Scott Deatherage

[stables]

I am sorry to pass along the very sad news that Scott Deatherage, the longtime Northwestern Director of Debate, was rushed to the hospital last night in Chicago. His condition is very grave and he remains in the ICU.  His family is with him and they have asked to pass this information along.

At this time of year please keep our Northwestern friends in your thoughts and prayers.

[stables]

Dan Shalmon posted the following update on facebook just a few minutes ago.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=254162986507&id=1204878&ref=nf

L. Scott Deatherage Medical InfoShare
 Today at 12:00am
Just so everyone has the right set of facts. First is a summary of Duck's current condition, which was accurate as of 6pm CST, according to the nurse's station at NU and Duck's sister, Diana. The text is from Dr. David Glass, MD, who spoke with her and the hospital.

Just so you know... Scott is no longer in the ICU, but is being maintained
on life support on a medical floor. His prognosis is very very poor; he was
without a pulse for at least fifteen minutes, is currently being maintained on life
support, and is currently demonstrating
no higher neurological function.

Scott's sister gave me permission to communicate this information...

Sorry that there is not better news...

David

Second message contains background information, from a Northwestern Debate alum, also an MD. I don't have permission to use his name, so I didn't.

I also just spoke with Duck's sister and she's doing amazingly well under the circumstances. She told me pretty much all of the medical events happening, and she gave me the green light to let everyone know what's going on with the medical details if that helps you. Please feel free to fwd this to any and all of his friends that need or want to know more details.

Scott suffered from a sudden rupture of the blood vessels surrounding his esophagus (variceal bleeding), which is very difficult to control. He had also been suffering from a severe gastric ulcer for quite some time. My understanding based on what his sister told me was that he called 911 and by the time they arrived, Scott had already gone into cardiac arrest from blood loss. He was revived and transferred to the ER then the ICU at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He underwent several invasive, emergent procedures and surgeries as well as many blood transfusions, and he is hemodynamically stable but in very critical condition. The surgeons were able to control the bleeding, but the duck had gone without oxygen for quite some time.

As most of you know, then, his sister told me that his neurologic status is not good. He remains intubated in the intensive care unit on life support and artificial blood pressure support. She tells me that his pupils are non-reactive and that all of the physicians involved in his care -- at this point -- do not expect him to have any meaningful recovery.

She, as his eldest sibling, is also his healthcare proxy. She thanks us all immensely for our thoughts and prayers, and she says she has some very difficult decisions to make in the next day or two. Please continue to think about her and pray for everyone involved during this difficult time.

I know he meant and means so much to all of us, and he touched us all in different but very profound ways. He was my mentor, confidant and friend, and I am very VERY glad to have seen him only four days ago when we celebrated and had a wonderful dinner together. I miss him very much already. If I can help answer any of the medical questions, please feel free to email me directly. God bless.

[SherryHall]

My thoughts are with my good friend in Chicago today and his sister Diana.  Hard to find a way to experience any joy when my heart is so heavy.

Sherry

[Rhaesa]

Very sad news.  Scott started debate as a sophomore in high school on the comprehensive medical care topic.  His affirmative was about nursing home abuse based on the book Tender Loving Greed.  From that beginning a giant developed. 

[SherryHall]

From Dan Shalmon:
All -

Just received word from the hospital that Scott has passed away.

The plan was to take him off of life support early this morning. To be clear, I do not know if they removed life support or not; only that Scott has passed away. Regardless, I am pasting my earlier Facebook-only update from 8pm for those who missed it. Thanks to Erin Simpson who pointed out that some people do not or cannot use social networking websites. There are a lot of redundant e-mail lists and I don't know who reads stuff on Facebook, so I'm just trying to ping everyone I think may have missed the info before. I apologize for any information overload that results.
>>>
Current as of 8pm 12/24/2009
I spent today at the hospital with Scott, so this information is first-hand and current as of the date/time above. If it contradicts what you've heard, you are likely dealing with well-intentioned but erroneous information.

After listening to all the medical and spiritual advice on offer, Scott's family decided to take him off of life support early on the morning of the 25th. I can say with 100% certainty that the best medical minds, including several debate community members believe everything that could be done for him has been done.

There has been no change in his neurological condition; he is still unresponsive and there is no measurable activity in his brain. He is bleeding quite a bit and several of his organ systems have failed. Without large doses of medicine and machines to breathe and maintain his blood pressure, he is likely to pass away very quickly.

We did our best to relay messages from friends who loved Scott and wanted to say goodbye. We read him text messages, placed notes in his bed, held phones to his ear, and thought loving thoughts in his direction all day. There weren't many of us here, but the debate community was present and showed Duck as much love and admiration as possible.

It's Christmas, and we're losing a great man. Mourn the loss but celebrate the gifts he imparted in life.

  DS

[SherryHall]

From Tripp Rebrovik:
Duck believed in me enough to give me my first real job; he crystallized for me, and all of us, what true debate is like; he exemplified, and always will, how to *teach* debate; and he is still my only mentor who can understand, through his own experiences, the trials of my personal life. What is my world like without him?

[SherryHall]

From Luke Hill: (Late on December 24)

Hi All,

I just returned home from the hospital where I saw Duck for, what I believe, will be the last time.  He is resting comfortably and seems to be at peace.

The doctors have said that, unfortunately, they have already done all they can for him and as such, Duck will be taken off of life support early tomorrow morning.  I spoke with his sister, Diana (she is the epitome of grace and strength at this very dark moment) and she says that there will most likely be a small ceremony in the near future in Friendswood, TX for family and friends, and that she hopes to have a larger memorial later for him in Chicago for all us debate folk, as well as the many other friends he has here and throughout the United States.

I was there by his side, along with Fisher, Sparky, Shalmon, Danielle Wiese-Leek and Jason Leek.  We all had private moments with him, and I was also able to read all of your messages to him as well.  Somehow, I know he could hear us and feel the love bursting forth, not just from everyone in the room, but from all of you who could not be there as well.

Having been so close to Duck, I know exactly how you all must feel at this moment.  I am sure the hour seems dark and the outlook bleak.  Just know that Duck is now at peace and that he will continue to live on through all of us.

Feel free to call, email or text if you need to talk and I'll keep you all posted as I work with his sister through this process.

Happy holidays to all -- please remember to say, "I love you" to those you hold close on this Christmas Eve.

Love,
LT

[SherryHall]

From David Cheshier:
The awful news that Scott Deatherage's life journey may soon end brings a flood of memories. We debated each other. The world knows about his stupendous debate successes -- I've never known a harder working coach -- but what I most recall is how gentle and kind and funny he was, even in his most competitive moments...... How agonizing to imagine those sentences in the past tense...

[SherryHall]

From Kandi King:
I have been up since early am and have done nothing much but think of Scott and the wanting to know. . .

I will probably say this over and over and over. . . my debate coaching career so much began with Scott as my lab leader at the teacher institute at Baylor who patiently guided me as I began my journey with my new family.  He towered over me and we made such a funny looking team!  And we had such fun that summer!  Ironically, he taught me; I taught Tristan; he taught Tristan . . . what a lovely circle we came!

To all of you in the debate community, I have a wonderful family -- not just my Mama, sister and brothers and all of our children -- but my debate family!  My love to all of you on the day many of us celebrate our love . . .and celebrate our love for Scott."

[SherryHall]

From Marie Dzuris:
It is with a heavy heart that I greet this Christmas morning. It all continues to seem unreal. Scott, we love you and will miss you more than words can describe. My prayers and hugs to all family and friends who are struggling with this as well.

[SherryHall]

From Asher Haig:
"The Duck"
The Duck
Share
 Today at 1:43am
It was during the migration that it struck me. The journey south always came as something of a shock. I knew that it had happened before; that it was happening again was not what got to me.

He had explained all of this to me at some point. Conservation of energy, patterns of political engagement; everything seemed to come down to resources. Still, I wondered why I kept repeating myself, reiterating the same behavior as if to show myself some point I had yet to witness. He himself must have been witness to countless migrations; no doubt some had even made their own return, stories of their own right.

In the longer days he had revealed insights that remained obscure to others; a small tweak in perspective and off we went. As the days got shorter, a single image returned: head waggling, arms swinging, legs waddling in a fashion that has perhaps nowhere else been imagined more terrifyingly exigent. It was hardly any different when he sat, there in the back of the scene, an uncertain gaze fixing itself nowhere in particular. His very presence seemed a story to itself, inexplicable and on edge, as if in an uncertain formation between flight and ... something else entirely. Nevertheless, one always had a sense he was listening, as if truly aware of my own intuitions—even if he were only to summarily dismiss them a moment later in favor of his own abundant proclivities.

The scene hardly mattered; gated community or urban development, he showed up just the same, tending to his proper pond and its surroundings. Like any bird, he seemed a determined drifter; the very sense of his being seemed to suggest that he wandered counter to the snake, along the only path he ever knew. No doubt this path would return yet again, but for now it seemed something different, as if at any moment he might once again turn to me as if to say: "you're clearly not as dumb as you look!"— or perhaps more likely to express a simple sentiment: "it doesn't even matter what I think, it only matters what you think".

It was no doubt that his presence would be missed. Perhaps next year he would return, as if the same yet in some other form— another duck entirely. This was almost certainly the link that brought me back to migration. I knew that this had happened before and that it would likely happen at least once more; this much I kept repeating to myself and to others. What moved me now was a simple matter of reflection and admiration— for the raw force of his wake.

[SherryHall]

From Kenda Cunningham:

Still not sure what to say about it all. Duck, thanks for all you did and for believing in me and so many others. This morning I'm trying to focus on the good times we all had with him.

[SherryHall]

From Sean McCaffity:

Peace be with you, Duck. I love and miss you more than you'd ever imagine. You were always there for me and will always be in my heart and mind. Thank you so very very much for being one of the most influential forces in my life.

[SherryHall]

From Brad Hall:

Loss of Ross and Duck this year makes me think that: 1) we should all strive to live our lives such that we inspire and touch so many others; 2) in heaven/wherever, there's a great (albeit cranky without coffee) panel developing

[SherryHall]

From Alan Coverstone:

Ross was a father figure to me. Duck was my favorite uncle. Long year but when I really think it through, there are still so many important family members left to cherish.