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Jilly_in_VA

(9,966 posts)
Mon Nov 1, 2021, 10:23 PM Nov 2021

Update on my brother

Still in ICU, still intubated but they are weaning the Versed and he is starting to breathe on his own. The seizures are suppressed with heavy doses of some anticonvulsant and he is getting Solu-Medrol. He is also getting plasmapharesis, twice so far. And they have no clue in the world what caused this. Best guess is that it's either para-neoplastic i.e. some bizarre form of cancer, or that it's some equally oddball autoimmune thing. In either case, prognosis is theoretically pretty grim and even if he does recover we're looking at a long spell of neurocognitive rehab and some level of intermediate care. That's what my brother the MD says. I don't know. This is foreign territory to me but my brother is prone to the "zebras" in medicine so who's to say he would follow an "expected" course? As my daughter says, "When a person's organs are in a parallel universe..." (referring to the fact that he was born with situs inversus)

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VarryOn

(2,343 posts)
1. I am so very sorry for your situation...
Mon Nov 1, 2021, 10:28 PM
Nov 2021

My wife and I pray together every night. Your brother is on our list.

JudyM

(29,236 posts)
6. Hoping for the best for him, Jilly.
Mon Nov 1, 2021, 11:20 PM
Nov 2021

Breathing on his own seems like a significant step in the right direction, hoping it continues. Wishing you peace in the midst of this.

hlthe2b

(102,247 posts)
11. Yes. Those rule-outs came to mind and the reponse to steroids being delivered may give some clues...
Tue Nov 2, 2021, 07:10 AM
Nov 2021

You are in my thoughts and I am hoping for the best possible outcome.

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