Any Word On Tom Annonymous?

Has anyone heard from Tom? How did his surgery go? Arlene

Hello, thanks for your concern. This is his Wife, Holly. He is doing okay. He was released from the hospital yesterday around 12:00pm. It has been a scary journey. His surgery lasted six hours, rather than 2. He was admitted for surgery at 6:50am and we didn't get to see him until 8:00pm. He is home now we are to go see Dr. Hunter tomorrow, because he has high white blood cell count and it was a concern, but he really wanted to go home so they released him. He still has his drain in and has'nt had a bowel movement since tuesday evening. I stayed with him the whole time in the hospital, only leaving to go to the bathroom or grab something to eat. The nightmare started waiting in the waiting room, it was 12:30 and then paged us with our pager so we go up to the desk and they said surgery went great and he was in recovery, so we should go down to cafeteria and eat luch because it would probably be 2 more hours until we could see him. Okay so then it's 1:40 and his mother goes back up there and its a different person at the desk, she says I would like to see my son and they said we could see him soon. She said oh I am sorry he is still in surgery, there was a mistake, someone with the same last name!!!! Then we began to worry, then nothing, no-one could tell us anything except that surgery began at 8:30. Come to find out his liver was to large to do it laproscopically so they had to do it open. Then they ran into problems because things didn't reach. Then coming out of surgery around 2:30-2:45 he was throwing up blood every 15 minutes. Then they did some tests and I don't know what else... Wait its not over. He was in recovery on 10th floor Fridayat 8:00pm when we saw him, he had the tube in his mouth and nose and oxygen, he looked so awful and could hardly talk. Well I stayed the night with him......... then he started choking to death around 1:00 am because his tube down his throat was kinked. The stupid Nurse was not even concerned. I pushed his nurses button and he started turning purple and then I ran out to the hallway and she was on the phone, I said he is CHOKING!! She said thats normal he is just trying to throwup, I said NO he is choking. Then she came in and moved his tube out a little and then he started choking again, turing purple. She then just took it out completly! Dr. Hunter was mad she took it out, because it wasn't in there long enough. Lets see then 11:00am Saturday they took him down to x-ray in a wheel chair, he was so exausted from that night and he was sweating and looked so awful, they tried him in the 1st room and he was to big to do it sitting up, so then they move him again to a different room, made him stand up and drink this nasty chalky stuff twice, took the xrays no good couldn't see anything. So back to the 1st room, this time climb up on to the TABLE!!!!!!! THEN move the x-ray thing across his abdomen, I mean it barely went over him just about gracing his incision! OMG. Then they said okay we got it, he was tripping with sweat, and his whole body was flushed I just wanted to cry. Then 1:00am on Saturday they moved him to CCU on the 7th floor. So they could monitor him, his blood pressure was high, he had a fever, and he suffers from sleep apnea and his oxygen levels were low. His heartrate was running 110-120. So they hooked him all up to monitor him. This place sucks! The rooms are so tiny and there was silverfish bugs every where. What the hell?? The staff on the 7th floor don't really have experince working with wls patients so his mother and I were getting so p-off at the RN's and tec's. Err! Get this, on Monday these idiots brought him french toast and oatmeal, pears, milk and juice. I was down in the cafeteria, I came back and noticed the tray, I took off the lid and said what the hell is this. He said I told them I didn't think it was right. It was a different Nurse that brought him this and said it was fine. So he ate so far 1oz of pears. I was mad so I call the nurse with the nurse button and she comes in and I said why is he eating solid foods?? She says all snoody hes not its clear liquids I said NO ITS NOT. She takes of the lid and said Oh know, you didn't eat this did you. He said yes the pears. She says oh my god and leaves the room. So Dr. Moraca (Very nice surgeon, he assisted Dr. Hunter and Dr. Thirlby for Toms surgery) comes in and said okay clear liquids and now we want to watch you for a couple more days to make sure there is no blockage. He leaves and the Nurse who I am sure got chewed out by him says, didn't you take the classes, didn't you know you weren't suppose to have that. WELL GEE yes, but thats why he asked them and they said it okay. I wanted to say didn't you and your staff go to medical school! Gosh this is such a nightmare! I am trying to stay strong for him but I just can't keep it together. He is in a regret stage too, the whole time in the hospital he said he never should have done this and he regets it. I am sorry this is so long, I just needed to get SOME of the stuff that happend in his 6 day, 5 night stay in this nightmare. DR. HUNTER AND DR. MORACA ARE GREAT THOUGH! THEY HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL, KIND AND UNDERSTANDING. THE RN'S AND TECNICIANS, THEY SUCK! Thanks for all the prayers thay went out for Tom please don't stop praying though, it's not over. We will see what happens tomorrow at his appointment.

Things are real bad for Tom. He had a leak and had to have emergency surgery Friday he is in ICU AT VIRGINIA MASON. ANY CARDS OUR WELCOMED, THOMAS BURNS IS HIS NAME. I HAVE BEEN STAYING AT THE HOSPITAL EVERYDAY. HE IS ON A VINALATER AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU CAN IMAGINE. PLEASE DON'T STOP THE PRAYERS! MY NAME IS HOLLY BURNS AND I AM HIS WIFE. I AM IN A TOUGH SPOT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO VEHICLE AND SO THE DR TOLD ME TODAY THAT I LOOK TERRIBLE AND NEED TO GO GET SOME REST, I LIVE IN PUYALLUP AND JUST HERE A SECOND TO GRAP SOME CLOTHES AND DO A QUICK UPDATE. I WILL BE STAYING IN BURIEN WITH TOM'S FATHER. PLEASE SAY YOUR PRAYERS! THEY EXPECT HIM TO BE IN ICU FOR MONTH AT THE LEAST....... THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS. HOLLY

Holly, Thanks for the update on Tom. We are all concerned and will keep him in our thoughts/prayers. Mari

WOW I RECIEVED YOUR CARD TODAY AT THE HOSPITAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. TOM GOES BACK TO SURGERY AGAIN TOMORROW AT 2:00PM. HE DEVELOPED SEPSIS AND SO THEY NEED TO GO BACK IN AND TRY TO FIND THE ABCESS INFECTION. HE LOOKS SO AWFUL, HE HAS GAINED 63 POUNDS FROM ALL THE FLUID THEY ARE PUMPING IN HIM! THIS IS SUCH A NIGHTMARE. I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND PRAYERS THAT EVERYONE HERE ON THE FORUM HAS GIVEN TO ME. PLEASE CONTINUE IT =) I WAS ABLE TO GET A QUICK EXCESS TO A COMPUTER TO GIVE A UPDATE. THANKS AGAIN MARI FOR THE WONDERFUL CARD.

Holly, I'm so sorry to hear about all of the problems that Tom is having. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. Big hugs to both of you, and prayers for a quick and full recovery. Carol

Holly, I'm so sorry to hear about the problems Tom has been having. I am sending prayer's his way. Please keep us updated. Arlene

OMG NO ONE should have to go through what he is going through. And I think to put myself in YOUR shoes..I'd be so LIVID!!! I am so sorry sweetie. Keep being strong and I'm sure he will pull through.

Holly, I am soooo sorry to hear all that Tom is going through! Please let him know he is in our prayers. If it helps, I went through something similar and after going through heck all ended up ok. Try to let that help you through this bad time. Take care, Kathy

Holly, I will keep you and your family lifted in prayer. Tom is so lucky to have a wonderful supportive wife like yourself. Let him know that we are thinking of him.