Email 122898

Connie Veentjer

-----Original Message-----
From: CGA73@aol.com

To:  Classmates of '73

Date: Monday, December 28, 1998 5:16 PM
Subject: Connie Veentjer

> To all:
>
>Below is an excerpt from an email John Veentjer sent out this morning.  Some
>of you may be interested in sending a card or a prayer.  At difficult times
>support from old friends can give strength. 
>
>A little background.  Connie had a heart attach on 12/15 and was without
>oxygen for about 6 minutes until revived.  She was in a coma for some time but
>has come out of that.  Connie's sister suffered a similar fate some years ago
>and has never fully recovered.  John and Connie have 5 children and take care
>of Connie's sister's two children. 
>
> Address:
>  903 191St., SW.
>  Lynnwood, WA  98036.

>((Editor's note:  Address now corrected to above.))
>Rosy
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>From: Captain John Veentjer
>> To:  Members of the Coast Guard family
>>
>> Relative to my wife's current situation, I want to thank you all for the
>> words of support and encouragement, and mostly for your thoughts and
>> prayers. Whether or not I have heard from you (directly in conversation or
>> through a card), I know there have been a lot of prayers.  Although it is
>> likely to be a long road, those prayers have clearly helped to put Connie
>> on the road to recovery.
>>
>> I love the Coast Guard, not only for what we do but how we do it.  Most of
>> all, I love the people who make up the Team and the Family.  You are super
>> people who make up a super organization and, in times like this, a super
>> family to be part of.  Rather than run on, l will just share with you a
>> poem I recently discovered (unfortunately I don't know the author).  Today
>> more than ever, you are all a very big part of my heart.
>>
>> Besides your prayers, I ask that each of you review, renew, and/or
>> strengthen your faith, whatever it may be.  And take hold of your loved
>> ones and express that love now (and always) on the chance that there might
>> not be a later.  A super quote I picked up from the Coma Recovery
>> Association web page -- "You should hug someone special today, tomorrow,
>> and everyday!"
>>
>> 12/28/98 UPDATE:  Connie has been awake from her coma (resulting from a
>> cardiac arrest) since about day two or three (this started on evening of
>> 15 Dec).  She has never really been what I would consider fully alert for
>> various reasons, e.g., weak heart, fever, infection of unknown origin,
>> stress of being on a ventilator, being fed through a tube in her nose,
>> being restrained, be agitated by numerous doctors poking at her (doing all
>> necessary and good things), etc.  She regressed some on day seven after
>> doing very well that day (the most she had been alert until now).  On
>> Sunday, 12/27, she had a very good day.  She is back to focusing on the
>> people who are talking to her.  She was responding when she could and/or
>> when she wanted to by nodding her head yes or no.  It even sounded as if
>> she said yes and no a few times.  She smiled several times when asked to
>> and when we joked with her.  This morning, 12/28, I saw her on the way to
>> work and she was sleeping; but she woke for the x-ray technician and
>> responded to his questions with a nod, cooperated with him in everyway and
>> went back to sleep.  My sister-in-law, who is with her now this morning,
>> called to tell me that she is smiling more, even squeezing her hand closed
>> on command, something she hasn't done since day seven.  She moves her arms
>> and legs and rows over in bed (the reason she had to be restrained,
>> because up until today, it wasn't certain she was safe to do so).  Her
>> vital signs are much improved -- heart rate is finally below 100 and still
>> going down; BP is good; O2 is good; etc. The CAT scan was normal, the EEG
>> was good (essentially normal), the Median SEP (somotasensory evoked
>> potential) was normal.  As alert as she is today, everything may progress
>> a lot faster hereafter.
>>
>> Again, my deepest thanks. 
>>
>> CAPT John Veentjer (Connie and family)
>> Chief, D13(m)
>----