Scott Johnson

We are using this CaringBridge website to keep family and friends updated in one place and appreciate your words of hope and encouragement. 
On Friday December 13th, Scott went out to get take out fish fry and collapsed suddenly at the country club losing consciousness and striking his head as he fell to the ground.  He was taken by ambulance to Unity where he was admitted to the ICU.  Early Sunday morning a bleed on his brain (exacerbated by his blood thinners) caused him to lose all feeling on his left side and he was rushed to surgery.  They removed a large blood clot during surgery and put a burr hole in to drain blood.  Right after surgery he was alert and cognizant even  asking “Amy is it true I had brain surgery?”  Not a sentence you think you would be relieved to hear someone say! 

Despite the hematoma and a severe contusion to his brain he did well for the next day and a half and was able to stand up move to his chair and engage in conversation. However, he then slowly began to downslide and became more and more lethargic and less responsive.  We found out he was having seizures at that time (even though the neurosurgeon was reluctant to believe me at first!)   Shortly after, he developed a fever due to both pneumonia and a UTI.  His sodium levels were also quite low which impacts cognition and alertness.  The kidney specialist was able to correct this thankfully after several days.  He needed a feeding tube and an IV in his neck to administer all these meds.  This was a very scary time as he was basically not responsive at all for a few days.  

Thankfully on Christmas Eve a miracle occurred as he was alert and awake early that morning.  His first halting sentence to me in days was “I need some pop”. What a relief that was to hear.  (His favorite Stuart’s root beer and a slug of Diet Coke followed shortly, since everyone asked!)   

On December 26th he was stable enough to move out of ICU to the stroke/neuro floor.  Since he was able to eat they removed his feeding tube and a few days later his IVs.  He also started some physical therapy from bed. The hope is that he will be eligible for the neurological rehab unit housed right at unity once he is medically stable and is alert and communicative enough to follow directions and communicate.  

I cannot thank everyone enough for your prayers, visits, messages, and kindness over the past few weeks.  We are blessed with amazing friends and family.  Scott has so many lifelong friends from Munn school and the Swim team days at  Spencerport, as well as his breakfast crew of fellas that all visit, call and look over him.  This makes a big difference as he likes to try to crack a joke or make inappropriate comments when they arrive!   

Scott will need weeks to months of speech, PT and OT to recover but we know he is strong and stubborn and he can do this!