THE LONG DISTANCE ROAD TO RECOVERY : How sweet it is!”
Hugh Porter, age 77, a former construction worker and Army paratrooper was hospitalized on a ventilator for 6 months in his home town of Patten , Maine . He spent almost all his time in a lethargic state, induced largely by medications, and prospects for weaning off the ventilator grew dimmer with each passing day. In desperation, his family “surfed the Internet” for their own “Mission Impossible.” A promising “hit” landed them at Radius Specialty Hospital-Boston and its Ventilator Care Unit which specializes in weaning patients from long term mechanical ventilator support.
Hugh had been ill for almost a year and the root cause of his malady was elusive. At first “arthritis” was suspected. But after several months of frequent ER visits, a classic bloodstream infection, associated with underlying cancer of the colon, was finally diagnosed. But at this point the infection had exploded into bacterial endocarditis, a life-threatening infection of the internal lining layer of the heart and its valves. Hugh survived despite open heart surgery, requiring replacement of two heart valves and the proximal root of the aorta, kidney dialysis and massive doses of antibiotics, only to languish on the support of a mechanical ventilator with chronic respiratory failure. According to his family he became progressively weaker and depressed with each passing day. Hand restraints were used to prevent him from inadvertently removing needed lines and tubes. “Mouthing words and lip reading” was the only way to communicate. After multiple weaning attempts failed, it seemed that Hugh was destined for ventilator support for the rest of his life.
Upon arrival to Radius Specialty Hospital-Boston, his pulmonologist, Dr. Martin Joyce-Brady, described Hugh as “a walking textbook of internal medicine.” He had already survived the “rough stuff.” After evaluation by specialists in cardiology, neurology, psychiatry and pulmonary/critical care medicine, all organs systems appeared to be functional. What Hugh Porter needed now was a “sedation vacation.” Over the next three weeks of hospitalization, Hugh regained consciousness, interacted appropriately, followed commands, began weaning from the ventilator, participated in physical therapy and experienced his own “Awakenings.” After embarking on the 6 hour drive from Patten, Maine to Boston , Massachusetts , his family laid witness to this tremendous progress. Hugh actually greeted them while sitting in a chair reading a newspaper! He was tolerating several hours of breathing totally free of the ventilator and was even able to converse with them. The family praised the Radius staff for being so “wonderful” and “attentive” to their father. Hugh's daughter Lynn shared that “Radius offered caring and HOPE, not just for her dad, but for all of us in the family: “You have given our dad back to us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” Hugh Porter returned to Maine totally weaned from mechanical ventilator support in time to share the Christmas holidays with his wife, two daughters and grandchildren. He is now able to complete his recovery using therapies and services in the comfort of his own home in Patten, Maine .
PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION.
