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Here's to Your Health:  Back to Ohio  |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 01 2009 : 03:50:03 AM
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This weekend my family and I will be making a very much overdue trip back to Cincinnati.
It will be bittersweet, since we will be there for a friend's funeral but have not seen frineds in many years. So it will be a huge family reunion of sorts.
Does anyone out there have a family member with Downe's Syndrome?
This boy had been a part of our lives even while in-eutero. He was higher functioning, but sadly, it was a multitiude of health issues that finally got him. I used to be his babysitter, and his mom used to babysit my brother and me. We go waaay back.
We all think the doctors let him carry on for far too long...almost bordering on cruelty. In the end, it was a bacterial infection that got him. It was not responding to the antibiotic and would have rendered Paul to a life of being on a ventelator.
A lung collapsed last week and he was already suffering from some kind of circulation problem.
Hardly life at all if you ask me.
But here's the really interesting thing...and a testament to how Christ-centered this family is. About 4 years ago, they lost another son. He was adopted from birth, had Autism and was also lower functioning Downes too. He was given a loving family and a better quality of life than his drugged out birth parent ever could have hope to have given...that's for sure! Nick was about 13 when he passed I think. The 3rd and surviving son is now alone. He is fresh out of highschool and about to go to college. To say he has mental issues is incorrect....just messed up due to a lifetime of family drama and doctor visits for his brothers. Poor thing
Through all this the family has remianed very active in their church....the same church I went to when we still lived in Cincy.
It will be good to see old friends (going back 30 years or more now for some)it will be a celebration of a life that touched so many. Paul had many fans and supporters. For a Downes boy, he had a great wit and funny sense of humor.
So don't waste a minute for this thing called life.
I'll report back and we'll see how many packed out the church
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 04:59:50 AM
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Might should have posted this under a different topic
but the health issues of this frined are what prompted the placement. starting with Downes Syndrome from birth, then the glaucoma came on early on in life, but the rest of this stuff came on w/ in the past 2 years.....fast! And Paul was only 22!
glaucoma, various artery/circulation/breathing problems, a collapsed lung, a bacterial infection so bad Paul was rendered to a ventalator,
but like I said he maintained a positive attitude all throughout as did his parents |
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bertha
True Blue Farmgirl
234 Posts
Bertha
St Joseph
Mi
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 05:31:34 AM
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| Dear Anna Thank for sharing this I will be praying for you this weekend Hugs Bert Bush |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 05:37:19 AM
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Anna, thanks for sharing this...I'm so sorry that his last days were so troubled physically. I used to tutor adults with Downes, and my days were filled with such joy and laughter. And though your trip to the Queen City will be bittersweet, enjoy all the "new" that the city has to offer. It's really, truly, beautiful.
I'll be thinking of you, as I'm only 10 minutes south of the Ohio River.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 8:30:11 PM
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Anna, you'll be in my prayers.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 03:45:09 AM
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I'm BAAACK!
Boy what a trip.
The funeral and wake were very nice--or as good as it can be.
Come to find out, one of the bacterial infections that claimed Paul was MSRA. (there were 2 that wern't responding to treatment) OH BOY! So the family has disinfected EVERYTHING in the house w/ hospital grade disinfectants.
And 1 of the heavy duty antibiotics (I think) is what caused the kidney failure.
He'd have been reduced to a "life" on a ventelator. He also only had brain stem function at this same time. So pretty much, Paul had said his good bys and has even told his dad when he was still coherent that he didnn't want to live like that wand wanted to go be with his brother Nicky and Jesus. Water works turn on here , I know
The preacher was a dear frined to the family too and had to struggle to get through the euelogy.
I'll post more under hogs and quiches
Thanks ladies
ANd it was indeed bittersweet to be back in Cincy. The fellowship and FOOD were soul satisfying
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 2:49:24 PM
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Aw, sorry to hear this.
My sister has Down's, she is 17 and currently in the hospital, AGAIN, for a blocked small intestine. The poor kid hasn't had a meal in 3 months. She isn't high functioning, she doesn't talk, but she can usually handle the basics of life - fix the bed, empty the dishwasher, make toast for herself, etc. She is really sweet though, it sucks she is in such shape - it just seems like test after test they put her through, even though we all know the only thing to do is exploratory surgery, which is what they did last time. 24 days in the hospital and counting... |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 4:58:06 PM
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That's sad.
I think out of 300 some odd days Paul was in the hospital 118 of those over the course of a year
We also think he was allowed to go on simply for the doctors teaching and learning at that particular hospital |
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Here's to Your Health: Back to Ohio |
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Back to Ohio
