Prayers Needed

RN0441

100% better than I was but not at 100% yet
This is just unreal for you I am sure.

We never know what is going on in their heads. So scary. I'm sure your heart aches.

Continued prayers for your stepson and your family.
 

HMBgal

Well-Known Member
Sending every healing vibe to that young man than he fights hard and comes through this. You all take good care of yourselves...he's going to need you.
 

BloodiedButUnbowed

Well-Known Member
Thank you all, again. I have a very brief update. I am headed back to the hospital after work and will be there overnight tonight. My school is absolutely wonderful and I've been assured I can take all the time that I need. It was my choice to come in today and I'm truthfully glad I did. It restores some sense of normalcy and takes my mind off things.

He survived the night, but there is concern that he may now be in a coma or vegetative state. He is getting an EEG as we speak and we will know more after these results come in. His heart is doing much better today, but his lungs aren't doing as well. The doctors think he aspirated some of the charcoal that was used to dampen the effect of the medication he took - medication which in overdose is known for its lethality. They warned us yesterday that this aspiration has likely led to pneumonia (he had just been diagnosed with strep throat last week as well, and was on antibiotics for this when he overdosed).

Parents, please be warned to lock up ALL prescription medications. You never know what is happening in our children's lives. Even children who seem OK may not be and medications you may not associate with overdose can be fatal.

As those of you who have followed my story these last couple of years know, it's my Difficult Stepson who was always on our radar for mental health issues. Younger Stepson appeared to be the "normal" child, but in the end it was Younger Stepson who (according to the texts he sent his girlfriend) made a conscious decision, after researching the effects of this medication, to overdose on these pills and take his own life. It would be shocking if this was Difficult Stepson in this situation, but the fact that it is Younger Stepson, whom we all thought was 'normal', makes the shock even more intense.

I knew he was irritable and angry lately. He didn't want to talk on the phone to my wife the last couple times she called, but it wasn't anything that raised any red flags that something like THIS could be coming. He had been irritable before, and given how far DS has come in the last year, we took it in stride and as part of normal adolescent moodiness. We are now just starting to learn just a little bit more about the seriousness of his depression and growing suicidality. His girlfriend has more information than anyone and eventually I am sure it will all come out. This poor girl will need therapy for the rest of her life. She is only 15 and troubled herself. I do not know if my wife or her ex-husband has contacted her parents yet.

I will post more updates as I have them. Thank you all so much. At this point it seems unlikely that he will ever be the young man we once knew. Bobbi Kristina Brown comes to mind but of course at this point I will be praying for a miracle. PLEASE keep praying. Thank you.
 

JRC

Active Member
Culturana I'm just seeing this post now. I am so incredibly sorry. What a tragedy for so many people. I wish I could reach through the screen and hug you.
 

HMBgal

Well-Known Member
My heart is hurting so much for all of you. This is something all of us fear so much. I lost my son to a car accident. He wasn't driving but he made the stupid decision to be in that car in that situation. I have a daughter who can't seem to conquer her depression and love of drugs, and her son who has ADHD, anxiety, and a tendency for depression, and he's only 11. Miracles happen, they do, and let's hope that your son still has his mission here to fulfill and he will get the chance to do it.
 

Littleboylost

Long road but the path ahead holds hope.
Culturana
I can feel the pain in your words. There is nothing that can prepare anyone for such a horrible tragedy such as this.
I pray that the modes of medical technology and support help him survive the process of ridding his body of the medication.
I pray for a full recovery.

Your wife knows you support her and are there for her.
Be strong and know we are all praying for you, your SS and your family.
 

Littleboylost

Long road but the path ahead holds hope.
Parents, please be warned to lock up ALL prescription medications. You never know what is happening in our children's lives. Even children who seem OK may not be and medications you may not associate with overdose can be fatal.
Culturana

Such good advice. I would have never thought of cardiac drugs as being used for an overdose. And then again Tylenol is so liver toxic and easy to overdose on as well. It is very hard to keep them from harm when they are determined. No blame and tremendous saddens.
 

BloodiedButUnbowed

Well-Known Member
We are at the hospital. He is the same. Every bodily function is being handled by a machine. They tried to perform a CAT scan on his brain as the EEGs they ran earlier showed very little brain activity - obviously not good news. They thought perhaps taking him off some of the strongest paralytics and other medications might restore some brain activity. Unfortunately as soon as they took him off some of them, he went into a terrible arrhtyhmia and had another seizure, so they could not perform the CAT scan today.

They are trying to rid his body of the ditilizam via blood transfusion. They also want to give him an enema in case any of the stool in his body contains the drug.

His kidneys are not functioning. They hope it is temporary. For now he is on dialysis.

Time will tell. Please keep praying. We are all holding up as well as can be expected. We are talking to him and telling him how much we love him. The doctors say that children who come out of this often remember hearing their loved ones' voices.
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I can't imagine how difficult this is for you and your wife.

I am so, so very sorry. I am continuing praying for him.....and for all of you.......

.......hang in there.......we're circling the wagons around you culturanta.......our thoughts and prayers are holding you all in the light....
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Culturanta, I am keeping you, your stepson, and your family in my thoughts.

By all means, keep talking to your son, and make sure his carers watch what they say around him as well.

Though he had more than minimal brain activity, when my late husband was placed in a medically induced coma during his final illness, he remembered not only a lot of what was said to and around him, but a lot of what was going on around him as well.

Even if your stepson doesn't make it, he shouldn't have to go into the dark with anything other than kind words and actions surrounding him.
 

ksm

Well-Known Member
I am so sorry for what your family is going thru. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers. I wish there was more I could offer...

Ksm
 
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