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=nfL. 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.