Posted by Allan Wikman in the comments here:

Michael was cardioverted again today (with the electric paddles) to try to get his heart to beat more regularly. This evening they did the tracheostomy and looked down his throat. He had ripped the breathing tube out of his throat and they were afraid he damaged his vocal chords. Things looked pretty good and the doctors said the surgery went very well. They will give him antibiotics to be sure there isn’t an infection after having the tube in his throat for 14 days. They have kept him very sedated all this time because he couldn’t breathe without the breathing tube but it was very uncomfortable for him. He needed to rest so his heart could strengthen.

When we first got to the hospital and I whispered to him that Dad, Chuck and I were there, he immediately tried to open his eyes, sit up and was thrashing around. He became so agitated that they asked me to leave the room after I was there 10 min. He was only able to open his eyes about 1/8? and I could see how cloudy his eyes looked. He responded very strongly every time he heard my voice.

We are hoping the trach is only temporary and after hearing from our cousin Denise telling us her experience with a trach I think we were relieved. They will slowly wean him off the heavy drugs and he will be able to communicate. He has a laptop he can use. We don’t know how long he will be in the hospital or when he will be released.

Lynne has been there the entire time and his friend Alan is determined to stay until Michael is released and will drive Michael to our house to recuperate. There aren’t enough words to thank them for all they are doing. This is very exhausting and living in a hotel adds even more stress.

We are amazed at the number of people who are praying for Michael’s recovery. I didn’t know that many people in America still pray.

Thank you for all your prayers, kind words and best wishes for Michael. It made a very unpleasant experience bearable.

Thanks!

Elaine

Today 1/5/10 Michael is alert, sitting in a chair and knows what has happened to him the last two weeks!

Chris,

I just got off the phone with Michael Badnarik’s Mother, Elaine. She informed me that his condition seems to have “backslid”. They were were hoping that he would have been released on Wednesday to his Mother’s care in Indiana but his condition is still critical.

Michael came out of his unconscious state, unbound his wrists some how, and removed the breathing tube from his throat. His mother remarked that when Michael came to he asked to be released. He doesn’t understand how serious his situation is.

The hospital had to sedate him again to put the breathing tube back in because he is having trouble breathing.

They cannot find the reason for his breathing problem… so he is currently sedated to ease the pressure on his lungs and heart.

His heart is still in atrial fibrillation and had to be hit with the AED defibrillator to reset its rhythm.

He will be sedated until his condition can be stabilized…

He is still at Gunderson Lutheran Hospital CCU in Lacrosse, WI. Please do not call or visit the hospital, only family is allowed.

Be prepared to help Michael and his family with medical bills!