[Bulletins] FW: Harry at end of week 11

[John W (Rev) aapt]

Hmmm!  I used to send these updates from my sister, Henni Burggraaf, out to
the mins at crca.org.au listing but since that no longer works I'm sending it
out to this address.  Sorry, you'll just have to hit the delete button if
you're not interested.

FYI - with best wishes from us (Merle and John W) for 2103 - may God's
guiding presence bless your life in the new year.

 

From: Harry Burggraaf [mailto:harry.burggraaf at bigpond.com] 
Sent: Saturday, 29 December 2012 3:41 PM
To: harry.burggraaf at bigpond.com
Subject: Harry at end of week 11

 

While we have been seeing many encouraging signs of Harry emerging out of
the encephalopathy of 6 weeks of induced coma, this past week infection has
set in. Harry's temperature has been slowly rising since  Monday.(39.2 last
night.) The staff have been diligent in sending off samples for cultures
from all his tubes and lines, and changed the central line;  but failing to
get a result the surgeon decided to do a further CT scan of the abdomen on
Friday - to eliminate any build-up of pockets of fluid in the peritoneal
cavity / intestinal area. The scan result was encouraging. The areas where
they knew there were pockets of fluid have in fact diminished in size a
little, and seem to be quite contained with drains all still in place. The
ICU consultant then rang to say that they would like to drain the large
pleural effusion in his lungs,  as this could be the source of the sepsis.
So last night they put another tube into Harry.!! (Is there anymore space on
his body?)  this time into his chest and drained off 1500 ml of fluid. Due
to the shift of fluid from the lungs his BP dropped and he went into
shock.which they immediately corrected with volume and aramine. Harry did
not look so good! -I was reliving October 13 again. So at present he is back
on some noradrenaline  for bloodpressure support again. Being febrile is
exhausting him, and since they have stopped the Ketamine he is far more
sensitive to discomfort and movement pain. They were getting rid of as many
medications as was possible, but this has been a setback. However, on the
positive side, this will speed up his lung function, as he now has a far
greater capacity with which to work at getting stronger. It may mean he will
eventually be able to breathe more effectively on his own even at night, and
hopefully lead to removal of  the tracheostomy sooner.  We go into the new
year confidently looking to God, who has kept, carried and sustained Harry
over these 11 weeks, -against  human expectations.

We rejoice in the small steps forward, and cheer Harry on from the sidelines
with all the ammunition that God gives us as people of faith.

For Christmas, we strung up the colourful prayer chain made of paper links -
each one a prayer from a primary child at Donvale - and it has created a
real conversation piece. one of the nurses working there actually found the
one written by her daughter!  An ICU consultant was found reading it and was
amazed that there were so many children in Harry's life.! Each link is a
testimony of faith.

This is the body of Christ at work!

May God bless you and keep you in all the days of 2013.

With thanks and love

Henni 

 

Harry and Henni Burggraaf

17 Edgewood Road

Dandenong  3175

Tel 9791 2601   Mob 0408 452 892

 

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