[Chrysler300] Goers medical update

["Rich Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx>]

Gary has given me permission to post this update.  Squeamish readers may
want to skip the details.  Gary makes it sound like a routine restoration of
an old machine, complete with errors, but it is a serious situation.  His
always good humor comes through but it has been a long, hard battle and it
is not over yet.  Prayers for Gary, Alana and his caregivers seem to be
helping and more are solicited.

 

In the mean time, life and business goes on with Gary's associate,
Charlotte, handling our calls, e-mails and orders for stock materials.
Obviously, Gary won't be doing much fabricating for a while.  Our webmaster,
Danny Goss, is working with Gary to help him get his website up to date with
the addition of his catalog and price sheet.  We'll let you know when that
is done.

 

New folks may want to know that Gary is a long-time member of both Chrysler
300 Clubs and is a fabricator and vendor of reproduction parts for our 300's
and select other MoPars.  We need his energy and enthusiasm for 300's as
well as his many parts for our cars and wish him a full and speedy recovery
so that we might once again have all that Gary offers.

 

Rich Barber

Brentwood, CA

 

     My medical crisis started on Nov. 14th.  That's the day when a freak
slip resulted in my left ankle being broken in three places.  On the 16th
the ankle was put back together with a plate on the left side and 8 screws
in appropriate places.  Access to the bone was through 5 inch incisions on
each side.  Bleeding was controlled by a tourniquet near the knee.  All
seemed to be fine for awhile with no complications.  However, the doctor
decided that the staples holding the incisions closed could come out after
only a little over a week.  I certainly didn't think the incisions were
healed enough especially the left one.  But I didn't say anything--doctor
should know best.  Within a week the left incision split open about 3/4"
wide and 3" long.  The inside incision was healing nicely and was 90%
finished in a couple of weeks;  the left one was healing slightly during
this time and pronounced ok by the docs.    Too bad it wasn't left stapled
longer so it would have been mostly healed in those two extra  weeks because
complication #1 developed.  There was a sudden increase in inflammation and
pain when I had the leg down (like hobbling to the bathroom with the
walker).  Off the the hospital and an MRI showed an occlusion in the left
femoral artery near the knee (hmm that area sounds familiar).  Not to worry,
the magic rotor rooter thing would clear the clot and all would be fine.
Well, after three hours of trying from all access points, they were forced
to give up when the angiogram tip peeled a flap off the artery wall which
formed a one way valve--the wrong way.  That procedure was stopped and the
search was on for a good vein for a bypass.  The popular vein used for heart
bypass procedures was in good shape so only one two foot long incision in
the inner left leg supplied access for the vein and also the artery.  Bypass
successful after 6 hours total on the table.
     All seemed to be healing well except very slowly for that open incision
on the ankle which continually oozed fluid and thicker yellow colored stuff.
I was constantly told that this was normal and the wound looked like it was
filling in.  I couldn't see it very well especially without being able to
bend much with the fresh bypass incision.  Complication #2 came along about
two weeks later and it was a biggie.  The familiar pain and inflammation
returned and an ultrasound exam showed that the whole bypass was plugged up.
How could this be!?  It took a while to piece the facts together and the
facts were surprising to say the least.  During the first bypass the whole
artery was left intact including the clot which was only a few inches above
the lower bypass graft point.  The thinking is that the body may eventually
dissolve the clot and have the artery back in full service.  Didn't quite
work out that way.  The occlusion material loosed up and went down to the
narrow spot (graft point) and plugged it almost completely.  After another
unsuccessful angiogram which loosened material that went down into the foot
causing the capillaries to plug up, everything was put on hold for 36 hours
while I had a constant IV of Heparin and a clot dissolving drug.  The foot
was barely saved, but it's still here although about a 3" X 3" area of skin
on top of the foot "died"--black-dead and the circulation to the left side
of the ankle was severely compromised.  That open wound now became a big
long term problem.   You probably guessed it--bypass redone using the vein
from the right leg.  No more spare parts left now.  Not to worry all seemed
well and the ankle was pronounced no longer fragile and I could put weight
on it.  I did some walking with a walker and some with crutches and things
seemed better.  I was even able to go to the shop for a couple of hours a
day and get some stuff done sitting down.  This operation was Jan. 13th.
Just  a month later and only little more than a week home and the ankle
started hurting real bad and real deep.  Two days having  102.6 degree fever
spikes, I was back in the hospital where an X-ray showed that the plate and
screws in the ankle were loose and the outer bone was not healed well and
barely hanging on.   What caused this!?  Doc says the ankle is infected and
the plate and screws have to come out.  Although no doctor would give a
direct answer, it was obvious that the infection in the open wound right
over the plate had gone into the ankle.  So, another operation to remove the
plate and screws, wash everything out and close it up  turned out well
considering that the infection wasn't in the bones and the loose bone was
sturdy enough to leave as is for now.  That operation was on Valentine's day
(birthday party with pizza and drinks thrown by friends canceled) and so far
is successful.  There wasn't enough skin to fully close the left incision,
but it's close to being closed now.   It will be April 1st before I can put
any weight on the ankle and even then only with a supporting brace.
Meanwhile, I'm stuck in a recliner with an antibiotic infusion three times a
day.  Healing is slow, but all is well so far.  I look forward to getting
back to work and enjoying spring-- missing winter wasn't really all that
bad!

 

Gary Goers

37 Amdahl Lane

Kalispell, MT 59901-7768

Fax:  406-752-6249

gary@xxxxxxxxxxxxx      

http://www.garygoers.com/        (OK to visit-a work in progress)  



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