Den Dempsey Update for June 15 by Irene Dempsey

Den is in a Kindred Rehab Hospital now. It is 1334 Terry Street, Seattle. 98101,( hospital phone 206-682-2661)  Room 207. 

He is resting comfortably now, but on Monday the therapy begins and he'll be working harder than he has for many years, I'm sure.  The doctor is very optimistic and thinks that speech and swallowing,( so he can eat solid food again,) are possible very soon.

The left side is still not responsive, but he can move his left leg, so perhaps with serious effort and good therapy, much of the loss can be recovered. Keep him in your prayers and thoughts and send cards and letters. 

As soon as he can manage it, I'll give him a lap top and he can email, but that will be quite a while down the road. Thanks again to all of you for caring so much for Den.  I know it has helped him with strength he doesn't even know he received, and so much love.

I'll keep you informed as we go along.  

Fondly, Irene

Den Dempsey Update for June 13 by Irene Dempsey

I spent most of yesterday with Den.  He was pretty sleepy until the evening when his dear friends, Tory and Jan, came to see him.. Then he roused and seemed really active and glad to see them. In fact, he tried hard to get out of bed when they left as if he really wanted to go with them.  He and Tory have been good friends since they were neighbors in Bothell. 

Den's cousin Gary, came too and David , Den's son.  So it was a visitor filled day.  Every day a different doctor has something different to say about the situation and what should be done.

As for me. I know in my heart, where Den lives, that he can and wants to go to rehab and join me and his friends again. I don't know how it will turn out, but I'm putting every ounce of energy and love I have into his recovery.

Thanks to all of you for your caring and love. I am sure  Den is grateful to know how many people care about him and are pulling for him.

Den Dempsy Update for June 5 by Irene Dempsey

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The doctors put a tracheotomy tube in his throat today and he seems more comfortable now that he can move his tongue and lips.  He was responsive after the procedure and nodded to questions. 

I think we are out of the woods and within a week he may be moved out of ICU.  I'll let you know and I'm sure he'll love to have visitors.

He will go from Swedish to a rehab hospital and I'll keep everyone aware of where he is so you can visit or send wishes. I am overwhelmed with the love and strong spirits that have been sent his way.

He must be as great as I've always believed to have so many good friends. Keep him in your prayers.

Irene

Den Dempsey Update for June 3 by Irene Dempsey

Sent: Monday, June 3, 2013 5:36:42 PM
Subject: Den, Monday

I didn't go to Seattle today - just the 2nd day since May 8th - and I missed the drive.  But instead I went to Den's "house on the hill" and got my stuff out - Wow!  I guess I've taken stuff in for six years and taken very little out - it was a huge job. 

But anyway, I just called and talked to Den's nurse and I talked to his doctor earlier.  It is a very GOOD day.  He is responding, lifting his left leg, nodding yes and no to questions, and in general making a big leap forward. I can't express in words what is in my heart. Oh, to have him back with me !!!!!! And I think it will happen.

I'll go tomorrow afternoon and I'll let you all know tomorrow night how he is. I just know it will be good news. Keep us in your hearts as you have been doing. Thanks and love to all.

 

Den Dempsey Update for May 28

Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 7:28:12 PM
Subject: Den, Tuesday May 28

Where to begin?!  I was at Swedish from Thursday until tonight. On Thursday they removed a maze of capillaries, and a hemorrhage followed on the base of the right side near the brain stem, which controls basic functions. His left side is affected. At that time speech, breathing, swallowing, and sight were also affected.

By Saturday morning he was able to breathe on his own and they took out the breathing tube, but not the feeding tube. By Saturday night he was talking to some extent. Sunday was a good day. He was more alert, trying to talk and swallow. But the swallowing didn't work and he pulled out the feeding tube and it had to be replaced.( Now his hands are in restraints.) He had to have the feeding tube put back in. 

Sunday night he suffered a hematoma and relapsed into an unresponsive state.

On Monday morning he was having trouble breathing and they put the breathing tube back in. Later he was x-rayed and it showed the right lung had collapsed. So then --- they punched a hole his right side for yet another tube to pump air out of the cavity so the breathing machine could push air in, and today, the lung looks pretty good.  They say there is a small puncture that will heal itself.

Then the ultra sound guy came by with his machine to check a small blood clot that has been in the left leg since last week.  What he found was that one AND another one in the right leg. So. . . they went in again and put a little strainer into his large vein in the stomach through which the lower veins pass, to prevent the clots from reaching his heart or head.  Has this poor guy had enough !!???  

Tonight when I left he was resting peacefully, but not responding to commands. He has so many people rooting for him and praying for him that he is sure to recover, but what a rough road he is traveling. The left side will be impaired, but there's no way to know to what extent. The recovery will be long and slow - months at least.

Tomorrow begins his third week at Swedish.  He doesn't need visitors for awhile, but I'll keep you posted and let you know when he is able to talk and recognizes friends.

Love and thanks. Irene

 

 

Den Dempsey Update

This is an email I received from Irene Dempsey:

Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2013 8:31:31 PM
Subject: Den

The news is bad today.  There was a hemorrhage on the right side of his brain. The surgeon talked a long time with me and said that the brain will probably swell in reaction to the hemorrhage and he will seem worse for the next couple of days.  Right now he is on a breathing machine and a feeding tube. His left side is unresponsive. He will have some impairment, the degree cannot be known now. 

The part of the brain that is affected is very strategic - controls breathing, communication and body movement. I sat and held his right hand and when asked to squeeze my hand he did so with strength. He opens his eyes on command but it seems that he hears only on the right side and responds only on the right. When his left leg is pinched or scratched he does not feel it and does not move any part of his left side.

I will spend all the weekend with him, but I think he will not know I'm there. It's more for me than for him.  It's a pretty dismal site to see - and very upsetting. They are doing another MRI tonight to see how things look and I'll get the results later.  I am, of course, very upset, and can't really talk about it right now.  Thanks for your love and concern.

Den Dempsey in Hospital

Kathy and I visited Den at Swedish Hospital Neurological ICU room 208 at the Cherry Hill Campus on Tuesday, May 21. 

On May 7 he experienced what he believed from his firefighter training was an aneurism.  He was admitted to a hospital near his home then transferred to Swedish Hospital.  Surgery to contain the aneurism was done by placing a reinforcing coil in the weakened blood vessel in his brain.   

Some bleeding has continued and Den will have surgery Thursday, May 23, to remove a cluster of blood vessels which are complicating his recovery.  This condition is congenital and has chosen now to become a problem. 

Den is puzzled that his years of stressful working conditions as a firefighter did not reveal his condition sooner.

He expects to be released to go home early next week. 

Den’s address is:
15916 Westwick Road
Snohomish, WA 98290