Well my Aunt Denise got her paper this morning and called us right away. "Terry is in the front page of the Journal"! I couldn't believe that they got it in that fast. Just yesterday she was interviewing us.
So My dad has been on the front of TWO papers! I know that his story is amazing, and i love that we can share it. Its fun to read both story and see how other people write. I think both stories are AMAZING!!
SO THANK YOU IDAHO STATE JOURNAL AND TOOELE TRANSCRIPT!!!
BEATING THE ODDS
Ex-Pocatellan recovers after ‘he went septic’
BY VANESSA GRIEVE vgrieve@journalnet.com
Terry Higgins had a 10 percent chance of survival after strep pneumonia turned septic in his body in early December.
Higgins, who was born and raised in Pocatello, was healthy and thought he had a common cold, which grew worse in a matter of days.
On Dec. 2, the 54-yearold Tooele, Utah, resident could hardly breathe and requested the family take him to the emergency room. Terry ended up at the University of Utah hospital.
“I didn’t even know where I was at until I got my mind back,” Terry said.
Terry and Vicki Higgins’ daughter, Chelby Higgins, said that night was the first of a three month hospital stay for Terry.
Chelby said upon arriving at the University of Utah critical care unit, medical professionals noted the fluid in Terry’s right lung and turned him to his other side. Instead of the fluid draining out it entered into his body and “he went septic,” killing off his liver and working its way into his kidneys. The toxic level of bacteria in his body could have killed him.
After being in the hospital for about 24 hours, the family was planning Terry’s funeral. Doctors were eventually able to put Terry on dialysis.
Chelby said he was put on four different blood pressure medications and due to his high blood pressure within 3-4 days doctors were looking at amputation.
“His feet and legs were black,” Chelby said.
Terry remembers waking up to see his blackened limbs in time for the doctors to ask him if he would consent to amputations.
“If that’s going to make me live,” he said and remembered filling out the paperwork.
Chelby said Terry’s legs were amputated under the knee, his right arm was taken below the elbow and his middle left finger and joints on some of the other digits were removed. The feelings surrounding the events are much different than they were in early December and the road ahead appears long.
Chelby said her father was in the hospital for exactly three months and came home March 3. She expressed her excitement seeing her very independent father gain more independence as he is gaining his abilities and strength on prosthetic legs. Next week he will likely have his prosthetic right arm fitted.
“Since we’ve been home he’s been doing amazing,” said his daughter, Chelby Higgins. “He’s walking around and working on his own. Started to pick up with his left hand. He’s back to the same guy he used to be. He’s slowly getting back to walking as fast as he used to.”
During this process, Terry had five surgeries and lost about 4 inches of his intestines removed after finding a blockage and then a pin-sized whole that was leaking fluids into his body.
“I think it’s been harder for us as a family than on him,” Chelby said. “We’re used to him doing all these things on his own. ... We call him our super hero because he is indestructible.”
Chelby added that Terry survived cancer about 30 years ago.
When he was in the critical care unit, doctors kept him stable by pumping 28 liters of fluid into his body, Chelby said. Her normally 199-pound father weighed closer to 250-260 pounds.
“When they filled him up with fluid, he was so big you couldn’t touch his arms because you thought he would pop,” she said. “Fluid was coming out of the skin.”
She said the water formed blisters on his skin and nurses warned people not to touch Terry because it would be extremely painful for him. “We were only able to touch a little bit of his face,” she said.
Chelby said by the time the family initially reached the U of U hospital, about 40 family members arrived or were en route to the hospital.
Terry said he doesn’t remember much until about mid-February. He was surprised Easter hadn’t passed. He has been even more grateful for his family’s bedside dedication and support.
“I thank God for what I have, the four kids I have and four grandchildren and the people all up in Pocatello who came down, and (our) daughter from Fontana, California, without them I don’t know if I would have been here,” he said.
Terry is recovering and is receiving physical and occupational therapy.
“It’s been a roller coaster for us for sure,” Chelby said. “We’re happy to have him back home and healthy. ... I do think the most difficult part has passed, now. It’s dealing with our emotions with what happened and getting used to everything.”
People interested in reading about Terry’s recovery can read Chelby’s blog at lccgarcia09. blogspot.com.
This was the picture they used!
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