Help Nathan Summers & Family
Nathan Summers fell ill on August 4th and developed double pneumonia. He was hospitalized on August 16th and within 24 hours, complications from the illness led to him being transferred to Memorial Hospital's CPICU in critical condition. After six days of medication and constant use of the bipap mask, his lungs filled with fluid and he went into cardiac arrest. CPR and intubation were used to save his life, and shortly after, he was put on life support. The extent of the damage done to his body is still not fully known. His lungs remain fluid filled with very little capacity available and he is unable to pull in enough oxygen to support his body.
As of today, he remains on both, and there is no definite prognosis as the doctors have indicated he has a 50/50 chance of survival. The family remains hopeful for his recovery but there is no guarantee.
Nathan supports a wife, a daughter, and two step-sons. He is a dedicated husband and father, and takes pride in providing for his family. Knowing that in his current condition he is unable to do so has added anxiety and stress to his predicament. Beyond this, the trauma he has undergone over the last two weeks, suffering from ICU delirium and confusion over his circumstances has brought about panic attacks, making it more difficult for him to get the much needed rest his body requires to heal. Despite this, he continues to fight even though he clearly appears exhausted.
His wife, Anna, is a homemaker. Her first priority is the health and happiness of her family. She enjoys cooking a variety of meals for her "fellas," and manages the affairs of her household.
Nathan and Anna met in college and became fast friends. That friendship blossomed into love after two years and they were married in 2015. They've been going strong ever since. Anyone who has met this loving couple can see that not only are they best friends, they're soulmates. They've been described by family as "two peas in a pod," and "meant for each other."
During Nathan's stay in the ICU, Anna has been by his side daily. The doctors have indicated to her that recovery in such a severe case could take months, with the likelihood of extending into a year even, noting that if he recovers enough to leave the hospital, he will still require extensive care at home.
Nathan is one of the most fun-loving, positive people you could ever meet. He loves making people laugh and smile, and if someone needs a sympathetic ear, he'll make himself available. His nickname with his coworkers is Doc, because all he wants to do is help people.
The family is terribly lost over the absence of his uplifting and jovial presence in their daily lives, and would be grateful for any and all prayers, love, and support.
9/4 Update: Nathan remains in the ICU and has been sedated for the last few days. Intubation for long periods carries a lot of risk, so he was switched to a tracheostomy and feeding tube. He remains sedated so he can get adequate rest in hopes that his body will continue to heal. We aren't out of the woods yet, but we have high hopes for his recovery.
