Excellent news.
Mark just had a surgery, and this time it’s not for any medical dilemma. He was finally deemed healthy enough to go ahead with the skull replacement surgery, which took place from 12:00 noon to 10:30 p.m.(part of that was recovery room time) on Tudesday 12/4. The surgery went well and Mark looked good, and healthy.
When Mark went back to his room; that’s when the horror began. He had a terrible, long seizure followed by six or seven less severe seizures. They could not stop them with medication and his blood pressure was dipping dangerously low and then getting very high. He is now in the Intensive Care Unit. He’s in an induced coma for three days; no more seizures since he got to the ICU. Will be in ICU five to seven days and then back to the ward.
Dr Hsu said all of Mark’s vital signs are good now. He said he believes the seizures occurred because when they put in the plate Mark’s brain had to adjust to the space it has now. He said the difference in pressure can cause seizures. He expects him to be fine when he wakes from the coma. His biggest fear now is that Mark may pick up an infection, which has always happened in the past. Please pray hard that this time will be different; he really needs a break.
[quote=“JLS”]When Mark went back to his room; that’s when the horror began. He had a terrible, long seizure followed by six or seven less severe seizures. They could not stop them with medication and his blood pressure was dipping dangerously low and then getting very high. He is now in the Intensive Care Unit. He’s in an induced coma for three days; no more seizures since he got to the ICU. Will be in ICU five to seven days and then back to the ward.
Dr Hsu said all of Mark’s vital signs are good now. He said he believes the seizures occurred because when they put in the plate Mark’s brain had to adjust to the space it has now. He said the difference in pressure can cause seizures. He expects him to be fine when he wakes from the coma. His biggest fear now is that Mark may pick up an infection, which has always happened in the past. Please pray hard that this time will be different; he really needs a break.[/quote]
Fugg.
“Once More Unto The Breach…”
Lordy you folks must be tired. Priority number one, get rest You’re useless to anyone let alone yourself if you haven’t slept. But if you have the time, an update would be good. Prayers are with Mark and those dear to him.
HG
[quote=“JLS”]Mark just had a surgery, and this time it’s not for any medical dilemma. He was finally deemed healthy enough to go ahead with the skull replacement surgery, which took place from 12:00 noon to 10:30 p.m.(part of that was recovery room time) on Tudesday 12/4. The surgery went well and Mark looked good, and healthy.
When Mark went back to his room; that’s when the horror began. He had a terrible, long seizure followed by six or seven less severe seizures. They could not stop them with medication and his blood pressure was dipping dangerously low and then getting very high. He is now in the Intensive Care Unit. He’s in an induced coma for three days; no more seizures since he got to the ICU. Will be in ICU five to seven days and then back to the ward.
Dr Hsu said all of Mark’s vital signs are good now. He said he believes the seizures occurred because when they put in the plate Mark’s brain had to adjust to the space it has now. He said the difference in pressure can cause seizures. He expects him to be fine when he wakes from the coma. His biggest fear now is that Mark may pick up an infection, which has always happened in the past. Please pray hard that this time will be different; he really needs a break.[/quote]
Hi,
Does anyone know how Mark is doing now?
Mark is having a surgery at the moment to clear out the dirty blood in his head, change the tube, clean the skull to make sure everything is clean. Seizure is getting less and less. He will be back to ICU in a few hours.
If you have time to visit him, he’s in ICU 2605 , 2nd floor, blue building, ChungKang Hospital. The visiting hours are 11:00-1130am, 2-2:30pm and 8-8:30pm
Mark’s family thank you all for all your prayers for Mark.
He’s stable and now out of the intensive care, back to the general ward in the Green building, rehabilitation building, 9th floor, Area G No. 05C. Will be transfered to a 3-bed room, once they have a bed open, but will be on the same floor.
Mark’s parents will be spending their Christmas and New Year Holidays here. If you’d like to stop by and say hi.
Merry Christmas, brother.
Yes. Merry Christmas Mark, family and friends.
Merry Christmas Mark and Mark’s friends and family. 
I was thinking of you today as I read this interesting article from The New Yorker, Silent Minds: What scanning techniques are revealing about vegetative patients, by Harvard’s Dr. Jerome Groopman. Lots of promising anecdotes/case studies described in there. Anyway, I don’t know your condition, but like everyone, I hope you’re getting lots of stimulation and I wish you the best of luck in the coming year.
How’s the big guy doing lately?
I saw Mark tonight…haven’t posted for a bit as it’s been a few weeks since I paid him a visit last.
His head looks great, and it somehow makes it look so much more peaceful. The weight loss was really surprising. His calves are now thinner than my wrist at the thickest point. I believe his weight now is around 67kg, down from 110 or so before the accident. His level of awareness remains hard to judge. He seems more alert, but doesn’t really display the physical movement or emotional response that you would expect with how he looks now.
Something did provoke a response from him though, which was kind of a weird mix of ethereal and strange. As his caregiver was stroking his head, a smile broke across his face, and it was obvious he was enjoying the physical contact. On what level, I have no idea, but it did look peaceful, much more so than some of the tortured looks I’ve seen in the past. He is also certainly more responsive to pain. It had been awhile since he’d done any serious therapy, and it showed when trying to unclench hands and massage tightened muscles.
All and all, not huge changes…But the ones I did see, however subtle, were all in the right direction.
One day at a time…
Thanks for the update, MJB.
Thanks for the news.
Mark was back in ICU today. He’s in the blue building, NSICU, on the second floor, 2611.
When his caregiver tried to feed him and found that he has some bile in his stomach later this afternoon, and white blood cell raised up cause the fever. Dr. Hsu arranged him into ICU right away, then rushed back to the hospital which he was already off duty. Mark did the CT scan, showed there’s some infection in it. They did the test of fluid in his head and found germs that are the same as the ones in his lung, which means the germs from his lung have traveled to his head.
Because of Mark’s weak immune system, lung infection has never really gone away. It gets more phlegm when the weather is cold, which has been for the past 2 weeks.
Now his under the observation, still have minor fever, but alert with eyes wild open. Hopefully the infection can be controlled by medication. Otherwise, they will need to remove the skull.
Oh man… 
He’ll be ok. Never worry. Doesn’t matter how this turns out. He’ll be fine. From what I know of the dude…he’s a fighter.
Hi folks,
Really sorry to see this kind of thing, but glad that Mark is making progress. I cant help but feel moved by the sense of community that 'Mosans and many others have shown during this and other situations with fellow expats having a hard time particularly with the tragic death of Matt Stever, and Truants wife Trudi’s illness.
It makes me a little angry at how terrible traffic is on the island, and how unsafe and inconsiderate it often is.
My prayers are certainly with all that are going through difficult times and I hope that whatever your belief system is, that you find peace, healing, love and more compassion for each other.
Wishing you all the very best,
Regards,
Darren
Mark will make his choice.
Keep on going, Mark. You can do it. I would and if I couldn’t, I’d be fucking shit up as best I could untill I couldn’t any longer. GO GO GO!