Updates on Tom

 And, here is a beautiful post from my younger brother, Corey: After my sister and brother wrote such amazing tributes to my Dad, I know he is rolling his eyes that I am saying something as well. Sorry Dad, your baby boy has to say something too. We never imagine this moment when we are dealing with a loss so big. Throughout these 10 months I have talked with many of you and heard your stories of pain and loss. It was always a reminder that we are never alone. I am sure many of you cannot imagine what these 10 months have been like for my Dad and our family. Well, let me tell you a few things…. It has been my Dad not thinking of the condition he is in but only the life story a nurse is telling him and encouraging them to keep pursuing what they are passionate about. Telling every nurse, doctor, whomever would listen, his amazing story. They couldn’t believe the many things we told them…yes, he at one time wanted to be a priest, raced Ferrari’s, modeled, was on The Dating Ga...

 I wanted to share this beautiful post from my brother: “Reversion To The Mean” - Tom Alison Yesterday, the world lost a special man, a friend, a Fraternity brother, a mentor, a teacher, a man in love with Jesus, a brother, a father, a grandfather, and an AMAZING Husband to my mom. But Heaven hit the jackpot and gained a man that will light up any room, a man who is now resting but also celebrating with Jesus. He fought an incredible battle against COVID for 10.5 months and we fulfilled our promise to him in getting him home before having to go back to the hospital. I let him know I had never met a stronger human with more endurance than anyone else and that I thought I had done the impossible in completing 2 Ironmans but that did not touch how strong he was over the last 10.5 months. There were so many miracles along the way because the Doctors / Nurses could not believe how strong my dad was, how many obstacles he was able to overcome and they underestimated the strength of the ‘...

Yesterday afternoon, my dad went to be with Jesus.  It is surreal. It is painful. Missing him is excruciating as I'm sure so many of you have felt a similar way after losing a loved one.  I arrived to the hospital from South Carolina an hour before it happened. It was peaceful. We were all huddled around him holding his hands, telling stories, crying, laughing, praying, being with him. I'm grateful he's no longer in pain and that he is with the Lord. I want to thank you for the care each of you has had for our family and my dad. For praying for him and us and supporting us in so many ways. Thank you so much. We're thankful for the nurses and doctors along the way who loved my dad and treated him like family and loved him so well. My dad said to me years ago: You know how people are so sad at funerals? At mine, I want it to be a party. I want people to celebrate the wonderful life I have had. So with all my heart I am trying to do just that - to turn my tears into joy an...

 I'm sorry I'm just now updating. Dad was doing well at first being home, but then he developed an infection and slight pneumonia and wasn't doing well so had to go to the ICU last week, but has been doing SO much better since getting on antibiotics. We also got an awesome hospital bed at home for him that is much more comfortable and turns into a chair so hopefully that will help a lot also. Thank you for your continued prayers. We're hoping he can come home this coming week.

To be able to facetime my dad this morning At. Their. House. with mom sitting next to him and the connection actually working Was. Amazing. I asked him how it felt to be sitting right next to mom at home and he said, "Wonderful." Yesterday morning before my dad came home, his iPhone stopped working. So, once he arrived at home and they opened the ambulance doors, the first thing he said after Brett said, "Welcome home, dad", was, "Brett, did you get my iPhone working?" while throwing his hands up in the air. Haha! So my dad with getting right to the point.  The second he got out of the ambulance and saw his waterfall, the trees, and his flowers, a breeze washed over his face after 8.5 months of being in the hospital. He closed his eyes, took it in, and said, "Incredible." The simple things. As they wheeled him by his roses and his waterfall, in typical dad fashion, he wanted to make sure the transporters saw the waterfall and liked it. (:  Gettin...

 The plan is for dad to come home Monday, August 30th. I'm so thankful to the Lord that he is able to come home. This is a huge deal for all of us- exciting and scary with all that goes into it but there is no other place we want my dad than home. He has been on the trach collar during the day doing great and on the ventilator at night for about 6 hours to ventilate CO2 to help him get stronger with the hope to eventually have him get off the ventilator completely and be able to get the trach removed.  Please be praying that the transition home goes smoothly. That everything works out well with nurses, OT, PT, Speech, and that this helps my dad recover. Also for strength and endurance for mom as well as I know it is a lot. Even so, she is so happy to have him come home. Her love for dad is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Here's a post I wrote about it on my Blog:  https://linseydriskill.com/ 2021/08/22/a-love-like-this/ I'll continue updating here also....

 We're continuing to work details out to bring dad home. please be praying for those details to work out- coverage of nurses, greta nurses to help dad recover, OT, ST, PT, and that all would go smoothly and well. Dad has been doing pressure support at might for 6 hours and trach collar during the day. Thanks so much for praying!

Lately, we have been seeing how dad does resting on pressure support at night and doing trach collar during the day. Other times, he would do trach collar for several days in a row but then would tire out, so we're hoping that trying this way will build up his strength better.  We're also trying to get him home!!!! We didn't even know this was an option at this point, but someone said to us the other day that she thought the best thing for dad could be to bring him home with a ventilator box. That way if he needs it at night, he can use it, but that would be a great way to try to wean off the vent for good.  To be at home would be incredible and give him the best chance of thriving so we are hoping to make this happen. With that being said, there are a TON of logistics to make this happen. From figuring out what insurance finding the best pulmonary doctor once he's home, to equipment, to finding the best companies that service the Sandy Springs area, to many more things...

Since I last wrote, about a week ago, Dad's CO2 went up so they had to ventilate it with the vent. But he's now been doing trach collar for several days and doing great on it. He's been resting on pressure support at night and doing trach collar during the day to get him stronger. Thank you for continuing to pray for dad!

 My dad has been on trach collar since I last wrote! He's been doing great. Yesterday he was on 40% with the PMV in (the speaking valve). Many times, he would desatt with the PMV, but he did great with it yesterday. And, then last night, they lowered the percent he's on to 35%. After having so many visits of my dad mouthing words and both of us being frustrated in me not being able to read lips, when I went to see my dad yesterday, it was SO awesome to actually be able to hear his voice. To know exactly what he's saying. To have a conversation with him. To hear him talking to the nurses about his work at JP Morgan and the passion he has for helping people because he cares about them. To hear him talk about their vision and also the importance of long term growth in investments and not quick fixes- wisdom he has shared with me my entire life. To hear him talk about when he first saw my mom and how her beauty drew him to her. But, how his love for her goes far deeper than tha...

 My dad did awesome on air-vo for a few days so they tried trach collar yesterday and he's doing great and still on it this morning!  Just a reminder that the blog host said they would stop sending updates via email sometime in July, but I'll still be posting here. Thankful for each of you.

 My dad has been on air-vo the last few days after having a few days on the vent to lower his CO2. His CO2 and PH level were good two days ago. They're taking an abg this morning to get his CO2 number and ph. If those numbers are good and he is doing well on air-vo this morning, they will try trach collar. 

 Dad has been on pressure support which is the step before trach collar and helps ventilate CO2. He does great on trach collar and was even capped for a day last week, but he's retaining CO2 and needs to ventilate the CO2 out. We are continuing to pray that his CO2 level goes down and remains low, that his spirits stay up, and for wisdom for the doctors and nurses.  They should be taking an ABG (arterial blood gas) in the next few days which will tell us his CO2 and PH numbers. Thank you for continuing to pray with us.  And, just a reminder that the Blog host said that updates will stop coming through email sometime in July, but they will still be here. "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." "You are the God who performs Miracles." Psalm 77:14 This is a very inspiring article my brother shared with me about an ICU nurse who got cover, spent 8 months in the hospital and just walked ou...

The big prayer request for dad right now is for his CO2 level to stay down. His oxygen saturation is great, but when he goes on the trach collar, his CO2 level has been raising. The vent helps ventilate and get rid of the CO2, so dad was on the vent last night to help lower it. The plan is to start weaning him again today as long as his CO2 number is low. Praying that dad's CO2 level stays low so he can continue moving forward to breathe on his own in the Name of Jesus. Thank you for praying for that with us! We're so grateful for you.

 I'm reminded to not get too low with the lows and too high with the highs. Dad's breathing has been great with the capping, but his CO2 level is too high. The way to decrease the CO2 level right now is to ventilate it out through the ventilator. So, they are putting him back on the vent and hoping he can get rid of the CO2 over the next few days and hopefully start on the trach collar again later this week. My prayer is that he won't have to go on the vent again after this time- that his CO2 will normalize and he won't need to. What helps him ventilate the CO2 once on the trach collar is time and strength. He has been on the trach collar a long time so praying that he is getting strong enough to do well on the next cap trial.  The general plan is:  1. Once he ventilates the CO2 well, to go on the trach. collar. 2. If he does well getting weaned on the trach collar, try the PMV speaking valve.  3. If he can tolerate the PMV well for around 4 days or so and his ABG sh...

 I had a great visit with my dad on Father' Day. I'm so thankful to have that time.  Dad is doing great. They actually capped his trach today and he's on a nasal canula!!! Praise God! I am so grateful. Praying he does great, and continuing to pray that he thrives in PT and is able to swallow well. So grateful for him doing so awesome today. I'll continue to keep you updated. Thank you so much for joining with us in prayer!

Praying dad can start moving forward. He's been doing well on a low setting of trach collar. Now, he needs to keep satting well when they put the PMV on (Speaking valve). Once he can keep the PMV in for a day or two and sat high with int, they can try capping the trach (which is closing the tube to see how he does without the trach tube). If he does well with it capped, they can look at removing it. Praying so much and hoping he can take giant steps moving forward so he can get the trach. capped and be able to remove it for good!

Dad is doing well on trach collar. Prayers for him to swallow well so he can eat and drink, to do well in PT, and to have a high oxygen saturation so he can continue to be weaned off the trach. And, we're continuing to pray for the Lord to protect dad's heart, mind, and body, and praying for the miracle of him fully healing. Thank you so much for praying!

This update is from my brother, Corey:  I s aw him yesterday. His oxygen saturation stayed 100% the entire time on 35% on the trach collar. Put PMV on (speaking valve that allows air to flow over vocal chords to speak) He has never tolerated that. Every time previous to that his 02 would drop immediately.   It stayed at 100% for 2 hours.  To hear his voice again was so great. I sat there as he told a nurse how my Mom and Dad met. Pure joy .  They lowered his setting to the lowest setting on trach collar which is 28% earlier today. He has never tolerated that, but has stayed at 100% today.  Dad's white blood count is also normal.  We're taking each day as they come and thankful for yesterday and the start of today. Praying, believing and hoping for continued progress. As I say with my dad who the grandkids call Papa T, "Papa T strong!" 

I'm so grateful that dad did great on 35% trach collar today! That is a really low setting. And, his white blood cell count has been normal.  I also wanted to let you know that if you have been getting updates via email, they are changing the setup so you will not get email notifications of updates anymore, but the blog will still be here and you can still check for updates here. Thank you again for continuing to pray for dad. I will never grow tired of thanking each and every one of you for walking this with us, praying with us, hoping with us, and believing with us. We are so thankful for you.