Jim’s Medical Journal

Jimmy passed his swallow test today. That just means when he takes something in his mouth, it goes to the right place. First request, Gatorade Zero. Luckily Joe was en route to the hospital and Suzie was able to catch him to pick up the delicious liquid gold. Jim had...

I’m at the airport getting ready to head back to my life. Hard to leave Jim today. But it was another great day and I know I am leaving him in good care.Huge improvement today on the vent. Down to 50% O2 and his blood oxygen was consistently 97. He got to have a few...

I am writing this from Jim's room at the RML specialty hospital, watching him rest. I flew into O'hare early Sunday morning and will be leaving Wednesday night to head back to the Twin Cities. I have intentionally written these updates as a reporter. Jim's father Joe...

Jim has had a couple of very productive days at RML. This place specializes in pulmonary rehabilitation, so Jim is at the perfect hospital to get off the vent. One of the pulmonologist lung specialists went to high school with Jim. Always helpful to have another...

Jim moved today from Rush to RML Specialty Hospital in Hinsdale. He will be here as long as it takes to get off the vent so that he can then get to rehab. Jim still has mucous in his lungs that he needs to get out, but there is less. There is some feeling in Jim's...

Jim's sister Joanne and his brother John have arrived in Chicago. Jim will be leaving Rush within the next week to go to a Long Term Acute Care facility. He will be well enough to be out of the hospital, but not ready to start working at the rehabilitation facility....

Jim got an ambulance ride back to Chicago Saturday and is at Rush in the ICU. So much easier for Jim's dad and Suzie and Clara to be with Jim now. Visiting is still restricted as he is in ICU, but this is just another stopover for a week or two. We all want to go see...

Jim had a new trach put in yesterday. All went well. He was weened off oxygen throughout the day and kept his pulse oxygen level good the whole time.The plan is that within a week he will be transferring to the ICU at Rush hospital in Chicago. After a little more...

Update from the last 2 days.Each day has been more of the same. Sleep is tough at night. Still trying to dial in the trach and continue to cough up the the particles he took in from the lake. The current plan is that Jim is going to get a new, larger trach on...