This blog is to follow our beloved Jerry through his recovery. On May 24, 2009 Jerry was on his way to work at AA when he was involved in a horrific accident. It was about 4:35 am. God truly had protective angels with Jerry in his truck. There was a fire station a few hundred yards from the accident and he was able to get care almost immediately. He was taken to Parkland Hospital Trauma Center under the name "Sigma K". He was taken into exploratory surgery to stop the bleeding and try to ascertain some of the injuries. His injuries were very severe and at the time all they could do was pack his belly and then he went MRI and CTs. He continued to bleed so they took him back to surgery and they were able to see the damage to his diaphragm. Later in the day, they found damage to his aorta and did a 3rd surgery to repair it. He was given over 20 bags of blood during these procedures.
Jerry was put on a ventilator early on Day 2 in order to help his lungs. Doctor's also discoved a occipital condyle fracture which is a skull fracture of the bone that connects the head to the spine. He was put in a modified c-collar which covers the back of his head and keeps him from moving his neck. He stablized some and that afternoon the doctors decided to go in and remove all the packing and repair the massive chest injuries. During that surgery, doctors removed his spleen, repaired his diaphragm, almost all the ribs on his left side and a few on the right are fractured and were stablized. It was a long but very successful sugery.
On Day 3, May 26, 2009, the doctor's finally upgraded his condition slightly to critical but stable! He is able to hold his own blood pressure. His lungs improved a lot today. He is only getting minimal assistance from the ventalator. The doctors also inserted a "filter" into his main artery to keep any blood clots from traveling to his heart or lungs.
Day 4, May 27, 2009, was a good day of recovery. Jerry had another CT scan and a MRI done with good results from the CT scan. We have learned that waiting for results is difficult but usually worth it. We should know something tomorrow from the MRI. His CT scan did not show any brain injury. THANK YOU GOD! The ventilator is on the lowest setting now and Jerry is initating every breath. The machine is only assisting him now. He responded some to his dad by blinking "yes or no" to a simple question. He also responded to his mother, sister and Jody. He smiled and opened his eyes when I said Hi to him and told him the girls were praying for him.
Right now because of his pain and discomfort level, the family is the only one's allowed in to see him. As he improves that will change. Please leave remarks here for Jerry and his family to read.
Get well Jerry! Please do what the doctors say, and you'll recover from this 100%.
ReplyDeleteAll of your family, friends and people from work are pulling for you.
Be strong brother. I'll come see you when they let me.
Rick
Please give Jerry my love and prayers. He was like a big brother when I was growing up. He would come over to my house to study with my sister Beth and it somehow always happened at dinner time!! Books were never cracked open but he sure could eat us out of house and home. Cracking jokes and making us laugh the whole time! Those eyes twinkling and that smile of his!! Give my love and prayers to Bonnie, Jerry and Jaime. Love, Susan
ReplyDeleteDear Jerry,
ReplyDeleteWouldn't you know that I have no idea how to get this onto your site. So I have to write this, e mail it to Sue so that she can take care of it. Can you tell that I am not a genius when it comes to computers but I do try.
I just want you to know that you are in my thoughts & prayers. Something good came out of this,.God pulled me back into praying. I have not talked to God this much in a very long time. Guess I was just a little mad at him. Your healing is going to be long & hard but I just know in my heart that you are going to be ok. So, please hurry up & get well so that you can come back to Tucson & see all of us. When you do I will smack you for scaring the hell out of us, then I will give you the biggest hug ever, & of course last on the list, I will give you a box of cannolis. HA!
You are one of the finest young men that I know so you take good care & do what you're told. Love you lots, Sandy
Jerry, We haven't run into eachother on the ramp in a while. But when I heard that you involved in a serious accident, I was stunned to hear it. Jerry I hope you make a speedy recovery an dI hope to see you soon. Mike Morales
ReplyDeleteHi Jerry! I am so glad that you are doing better. You gave us quite a scare. I am praying daily for you, Jody and your family. I am so happy that you have found someone to love; you deserve the best! I love you dear friend. Beth
ReplyDeleteOur Beloved Son,
ReplyDeleteThis is our first opportunity to visit this site. Jacque did such an awesome job setting it up while the rest of us couldn't do anaything but hover and pray. As difficult as divorce is for anybody, we are all so grateful you maintained "custody" :) of Jacque, Ken and the girls! What an awesome family of love and devotion.
Jer Bear, your sisters, Jody, Dad and I are absolutely flabbergasted, dumbfounded, blown away and every other overused adjective one can use, at the awesome, loving, dedicated friends you have in American Airlines Ramp Rats and union members. The Ramp Rats are more Ramp Angels in our book. These young men and women are truly faith with feet. We had no idea you were so surrounded by believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. These guys and gals bring the Gospel of Love to life in these dismal times. They restore, hearten, enlighten, replenish and sustain your family in every way possible. This is all in addition to their awesome and swift fund raising activities....some completed, some underway and some in the planning stages. If you mom didn't sound like Kermit the Frog when trying to sing, I would be singing YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE to these awesome individuals....and they are not just one or two or three...but each and every one. We've been keeping a journal and making each of them sign in and write you a message. They were at your bedside by the time we arrived and they continue to come...wave, after wave. Their prayers and support are self evident, for you have not only survived, but continue to inch forward in what we have blessed assurance will be rapid release into rehabilitation and getting you home. The Lord Jesus has blessed you mightily, just as you have blessed us every day, with every breath of your being since birth. We love you so much it hurts, Baby Boy Gallimore and we cannot wait for all those broken ribs to heal so we can feel those arms wrapped tightly around us once again. Praise God, for he has been exceedingly merciful to the Gallimore family in so many, many ways.
We have been happy ever since you re-united with Jody after more than two decades, and her being a nurse is just an added dollop of grace....she watches/monitors you with the zealousness of a mother lioness. So many, many blessings......
HAPPY 43rd BIRHTDAY.......KEEP UP THE FIGHT....TAKE CARE......TOM AND DEBBIE ROBERTSON FROM THE RAMP
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