Michael is a devoted father of five from Bristol who has already faced more than his share of challenges. Now, he needs help from the community as he battles a life-threatening infection. Michael and his wife, Deirdre, are parents to five young children, each with complex medical needs. While Deirdre manages frequent trips to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for their children, Michael continues to fight a severe infection requiring surgery.
Latest update from his wife, Deirdre:
I’ve had a lot of questions about Michael’s journey so I am at the hospital with him now and typing this up to give everyone a picture of what we have been dealing with and for how long.
For all of 2025, Michael battled recurrent ear infections. He would be prescribed oral antibiotics and as soon as the course was up, he would have another ear infection. This went on until September when he finally saw ENT who said he had TMJ, which was a misdiagnosis.
So we got a referral for a new ENT who said it was indeed ear infections and he may need tubes put in. That provider prescribed different oral antibiotics to see if he would improve. He didn’t.
Michael was diagnosed with mastoiditis on December 11th at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Mastoiditis is an infection behind the ear in the mastoid bone where the air cell fill up with fluid. It can cause dizziness, headaches, neurological impairment, and permanent hearing loss. He was discharged on more oral antibiotics with an appt to see his ENT in January.
On January 9th he saw his ENT who diagnosed him with both mastoiditis and malignant otitis externa, and recommended he go to UT Medical to be admitted for surgery and a PICC line for 6 weeks.
Michael was admitted January 9th at UT Medical. He had a tube placed to drain the infection from his left ear and was septic. He was on IV antibiotics for the course of his admission, and was discharged on oral antibiotics (against the recommendation of ENT of JC who advised being discharged on a PICC line for 6 weeks). The ENT surgeon told him the tube should alleviate his symptoms and any pain he was still experiencing was unrelated.
On January 21st Michael was seen in the ER at Johnson City Medical Center. He was discharged with oral antibiotics from the ED.
On January 23rd Michael was admitted at Franklin Woods in Johnson City where he received IV antibiotics for the course of his admission. We advocated for surgery of the mastoid bone to remove the infection and was told it was not needed. He was discharged on a PICC line, but did not receive the proper dosage or timeframe of antibiotics.
He was seen by home health until his PICC line was removed. While on the PICC line he followed up with ENT of JC, and at time of discharge from home health, we advocated to remain on the antibiotics further due to symptoms not improving. It was not recommended for him to remain on the PICC line and he was discharged from home health.
On March 17th while we were in Nashville for our boys who were admitted at Vanderbilt Children’s, Michael began experiencing painful symptoms like he had back in December/January. He went to the ER at Tri-Star Centennial and was admitted for a course of IV antibiotics. Two days after discharged he was readmitted for more IV antibiotics due to worsening symptoms. CT scans showed infection in the mastoid bone. The ENT sent a referral to Vanderbilt, due to Tri-Star and Nashville General Hospital being unable to perform the surgery, requiring a higher level of care. Vanderbilt received the referral and has been reviewing his case since March 20th. The delay is that Vanderbilt is not in network with our insurance. To receive the surgery at Vanderbilt the bill would be private pay.
As we have been awaiting a determination from Vanderbilt, we returned home for the weekend. Michael celebrated his 45th birthday on March 28th. On the 30th he had an episode of severe headache and cognitive impairment which lead to an emergency appt with ENT on the morning of the 31st. He woke up with even further discomfort and the ENT at Greater Knoxville ENT was consulted (who saw him upon his discharge at UT Medical). She recommended going to UT Medical or Fort Sanders to be admitted for the mastoidectomy. She said it was “urgent” and he needed the surgery “asap”. UT Medical ER wait time was hours compared to the Fort Sanders wait. So Michael was taken to Fort Sanders and admitted on March 31st.
At registration, the ER provider spoke with UT due to the complexity of his condition, as the CT showed “extensive opacification of left mastoid air cells with moderate opacification of the middle left ear canal with several areas osseous demineralization within the left mastoid air cells greatest inferiorly suggesting osteomyelitis related to the acute mastoiditis.” UT refused transfer due to being at capacity. Therefore, the Fort Sanders ENT agreed to see him on consultation. From his exam, he determined Michael needs transfer to higher level of care due for this procedure.
The providers and case worker are working on requesting transfer to Vanderbilt. They are sending a new request every few hours. The last request was denied at 1:30pm due to full capacity. I have been with our boys up until the last hour. The Lord provided us with a babysitter for the day who is a nurse and a Christian! Her young adult daughters are helping her with them and they are in good hands. We also had a family bless us with letting us borrow a wagon while here since Josiah is a runner and I left in a hurry and left the stroller at home. He also still needs naps during the day, so it doubles as a pack n play.
The case worker just spoke to us and I advocated for the transfer requests to also include UK and Duke. If none of the hospitals are able to accept him by tomorrow morning for transfer, Fort Sanders will place a PICC line and discharge us so we can attempt a “private transport” to the ER at Vanderbilt. This means the hospital bill for admission at Vanderbilt would not be covered by his insurance, and it would be a big financial hit. But at this point, we have to take that risk for Michael to get the surgery he needs if the transfer isn’t accepted to a higher level of care facility. Right now he is on IV Rocephin, since IV Zosyn and Zyvox have been failed lines of therapy. Infectious Disease has been consulted to see if they can pinpoint the specific bacteria before we leave here.
It is frustrating that we have to fight so hard and so long to receive the care needed. But we know as much as this fight is one for Michael’s physical body that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against.” Ephesians 6:12
We appreciate each and every one of you continuing to follow along, pray, and support us through encouragement. We know the Lord has a purpose that will bring Him Glory for why this journey has been so drawn out, and we have to keep our eyes focused on Him.
Key ways to pray:
1. A transfer acceptance from Vanderbilt, UK, or Duke. Or for Vanderbilt ENT to call and say they have accepted his case to schedule surgery.
2. If no transfer, then a smooth PICC line placement tomorrow with us discharging and going to Vanderbilt ER
3. For the higher level of care hospital Michael is seen at to act quickly with the surgery that has been confirmed as needed by multiple providers and CT scans.
4. For me to have strength to juggle care for the boys and also advocate for Michael.
5. That wherever we end up, that we will have housing taken care of and help with the boys so I can be at the hospital with Michael for a few hrs each day.
6. Financial provision for our bills and expenses, as Michael has been without work since this all started in December.
7. For our boys spiritual and emotional well-being as the constant back and forth has already been very difficult on their mental and development needs.
8. In all of this, we want the glory of God to be made known to all who Michael’s story comes in touch with. Every nurse, Dr, surgeon, anesthesiologist, tech, housekeeper, and all of those who are following our social media. That people who have given up on God or never placed their trust in Jesus would come to know Him.