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Prayers for IMFL athlete
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dbarron
Nov 5, 07 8:06
Post #1 of 131 (15448 views)
Prayers for IMFL athlete
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I'm asking for your thoughts and prayers for one of our fellow triathletes racing IMFL this past weekend. Dorothy remains unconscious in the hospital after being pulled unconscious from the water during the swim. I've summarized some emails and threads from other forums to share the story and ask for your support.
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Dorothy Barnett Griffin
, who many of you know from LifeTime Masters Swimming (the Plano, TX group), is in the hospital in Panama City. Dorothy and Mike Griffin were doing their first full Ironman triathlon Saturday in Panama City Florida. Apparently Dorothy had some issues late in the swim (unsure what precipitated the difficulties
) and was pulled from the water. She was not breathing so they immediately began CPR, and there was water in her lungs. When they got her to shore they used the defibrillator and got her to the hospital. They pulled Mike from the route at about mile 56 as he had a fast swim and was unaware of any problems. Yesterday they drilled a hole in her head to release the pressure on her brain, which was swelling, and put some type of stint in it. She was placed on a ventilator and is in intensive care. Dorothy and Mike's parents and their kids and some of Dorothy's siblings are in Florida with her.
YESTERDAY's NOTE (11/4):
I just got off the phone with Mike and he is more positive than yesterday. A brain scan was performed today and there are some brain waves - Dorothy is on a respirator only to make it easier for her to breathe - she could actually breathe on her own. There are some hand movements and leg movements - but those could be involuntary. While not pertinent to her current condition we do know now that she was on her second loop of the swim and that she did in fact grab a kayak but then lost consciousness at that point - she was immediately pulled out of the water - the good news here is that she did not spend that long without air. He said she is very weak but she is a fighter. She still is not conscious and her condition is still guarded. She did raise her hand slightly when he walked into the room and called her name earlier and we pray this is a sign that she heard him. They also downloaded the information from her heart rate monitor and her average HR was 135 with a max of 160 which the doctors feel is a good sign.
TODAY's INFORMATION (11/5)
Jody spoke with Mike again this morning. Dorothy had to go back into surgery because the pressure on her brain had built up and the stint was no longer working. Her eyes had become dilated and she had stopped moving. They took out part of her skull to relieve the pressure and immediately her eyes went back to normal so the surgery was successful. Her condition is critical so please keep the prayers going.
Many of you know Dorothy's story of losing her husband a few years ago in a tragic accident and how since then she has helped hundreds with her work with Journey of Hope - helping spouses and children dealing with the loss of a parent. We have come to know of Dorothy as a strong person (as is Mike). We are asking all of the triathlon community as well of friends of Dorothy and Mike to keep her in your POSITIVE thoughts, prayers and to stay "DOROTHY-STRONG."
UPDATE (11/5):
They are taking Dorothy back into surgery this morning to remove the other part of her skull as they need to relieve more pressure.
There is some good news. The X-rays show that her lungs are improving. Also when they pinched her really hard she did react to it which is a good sign.
Keep those prayers coming.
ivansie
Nov 5, 07 8:28
Post #2 of 131 (15323 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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she is on my daily prayers,
good luck
peace
______________________________________
"Bros b4 Hos, man" House MD
Team Aquaphor 06-08
jana
Nov 5, 07 8:35
Post #3 of 131 (15247 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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thank you for this information. i will say a prayer for her and Mike.
how tragic. I hope she makes a full recovery. please continue to update us.
jana
www.triontherunfitness.com
www.triontherun.com
www.ontheruntx.com
AmyCO
Nov 5, 07 8:46
Post #4 of 131 (15173 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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My thoughts are definitely there for both Dorothy and Mike.
I think it's interesting the way they used the HR monitor information.
vivie1072
Nov 5, 07 9:02
Post #5 of 131 (15068 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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prayers sent
mevans
Nov 5, 07 9:25
Post #6 of 131 (14940 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Praying for her and her family.
oh
Nov 5, 07 9:36
Post #7 of 131 (14874 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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she is on my daily prayers
rob2681
Nov 5, 07 9:44
Post #8 of 131 (14817 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [oh]
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I'll be praying as well. I hope she recovers quickly.
rob
"Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude."
jgp
Nov 5, 07 10:09
Post #9 of 131 (14693 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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My thoughts and prayers go out to Dorothy, for a full and speedy recovery.
imsparticus
Nov 5, 07 10:10
Post #10 of 131 (14678 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [rob2681]
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Your reports bring tears to my eyes.
bikesportgirl
Nov 5, 07 10:14
Post #11 of 131 (14655 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Wow. Very, very sad. Definitely in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for sharing.
"It is not the great things we do in life that really matter, it's the small things we do with a great heart..."-Mother Theresa
Rick in the D
Nov 5, 07 10:18
Post #12 of 131 (14608 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Thoughts and prayers for Dorothy and Mike. Very sad. I'm so sorry. Godspeed for the best recovery.
- I do all my own stunts
Tom Demerly
Nov 5, 07 10:19
Post #13 of 131 (14600 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Absolutely. This is just heartbreaking.
Why?
kjtmd
Nov 5, 07 10:20
Post #14 of 131 (14591 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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My thoughts and prayers are with Dorothy and I hope she can fight and pull through. Please keep the updates coming, if possible, as I am hoping for the best. Also, if they did not give her a finisher's metal, please let me know and I will be happy to send her mine.
Stick
Nov 5, 07 10:38
Post #15 of 131 (14497 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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This is just awful. I was standing on the beach at the end of the swim cut-off and there were 4 kids looking for their mom, Dorothy. Cute toe-heads, all of them. There were a couple of girls maybe 11-13 years old and a couple of younger boys (I think). I could just tell they were a tight family and had high hopes on that day. They were all very eager and anxious to see their mother exit the water as the cut-off time was looming. When a jet ski came in with an athlete and an EMT/Lifeguard on a floating gurney the kids became very concerned and went over to check it out. I lost touch with them at that point, but know they must have been distraught when they eventually learned the athlete in trouble was their mom.
Let's all send Dorothy and her family our very best wishes and best healing karma.
-Wayne
deechee
Nov 5, 07 10:48
Post #16 of 131 (14441 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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I wish there was something I could say but there isn't. I wish for the best for your friend and her family.
Flatman
Nov 5, 07 10:49
Post #17 of 131 (14430 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [Stick]
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I will be praying daily...hoping for a full recovery.
Our biggest challenge isn’t someone else. It’s the ache in your lungs. The burning in your legs. And that voice in your head that yells “CAN’T,” but you don’t listen. You just push harder. And then you hear that voice whisper, “can” and you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the person you really are
vjlincecum
Nov 5, 07 10:58
Post #18 of 131 (14381 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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My best wishes and prayers for a full recovery....
Val
dbarron
Nov 5, 07 17:19
Post #19 of 131 (13991 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Update (11/05; pm)
Jody Gonsolus heard from Mike earlier. Dorothy is out of surgery. She is critical but her heart rate is good and strong. He said her brain is exposed to relieve the pressure but we need the swelling to stop so focus your prayers for this to occur. The next 24 hours are very critical. Mike is doing well as can be expected, actually better in my opinion as he is staying incredibly strong and as positive as possible. He knows we are all praying for them which is a comfort.
canuck8
Nov 5, 07 20:26
Post #20 of 131 (13771 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Very , very sad indeed , hope she recovers well.
Terry
" Dream big and strive to separate yourself"
Chris Lieto...Oct. 2006
IRONwolf
Nov 5, 07 21:01
Post #21 of 131 (13721 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [canuck8]
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I saw the medics giving her CPR, I was about 5 feet, away, it scared the S$%T out of me, the team was on it super quick, It was truly impressive to watch them in action. I felt bad for Johnnyo, I guess he had to pull the womans husband from the course and take him to the hospital. very sad, my thoughts are with everybody involved.
As it turns out, what you have is less important than what you do with it...
-Bernd Heinrich, why we run
ChadJ
Nov 5, 07 21:12
Post #22 of 131 (13705 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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Our thoughts and prayers are with Dorothy!
sleepyhead
Nov 5, 07 21:51
Post #23 of 131 (13663 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [dbarron]
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I was there also and it was very up setting. We had gone back to cheer those few remaining swimmers in when they brought her to the med tent there on the beach. I could see that something was going on since they had laid their space blanket and equipment out in advance of the jet ski arriving on the beach. Obivously they had radioed ahead. The rescue persons were very much on top of it and some visibly upset themselves after she was hurried off. My thoughts and prayers have been of Dorothy much these last several days. Thanks for the update.
Willrace4food
Nov 6, 07 0:58
Post #24 of 131 (13619 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [sleepyhead]
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Best wishes for Dorothy and Mike....this is disturbing to hear about her unfortunate situation.
dbarron
Nov 6, 07 6:25
Post #25 of 131 (13397 views)
Re: Prayers for IMFL athlete [Willrace4food]
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Update from last night:
Just got off the phone with Mike. Dorothy is basically the same. They had a scare where her blood pressure dropped significantly for a short time but they were able to get it back to an acceptable level. Than ran an EKG after but do not have the results of that test yet. She is not moving right now but her heart rate is good. She basically has not gotten any worse but nor has she gotten any better which is of some concern. Please pray that tomorrow Dorothy starts to see improvement and that she begins her road to recovery.
Update from this morning:
Got this message this morning. Not good news:
Dorothy is not responding to any external stimuli - neither voice nor touch nor pinching are causing any reaction. This is not a good thing. If a miracle is going to happen then it will have to be today. They are going to run one more test to measure brain activity and if the result is negative then life support systems will be disconnected. You all have given so much in terms of thoughts and prayers but more is being asked of you. Today, this morning, take a quiet moment off by yourself or with others of like intent and focus your energies and faith on asking for a miracle for Dorothy and Mike and their families. This the least we can do and it is the only thing we can do.
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