Click on picture for full ICU hero story.
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He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
2nd Corinthians Chapter 1 Verse 4 |
Sepsis/ARDS Presentations and Advocate
Testimonials
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Hello Mr. Raikes,
I just wanted to tell you how much both you and your wife touched my heart with the presentation you gave at the ADS conference in Boston. Your story was so compelling and you are so brave and strong to be able and willing to share it. Please know that you and your wife had a great impact on me and I will share your story and take it with me wherever I go in teaching others about caring for patients. Thank you again! Sincerely, Jeanne Jeanne Kessler, MSN, RN-BC CESI Educator Center for Education, Simulation and Innovation (CESI) |
My name is Christine, and I’m an ICU nurse who attended the American Delirium Society workshop a couple of weeks ago.
First, I wanted to say THANK YOU for sharing your story. The things you taught me about your experience have changed the way I practice. I truly appreciate your willingness to talk about what you went through, it is an incredibly brave thing to do. Hartford Hospital 560 Hudson Street Hartford, CT 06102 office: 860-972-0741 Fax: 860-545-2030 e-mail: Jeanne.kessler@hhchealth.org |
Mr. Raikes,
I just watched your story on the Sepsis Alliance site. Your strength and determination touched my heart deeply. I am the Sepsis Coordinator at a moderate sized hospital in Akron, Ohio (Summa Health). As a former Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner and RN in the ICU before that, I cared for many patients like you, but never saw the devastation after discharge that being so ill caused. Thank you for sharing your story. The pandemic has shut down a lot of my projects due to understaffing and staff burnout/exhaustion, but you've inspired me to start ASAP on the patient education program I've been wanting to develop. When you said information on post sepsis syndrome would've helped, that was all I needed to hear. Keep inspiring and filling that purpose that God kept you here with us for. You embody the verse on your site from 2Cor 1:4! Thank you for hearing and answering God's call. May you and your wife be blessed for many years to come on earth, and after:)
Michelle Evans, MSN, RN, APRN-CNP
Sepsis Program Coordinator
Summa Health
525 E. Market Street | Akron, OH 44304
p 330-375-3372
evansmi@summahealth.org
I just watched your story on the Sepsis Alliance site. Your strength and determination touched my heart deeply. I am the Sepsis Coordinator at a moderate sized hospital in Akron, Ohio (Summa Health). As a former Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner and RN in the ICU before that, I cared for many patients like you, but never saw the devastation after discharge that being so ill caused. Thank you for sharing your story. The pandemic has shut down a lot of my projects due to understaffing and staff burnout/exhaustion, but you've inspired me to start ASAP on the patient education program I've been wanting to develop. When you said information on post sepsis syndrome would've helped, that was all I needed to hear. Keep inspiring and filling that purpose that God kept you here with us for. You embody the verse on your site from 2Cor 1:4! Thank you for hearing and answering God's call. May you and your wife be blessed for many years to come on earth, and after:)
Michelle Evans, MSN, RN, APRN-CNP
Sepsis Program Coordinator
Summa Health
525 E. Market Street | Akron, OH 44304
p 330-375-3372
evansmi@summahealth.org
Upcoming Events
- Edwards Lifesciences May 3rd-5th, 2022 Irvine, California https://www.edwards.com/
Erin K Flately Spirit Award in New York
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It was an honor to accept the Erin K Flately Spirit Award. None of the last 4.5 years would have been possible without my incredible wife. She watched me lay there not knowing if I was going to live or die for 58 days. I give her all the credit for involving me in FCCLA and helping me raising awareness of this dreaded disease.. She supported me when I was crazy on the wrong drugs and she could have chosen to have left my side but she never did. She has been my biggest fan through all of this and provided encouragement when times were difficult. She has seen me cry, depressed, anxiety and has also seen my many victory's and triumph's.
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About Me
I am just your normal guy that went through a traumatic ICU experience.
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Read More
I went in for a routine knee replacement on May 26 , 2015 that went bad. I was put on a ventilator and rushed from Good Sam Hospital to the University of Kentucky Hospital. They said there was an allergic reaction that caused my lungs to bleed and from there I went septic. I then went into septic shock where it started shutting down my organs including kidneys and lungs. My right lung collapsed were I needed a chest tube and introduced me to ARDS. They had to quit giving me blood thinner and add a filter to block the blood clots they suspected would come and they did. They added a trach to help me breath and rest. When I started waking up some 25 days later I had lost all muscle mass and could not move or talk. After the trach was installed i seemed to get better where I stayed in ICU until June 30. I was then transferred to 2 other rehabilitation hospitals for trach removal and overall strength. Years later I still have lingering problems from this traumatic experience such as PTSD, Anxiety, Muscle Weakness, Neuropathy, and mental issues. I also have a scarred lung from ARDS along with other issues in breathing. I couldn't have made this journey without my family and especially my wife along with the doctors (especially Dr. Ashley Montgomery) and staff at the University of Kentucky. |
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On a Mission Since my release from the hospital I have become a Sepsis and ARDS advocate.
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We All Want To Be Heard
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