

We appreciate every prayer prayed, every outreach given, and simply just any act of support received thus far!! These are the times where we can’t express enough gratitude our family feels as the community gathers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

Please feel free to leave a comment of any words of affirmation you’d like us to share bedside to dad!

"Cause the darker the night gets,

The brighter the light hits"

Romans 15:13

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope".

If you are not able to financially support at this time, please continue to join us in prayer as our prayers weigh heavy in ICU.