More On the Scare, Where Things Are Now

X-Rays show that TJ has a weird bend in his windpipe, something that the pulmonologist (the lung doctor) had never even seen before. As far as we can tell, the ET tube got slightly bent on its way in but not enough to throw off any alarms. When they laid TJ down for his fourth X-Ray for the day and brought him back up the kink worsened effectively blocking off air going through the tube and going through the windpipe. E.g., there was no air getting to TJ's lungs, he was drowning in nothing.

They pulled the ET tube which brought the vitals back up almost instantly. After reintubating him (he is on his third for the day) all of his vitals are stable and he is resting peacefully.

As mentioned the initial results from the bronc wash were negative -- not what we were hoping for -- but the pathologist came in and looked at them and said there are some abnormalities consistent with blastomycosis, which would be consistent with TJ's condition and activity history (cutting down rotten trees rececntly). This is not for sure yet! But, they are going to start treating him for it anyway, as we (the family and the doctors) believe that the possible benefits outweigh the side effects of the treatment.

To actually combat this, TJ needs to be treated for the underlying cause, he can't just lay in bed with pneumonia forever. This is why it is critical that we discover the antagonist, and why we are starting treatment as if we knew it already.

THANK YOU all for your prayers, TJ was -- literally, no strong words here -- within moments of death today. I cannot imagine ever being in a worse place in my life, watching my father choking to death in front of me -- on nothing.

We are hopeful that TJ will stay stable overnight, Mary Ann, at least, is spending the night. Everyone else is still up in the air.

We'll write more as things continue to clarify, and as things or plans change. This blog truly is your best place for immediate information, as Jon can update it from his phone, the crisis was blogged on within minutes.