Saturday, December 28, 2024

Last Update

23 and 18

Jeff entered the Church Triumphant at 6:41 pm on December 26, 2024.

Our hearts are heavy, our tears flow, but we know Jeff is rejoicing Christmas with God.

Monday the 30th (it would have been his 41st birthday) will be visitation at Fredsville Lutheran Cedar Falls.  The funeral worship will be Tuesday the 31st at 11:00 am also at Fredsville Lutheran.

Yes, this is a shock, not only to you but also to us.  I will explain what happened to Jeff.

Ken and I arrived the evening of Dec. 18th to spend the Christmas holiday with Jeff and Meridith.  We did normal out and about things.  The project for this trip was some cleaning in the basement –- throwing away, recycling, and donating to Goodwill.  All normal stuff.

Saturday evening the 21st, Jeff began a cough.  As usual, he started his nebulizer with med for his lungs.  He continued this on Sunday the 22nd.  Monday morning the 23rd, he felt a bit worse so off to the doctor they went.  Even though this was a virus, the doctor gave Jeff a Z-pack as precaution.  (Remember Jeff is on a daily Penicillin pill during the Winter months October to April)  Everything was being done right.  Tuesday the 24th, after some errands, we were having lunch before needing to leave for Christmas Eve worship at church.  Jeff said he had a fever –- 101.5.  So no church for him.

Christmas Day morning, Jeff was up early for him –- 9:00 am.  He was still coughing, no fever, but was concerned that his oxygen was 88.  He wondered if he should go to the ER.  He knew they would admit him.  We said don’t think it over too much –- just go.  So Jeff and Meridith headed to the ER.  Diagnosis was a virus –- human metapneumovirus (HMPV) –- basically a cold.  He was admitted and 2 different antibiotics were started along with some oxygen.  Things looked to be improving but Jeff was still worn out from the cough.  Meredith was going to spend the night with Jeff in the hospital.  Ken and I would come over in the morning.  Our last text was about 11:00 pm.

7:00 am Thursday the 26th, Jeff called me and said –- don’’t wait to come.  Come sooner.  I woke Ken, we put some things in a bag (for me to stay that night) and off we went.  When we walked in the hospital room at 8:05 am, Jeff was sleeping.  Within minutes of our arrival, a nurse came in saying –- we have a heart rate of 40.  Within seconds, a second nurse came in saying we have a heart rate of 30.  And then Jeff coded.  A room full of people arrived as we were escorted to the hall.  They worked on Jeff for 10-15 minutes and did get a faint pulse.  A cardiologist came and told us he wanted to take Jeff to the cath lab to determine what had happened –- maybe a blood clot, maybe a cardiac arrest.  With so much scarring over the years, they finally went thru the left wrist and the groin to get some central lines.  We did see Jeff as they wheeled him off to the cath lab.  We then followed to settle in a small waiting room.  Not long after we entered, Jeff coded a 2nd time in the cath lab.  This was a more difficult time to get a pulse.  The cardiologist came to us and said the heart was barely moving and the blood was not flowing properly.  He felt this would not be a good outcome.  The doc said he would insert a balloon pump and try to keep the heart pumping and try to let it rest.  Shortly after insertion, Jeff coded a 3rd time.  Again, we were told this was not going to be a good outcome.  Survival looked to be extremely small.  But they did get Jeff to the ICU and we touched and talked to him before they headed off.  Again, we followed and were settled into a small waiting room.  Doctors and nurses would come and say things are not looking good.  When we arrived at the ICU , they said only 2 at a time could enter the room.  But when finally in the afternoon at 1:30 pm, they let all of us in to see Jeff. Meridith, us, her parents, and their pastor.  It was determined that Jeff had suffered a heart attack.  The next hours were spent having doctors come in to explain that Jeff would not recover, would never be Jeff, and that machines were keeping him “alive”.  We were told there was brain damage from the codings, the liver was in shock, and the kidneys were beginning to shut down.  Two more friends came to join us with Jeff.  We heard another friend was on her way so we waited for her arrival so she could say goodbye to Jeff.

We were all in agreement that it was time to let Jeff be released from this situation.  8 of us sang, Jesus Loves Me, said the Lord’s Prayer.  The machines were then turned off and Jeff took his last breath in about a minute.  The nurse listened and said he had passed.

None of us expected this the morning of the 26th but Jeff in ICU was not Jeff.  Everyone knows he just wanted to get whatever it was fixed so he could get on with his life.  This time, we were not going to get that earthly miracle.  Jeff instead received a heavenly miracle of complete healing.  No more meds, no more medical issues. Christmas was his favorite so rejoicing with God this Christmas season is something I think he’s enjoying.  We know that a reunion will occur some day that we rejoice together with God.

The hospital staff was more than compassionate and helpful.  Three doctors explained the situation in terms we could understand.  They gave their opinion for what would be best for Jeff –- the Jeff we all knew and loved.  They even discussed possible help from the University in Iowa City.  That is 70 miles away.  Dense fog would not allow a flight.  An ambulance ride was too long.  And both of those were  a definite outcome of no survival enroute.  We wanted to be with Jeff so we all agreed staying here in Waterloo was what we wanted to do.  And we were thankful to be touching Jeff at his death.

How do we thank all of you for 23 years of prayers, love, support to Jeff during his 2 cancers, stem cell transplant, and that damn RSV.  You were with us every step of this journey.  Jeff felt those prayers and definitely appreciated all cards, texts, visits, food, gifts, and laughs.

We knew that Jeff’s life span would not be a normal long one but we had hoped for a few more years.  His heart could only take so much.  Matt, your stem cells gave us 18 years longer than what we had thought might be in 2006.

Please keep your good memories of Jeff.  Be sad but remember Jeff is in a place he knew would be his eternal home.

All our love and gratitude,

Marcia, Ken, and Meridith

Jeff’s confirmation verse –- Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.