Fighting CV19: Please send thoughts and well wishes to Greg B (Runum)

[Trevor Kuntz]

Kathy has posted again today. Keep Greg in your thoughts as he battles sepsis.

Greg B****** 's prayer warriors. Please pray for Greg to kick the sepsis that has developed. A bacterial infection in his blood. After he had such a great day, now his body is fighting this infection. Thank you.

 

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[BizyDad]

Greg will hate us for all the posts he'll have to read here haha.

As long as he's reading them, I don't care...

 

[Kak]

There are two ways people handle unfortunate a$$ kickings that life sometimes doles out.

The majority take it laying down and adopt victimhood. They let it defeat them.

An impressive minority stand up and fight back.

Good job being an example of fighting back. I’m thankful for your progress Greg.

 

[BizyDad]

Time for an update. I settled on Fake Leg Greg.

April is Limb Loss/Difference Awareness Month.

Feb 23, 2023 was my one year ampuversary. I rolled into CNS in Sept 2022 with one leg. I told them I wanted to walk out when I left, and I did.

I was discharged from CNS Feb 28.
View attachment 48198
I still go to PT 2 times a week, working on endurance and balance. I walk or work out every single day. I walked 37:34 and 0.75 miles today on a treadmill. Getting stronger. Can't stop, won't stop.
View attachment 48199

What a great post. Thank you for having the heart of the champion, the wit of a comedian, and the courage to share your journey. Talk about making lemonade. Haha.

I needed this today.

 

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[Runum]

Latest One Legged Old man update. I got decannulated last August. I first met my prosthetist about a year ago. I have walked almost 73 miles since June. Got back on the hack squat machine recently. Impatiently waiting for this summer inferno to pass to get back to outside activities. Going to Austin in December to visit some Fastlaners. Also, planning for Alaska May/June2024. In a few weeks I will be making a presentation to a group of health care students.

Whatever you are going through, it can be temporary, work hard to overcome, it will result in a better quality of life. Your choice. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6ckaOOrnfw

 

[MJ DeMarco]

All anyone can do is educate yourself on the risks and play your hand. I am 62 with no comorbities. I am very active and take care of myself. I contracted covid Jan 4 and have serious covid pneumonia. I am currently in the fight for my life. It can and does happen but I wouldn't want everyone locked down for me.View attachment 41753

Sorry to hear this, get well soon my friend, you'll be in my thoughts.

 

[Runum]

Thank you for keeping us updated.

Do these cycles of feeling better/worse last a few hours each? 8 hours ago you wrote that you felt better and now it seems you feel worse. Or is it the nights that are always challenging?

Have you requested monoclonal therapy already? Did they even tell you which variant you contracted?

Right now it is more mental than physical. My mind wants to progress rapidly and to success. The disease has something to say about my success.

 

[Runum]

I'm not sure if this is advisable in @Runum's situation but generally speaking longer exhales and shorter inhales slow down your heart rate. A good rate is 2 to 1 (an exhale that's twice as long as the inhale) This, plus focusing on the diaphragm. Most people breathe from their chest and that's not a full breath.

Box breathing is a very good exercise to master that. Depending on your abilities you start with, for example, 4 second inhale, 4 second hold, 8 second exhale, and 4 second hold and then repeat the cycle for a few minutes while focusing on your diaphragm.

But like I said above, while I assume it may be a great exercise for post-covid recovery when done slowly and mindfully, I'm not sure it's advisable now.

I am actually focusing on exactly that. Lung capacity is my stressful limitation now. Easy to go into hyperventilation. I have been focusing on slowing exhale as my inhale is much less. Thanks guys.

 

[MTF]

I saw that Greg hadn't posted here or on Facebook in a while, so I checked his wife's page and she just posted this 1 minute ago:

Edit: removed last name for privacy

Thank you for the update.

He'll pull through.

Waiting for an update from you, @Runum, once you beat this thing. And you will.

 

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[MTF]

Praying for Greg. His wife told me he's on a ventilator and very sick.

Let's all pray and hope he gets out of this- he will.

He exhibited a lot of mental fortitude in this thread. He's a fighter.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Anyone via FB or another medium have any updates?

 

[MTF]

I haven't heard any updates, however, I am proposing a coordinated vigil of prayers, thoughts, and well wishes to occur tonight at 9pm Central Time.

At 9pm Central time, please stop whatever you are doing and spend 5 minutes in silence, please send Greg some positive thoughts and healing vibes his way. Thank you!

Beautiful idea.

9 pm Central Time would be 4 am where I am so I just did it at 9 pm my local time.

Just sending him the strength to recover and be able to soon again take deep, relaxed breaths.

 

[Trevor Kuntz]

New update from Greg's wife

Update on Greg B****** We have been on hold for a few days waiting for the tracheostomy and pic line surgery. They are planning on doing it today, along with the amputation. They have not given me a time yet. As soon as they tell me, I will let you prayer warriors know. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. Today will be a tough day for Greg.

 

[Mattie]

All anyone can do is educate yourself on the risks and play your hand. I am 62 with no comorbities. I am very active and take care of myself. I contracted covid Jan 4 and have serious covid pneumonia. I am currently in the fight for my life. It can and does happen but I wouldn't want everyone locked down for me.View attachment 41753

As a former nurse aide, i can say your mindset pulls a lot of weight. I've had lots of experiences watching people be resilient, beat the odds, and recover from different things. I hear you, because i was often one of those people sitting at the bed side reading, watching television with them, playing their favorite music, dancing with them, laughing, playing games, and all kinds of stuff.

It's great to have the forum to keep your moral up since we'll keep you strong, courageous, and brave. What is healing, but finding the joy and positive side of the experience.

i even had pneumonia when I was 16 and in the hospital for a month or two from camping and some type of tree spore. The joke is the Ambulance ride kind of shook things up by the transfer to the next hospital. Perhaps you will have the same luck and get better if you move for therapy.

Naturally, it's a lot of tests, trial and error, and not feeling the greatest. I remember well.
Life has a way of pushing us through different types of obstacles and this is just one of them. Same rules always apply to keep your mind strong, your heart and soul strong, and do everything in your power to beat the odds with finding the right answers, the right treatment, the right methods, and we do this all the time in life.

You are never alone! And like the others stated, this forum is a great clan of people who will keep you on your toes and uplifted.

I do send a lot of love and prayers your way and hope your recovery is smooth and comes fast so you can move on to better and brighter things. Patience is some times one of the biggest life lessons in any victory.

On the bright side just bug all the nurses, ring the bell a million times, and your just there to teach them to have patience, understanding, compassion, and empathy. That's the bright side of it. Your the teacher to whoever your helping learn to be a loving and compassionate person. It's kind of like boo camp when your a nurse or nurse aide. You get to learn all these different personalities, and how they all do things differently. It was great being a nurse aide, you had to learn to be nice even when someone throws chocolate milk all over your white uniform. Maybe throw flowers and books at you. Yell at you for no other reason then they're situation.

Don't tell them I told you this thought, I think they might being leaving a comment or too for me.
Always fun times too, so laugh if you can, and keep yourself busy with crossword puzzles, word puzzles, or other activity books you might like and keeps you focused. Lot's of good music, maybe get an art book of some type and draw, paint, color, or whatever you enjoy. They have adult ones.

Move your body around if you can. That's not the easiest thing to do in the situation.

I'm sure they're doing the best they can to help your recover. You stay strong!

 

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[Guest-5ty5s4]

New update today:

Wow, that is amazing. This has been a long journey for the two of them and it’s incredible they get to do that now. I hope they get to keep progressing! Hang in there Greg!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Hard to believe this shit started in early January, April is just around the corner.

 

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[Trevor Kuntz]

New update 3 June.

The address below is not Greg's home address, which is why I am ok posting it here, but I am going to delete the address after 24 hours so that I don't leave up potentially outdated info for future readers. If you don't see an address after June 4, just DM me for current mailing address.

Hey Facebook prayer warriors of Greg B******; Greg made the comment that every day seems like groundhog day. Thought if you had time or energy you might drop him a card or note in the mail. Might give him something to look forward to and opening mail would help his hands have some therapy. Please write fairly large. I think his cataracts have gotten a bit worse this year. The address is: REMOVED JUNE 4. DM for address. Thank you so much. Love Kathy.

 

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[MTF]

I am home after 8 months hospital. Much of that time on a ventilator. Final toll. I lost 50 pounds of muscle, had a stroke,and lost part of my right leg. I get a prosthetic soon and will be back to walking. I do outpatient therapy m-f and work out 2-3 times a week. I am still comparatively weak but getting stronger everyday. I plan to go hiking with @SteveO again.

That's so awesome to read. This thread has turned into one of the most powerful stories of determination.

Wishing you lots of strength regained as soon as possible and looking forward to your pictures from the hike with Steve.

 

[Bigguns50]

Sorry if you guys get tired of hearing about this.

Hell no brother! Keep it coming.

Six years ago I had a brutal knee injury, surgery, 9 weeks in a straight leg brace(try taking a crap without bending your knee!), 189 days of rehab, and years of continued work to get to where I am today. I cannot imagine what you've gone through but damn, you've so got this!

It's been my experience that so many amazing things came from my injury that I literally would never take it back. My perspective toward so many things has changed for the better and the medical procedures I've had, and probably will have, are no big deal.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[GPM]

I am still here. Nights are brutal. I cannot sit up without oxygen. I am fighting a sinus infection. I am on oxygen 24/7. I am hooked up to monitors also. I am monitored all night with little human interaction. The brain never stops thinking and has nothing to do. I listen to audio books for distraction. Nights are so lonely, scary, and quiet. Just you trying to see the sunrise and the brain that is not finding the solutions. I am concerned that this is not a linear fight. I m concerned about setbacks.

Stay in there! From what I gather this is truly a massive mental battle. It is like the "treatment" wants to break you down psychologically as well. No visitors, no answers, no anything.

My mother went through this as well and she said it was the hardest thing she ever faced as no one could visit her, and she had no idea what was going on as no one would even talk to her. She was also in a foreign country which didnt help matters. My COVID recovered father was not able to visit or be with her, and they wouldn't even let him drop things off to her, including her phone. It was about 3 days into it before anyone had any contact with her or before they finally accepted some things for her.

Stay strong! Know that we are all rooting for you! I am glad you have your phone with you to at least have some communication and entertainment.

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

Tonight is tough. Sleep will not come. Too many challenges prevent me from finding peace. Thanks for all the kind words. Friday makes 14 days here. I have been focusing on slowing my bometrics. My respiration and pulse. Get out of fight or flight. Self control and regulation must return to a more stable rate for the future.

The absolute best way to do that is to visualize a beautiful place you've experienced and loved, a place where you felt peace, and then isolate every sense. What did the air feel like, the texture of your clothes? What colors were predominant? What sounds? While you imagine all those details try not to use words, just picture-images in your mind. If you can create a mini movie with a beginning, middle, and end filled with details then you can start running that loop to relax.

 

[Iammelissamoore]

The update from Greg's brother that Trevor posted above was the last update I see.

As he's on a vent right now, I suspect the updates will be a lot fewer and far between unfortunately.

His and his wife's page are flooded with love and support though, which is always nice to see.

Continuing to wish Greg a powerful recovery.

Thanks so much for updating us.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Oh gosh, I just saw this thread and read through all of the updates in one sitting. My heart really goes out to you! Hang in there, @Runum, we're all praying for you!

 

[mdot]

Truly awful, especially after things seemed like they were turning around a bit. Thinking about you @Runum

 

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[MTF]

An update on Greg from his wife today:

I'm grateful to hear the good news and am looking forward to the update where Greg's wife says she talked with him.

 

[Determined2012]

I remember Runum from when I first joined the forum 10 years ago back in 2012!
I'm sending up well wishes and a speedy recovery for you tonight sir.

I also want to send well wishes up for his wife Kathy, who has exemplified and personified "in sickness and in health".

Her life is also going to be changed too. She is going to be an incredible care taker.

I hope everything works out. This puts so much in to perspective. Health is truly wealth.

 

[MTF]

New update today

That infection was super scary so I'm very glad to hear he handled it and that things are going better. @Runum you're one strong motherfcker!

 

[BizyDad]

New update on Greg today:

Thank you for your continued diligent updating.

 

[Trevor Kuntz]

New update 29 June:

Update on Greg B****** : Greg has been progressing slowly. We hit a couple of bumps in the road, but are now back on track. When I got to the hospital this morning, he was on the trach collar and he had already worked with the occupational therapist. He has gained a little weight, but needs to gain more. God is making all the pieces fit in place in His perfect timing. Thank you all for caring about us and praying for us. Several of you have sent cards and I appreciate that so much. A bright spot in the day. Love you all, Greg and Kathy.

 

[Kak]

New update 20 September:

That’s awesome that he’s finally home! Man, what a journey.

 

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