Most of the regular plant swappers are aware that Kenneth has for some time had problems with several major autoimmune conditions. I just wanted to let you know that he is not doing well and one doctor has indicated that he may not survive. Please keep him and his sister Betty in your thoughts and prayers. Here is the latest from Betty via the Master Gardeners email list:
On Sunday, April 24, 2016 1:16 PM:
Betty Quinn, Kenneth Quinn's sister, called saying that Kenneth is in SICU at Gadsden Regional Hospital following emergency surgery yesterday. Between Saturday and Wednesday of last week Kenneth had five infusion treatments for his myasthenia gravis autoimmune disease. On Thursday he had a second procedure to clean out infection in a hematoma which occurred about three weeks ago after Kenneth bruised his thigh. He began running a fever that night, and on Friday morning his home health care nurse discovered that part of the wound vac had broken off in the wound.
Betty took Kenneth to the emergency room yesterday, and he had surgery to thoroughly clean out the wound. As of this morning, he is still in SICU on a ventilator. One of the doctors told Betty that he couldn't even describe how sick Kenneth is.
If you are not familiar with myasthenia gravis, the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. In MG, that attack interrupts the connection between nerve and muscle. MG causes weakness in muscles that control the eyes, face, neck and limbs. Symptoms include partial paralysis of eye movements, double vision and droopy eyelids, as well as weakness and fatigue in neck and jaws with problems in chewing, swallowing and holding up the head.
We have seen many of these symptoms from Kenneth. He certainly needs our prayers.