We are creating this blog for our brother, uncle, son, husband and father, Richard Edward Russell, who has been critically ill for eleven days now at St. Vincents Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Rick was admitted to CICU on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 with a number of problems - all complicated by the MRSA infection. Rick has also had Type I Diabetes since he was 21 years old. This began with a small sore on his right big toe - then he became critically ill with ketoacidosis from high blood sugars that raged out of control because the infection in the toe was growing inward and was not a visable problem. He had seen his foot doctor who put him on an oral antibiotic and thought it was getting better. He quickly developed double pneumonia, kidney problems and an infection that entered his blood stream.
As of today, November 4, Rick is on a ventilator, kidney dialysis, 6 to 8 antibiotics, insulin drips and a host of other things that are working constantly to try to heal the lungs and kidneys. On Tuesday, October 30, doctors amputated his right big toe to remove the infection, and we were encouraged that this would aid in healing his entire body. However, he remains today, November 4, without any significant change in his condition.
Rick has been blessed with a team of excellent nurses and a team of 14 doctors who are all working together to manage his individual issues. We are so very grateful for each and every medical professional involved and ask for prayers for their individual and collective discernment and decisions.
We are opening this blog site as a family, to share with anyone of you who would pray for Rick's healing and recovery from these issues. God has been faithful to sustain us, and we are so grateful for all of you who are praying. We know that God's love and protection are surrounding him, and that God will fight this battle with and for Rick.
Please know that your thoughts and prayers will be an encouragement to the entire family, and we are grateful for each and every one.
The Russell Family
The Higdon Family
The Anthony Family
Nieces: Ashley Sanders and Meredith Dutlinger and their families
A special thank you to Taylor Higdon for creating this blog, as it will be a great way for us to share in Rick's recovery.
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4 comments:
I hope Rick gets better soon because Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we need help cooking the turkey!
Rick,
We are praying that today is a day of significant progress for you, we love you with all of our hearts and we thank you for fighting to get well!!
Love, Your Sister Suz
Rick,
It is a new day today.....this is the day that The Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it....
I love you,
Susan
We are praying for the smallest breakthrough every day and just know that it will be the joy of our life time. God's strength is strongest when our strength is gone..
We love you, Susan,Dave and Taylor
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