Vibes for Laz's father -
On the first weekend of Nov, he went into the emergency room with what they thought was the flu, but turned out to be West Nile Encephalitis. Luckily, they diagnosed him early on, and he's located in central Texas - the CDC experts on West Nile virus are at Baylor, and are monitoring his situation; they put him in a coma for a few days while they worked on the swelling of the brain and the fever to minimize brain damage - but he hasn't really woken up yet. They've got him off most of the machines other than the feeding tube, and his basic functions have returned, but he still has fever spikes and his brain CATs are inconclusive, so they think he's still fighting the virus.
The old guy is pretty strong - he probably contracted it playing one of the many morning 18 holes of golf with his friends over the previous month - and he regularly runs half-marathons at 70, but it's very worrisome that he hasn't come to and there's no way of knowing what sort of damage occurred those first two days of brain swelling before he started becoming feverish enough (and became incoherent) that it was obvious he didn't have a cold. I'm hoping the virus gives up and lets him win.
He was going to vote for Obama this year and against Ted Cruz, the first time he would have voted Democratic since he left Alabama for the Air Force back in the early 1960's. Laz keeps wanting to call him to "discuss" politics as they usually did whenever anything was happening, and it's a bit of a shock to him not to be able to call his father in this case.
West Nile virus is a serious issue in Texas and other placed in the South and has been epidemic for the past few months; other than the fact that it's an issue that has been exacerbated by climate change, I'm surprised there isn't a greater national awareness of what this disease can do. Not everyone can wear Deet, and the local communities don't always think there's a reason for mosquito abaitment programs if they aren't located near wetlands or typical mosquito swarming areas. All it takes is one mosquito that bit into an infected migratory bird or non-symptomatic human being that has become a carrier, and it can be passed along.
So I'm asking for the famous Lounge vibes for Laz's cranky, strong-willed father - and anyone else who has contracted this horrible virus.
Haele
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And to Laz and his family and for you throughout this difficult time
He was under sedation for over three weeks before he started showing signs that he was aware, but he would go into episodes of pulmonary distress whenever he'd start showing progress, and his kidneys were failing and he was undergoing dialysis every other day, which was an added strain.
It was possible he was aware of what was going around him and the people that were wishing him well, but I think his body and brain just couldn't get in sync and it was just too much as he was starting to come to. He apparently was trying to speak yesterday.
West Nile Virus - caused encephalitis - all from a little mosquito bite while playing golf one late October morning with friends.
Two years ago he beat Mantle-cell Lymphoma; there was none left in his system. He was a strong, healthy, active 70 year old man.
We'll be heading out on Saturday, the services will be Sunday.
Hug those you love, you never know when a simple little thing can take them away from you.
Haele
Las I am so sorry!