Just got update on Scott. Kidney and liver both failed. Family all on the way to France now. In very serious condition and Dr. is worried about it having affected his brain. Keep a fellow triathlete in your prayers.

Oh man....when I first saw the post, I thought he may have lost control of the bike and went into a ravine, as this would be really easy to do.

The Promenade is scorching hot.....much hotter than Kona due to the intensity of the sun reflecting off the beach, and all the buildings. On the kidney failure front, I hope there was no ibuprofen used as part of the race day pain management strategy....I've heard of pretty bad things happening when dehydration, low sodium and NSAIDs being used at once. On the IM France course it is really easy to get very dehydrated on the long climbs because it takes almost 1 hour between a couple of aid stations and you're profusely sweating riding at barely 15 kph with no air flow and scorching sun radiating at you as you pass above the tree line.

Please pass on my best to him and family. Ironman is just a game and challenge for most of us.....we don't want to put ourselves in any danger and I hope this is all temporary and comes back and makes a full recovery.

sincerely

Dev

Thoughts and prayers.

Here is the update from Scott Thompson's brother...

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers for Scott and his family.

My Mom and I landed in Nice at 5:20pm local time. Ulya met us at the airport and took us straight to the hospital.

Scott is still in critical condition in a medically induced coma. His kidneys are working, but they are very concerned about his liver. He is currently considered "stable", but if his liver does not improve (or declines) they will place him on the high priority list for a liver transplant. He was transferred to this hospital in Nice due to their expertise in liver transplants. Because of the urgency of his condition, he will be placed at the top of the liver wait list for France. They believe he would have a liver within 48 hours.

There are a number of issues related to his failing liver. The one that seems to have them most concerned is that a symptom of liver failure is more brain swelling. He has already suffered some brain swelling due to the heat stroke, so they are very concerned about additional swelling.

We are meeting with the doctors tomorrow at 1:00pm to discuss his care in greater detail. Its a little challenging in that the doctors and nurses speak very little english.

I've been in contact with the Army. The are prepared to medivac Scott to a military hospital in Germany as soon as he is safe to move.

I've also been in contact with the local Bishop. They have been very helpful. Ulya, my Mom, and I will stay with them for the next week.

Please keep Scott, Ulya, and their family in your prayers.

Thank you very much for the update. There are plenty of folks on here who speak french very well if any of you need assistance with translation etc.

I am glad he is at the top of the list for a potential liver transplant. We do this sport for fun and no one wants to hear about this type of stuff happening to a fellow athlete. This sport is certainly not without risk. Thanks for the reality check!

All the best!

Dev

fastinnerhtml!

that is horrible.I hope and pray he recovers.I was there too,and it was indeed hot.not just the run,but beginning with the bike.usually,in an ironman,one can drink a little extra during the bike leg,ahead of the run.but in nice,with all the climbing,it's easy to get dehydrated already during the bike.

FYI, I got pretty dehydrated last year on the climbs at Nice and only realized once I started the descents that it was impossible to rehydrate. Did some damage to my large intestine that I am still dealing with a year later. That course is really bad if you don't know that you have to do all your nutrition on the uphills....very easy to arrive at T2 completely dehydrated. I was literally cooked on the bike from the sun too (using the aero helmet compounded the problem as there is very little airflow climbing at 15-20 kph) and then used an entire bottle of SPF50 to make it through the run. Zero shade on the run course

Anyway, prayers for Scott. Not a good place to be. I was going to write an article about how to ride and fuel on that bike course, but ran out of time. I'll make sure I do this for next year. Even if it helps the race of one person it is a good thing.

Sorry to hear about Scott and wish him well. I just got back from IMF and this was my first full IM. I really dont have any other reference points but many say it was hotter than last year and that may have contributed to the number of people (20%+ DNF) who appeared to be in trouble. At some points in the run there were medical triage setup with people laying around in what shade they could find (light poles) but more shade at the Airport turn around where there were some trees. Many people in this area just laying in the shade in the grass. Was very tempting.

No need to hijack the thread but hope Scott gets the needed attention and I am confident that the very capable French Medical staff will do all they can for him. Great Country and People.

Here's a quick update I received from a friend stationed in Germany that knows the family well:

Dustin Miner
Update on Scott Thompson;

On Sunday while competing in the Nice Ironman Scott collapsed around mile 20 of the run portion. His temp. was 43-44 c (110 f) his kidneys and liver shut down. He has been in a medically induced coma and on Life support since sunday. I believe on Tuesday they moved him to a better facility (comparable to landstuhl) also sometime around then his kidneys stated working. As of 30 Jun at 2200 his liver has started regenerating and currently sits at 34%. With all of the treatment he has been given he has developed an infection in his lungs, however the doctors say it is pretty common given the treatment he has had and have given him antibiotics to treat it. The level brain damage is still unknown. He is still in critical condition, however things have been getting better.

update on the Family;

Ulya, Scotts brother and Scotts mother are currently in Nice staying with the local bishop. They have translators from the church and the american consulate if needed. Their van to get to and from the hospital as needed. The kids are with Ulyas mom at home in Germany. All of the programs the church and army have are in place and functioning. The have dinners coming in at least through next Saturday, vouchers to use at the commissary, the kids have unlimited access to cys, school programs, library, pool, and just about everything else here at Garmisch. They are in touch with the consulate in Nice and receive updates on Scott from them. Also here on Garmisch there is a retired french general who has the doctors cell phone numbers and can make things happen if needs be.

The family is very appreciative of all the help they have received. Make Scott and his family part of your prayers and your fast on Sunday.

As I get updates I will pass them along, and if you hear anything keep me updated.

Miner

Will you please tell Ulya we are thinking of her and Scott and their kids. We are so sad to hear what happened to Scott and we are praying for them along with so many of their friends here in Spanish Fork. Please tell them we love them.

Thank you so much

Judd, Heidi, Afton, and Lucy Messenger

Hi - I belive Scott's family is reading this board and appreciate the words and prayers. Here is the update as of yesterday from Scott's brother Steve:

Hello,

We are only able to see Scott during visiting hours that are scheduled twice per day from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The primary issues continue to be related to his kidneys, liver, and lungs.

Kidneys: Scott's kidneys had improved and were working well on Thursday. By end of day Friday it appears that the kidneys are struggling again. His urine production has dropped significantly and for the first time the doctors are suggesting that he may need kidney dialysis.

Liver: There was no change to the condition of his liver by end of day Friday. If a healthy liver is at 100%, Scott is at 34%.

Lungs: As noted in my last update, Scott has ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) - basically a bacterial infection in the lungs. If I understand correctly, a normal healthy person (you or me walking down the street) requires oxygen levels at 21%. By end of day Thursday Scott's required oxygen levels were 100%. We really needed to see a reduction in the amount of oxygen he required. Scott's oxygen level had dropped to 70 by the time of our first visit on Friday which was good news. By the conclusion of our final visit on Friday the oxygen level had dropped to 66. So it seems that his lungs are healing.

The doctors continue to be very cautious. His condition is still very critical. We are all hoping that there will be significant progress by Monday. The doctors have told us that his progress over the next couple of days is critical. Please continue to pray for Scott and his family. We need to see marked improvement with lungs, kidneys, and liver by Monday.

Special thanks to each of you for your concern, emails, phone calls, and text messages. We really appreciate the support. We have also been blessed to receive incredible help and support from the members of the Nice ward and friends we have met in France (accommodations, food, transport, translation).

Thanks for your support.

July 3rd update from Steve:

We just finished our first visit of the day (Sunday) with Scott.

He is making great progress.

FiO2 oxygen level is now at 40 - down from 100 3 days ago. Normal is 21. He is now breathing with very little help from the machine.

Liver continues to improve - now at 44% (it was 8% when he came in and 34% two days ago).

Kidneys are week, but functioning.

The doctors have also started the process of waking him up or taking him out of the medically induced coma. This will enable them to do some additional brain scans. Its also a good sign meaning that he is stable enough that they can wake him up. It maybe tomorrow or Tuesday before he wakes.

The doctor told us there were a total of 3 (including Scott) severe heat stroke cases from the Ironman. One man has been released from the hospital and the other is in worse condition (hard to imagine that) then Scott.

I will send out another update end of day today.

Thanks

any recent news on Scott's condition?

Update as of the morning of July 4th from Scott's brother Steve. As soon as I get a more recent update, I'll post here.

They will only allow one visitor in the room with Scott today, so Ulya has been with him through visiting hours.

However, I did speak with the doctor.

Liver continues to improve. Kidneys are very weak, but they are reasonably confident they will heal completely. It may take 3 to 4 weeks for kidneys to be 100%. The lungs also continue to improve. Oxygen levels are still at 40%, but he is now breathing on his own with little help from the machine.

The doctors feel that he will wake up on Tuesday or Wednesday. They will then run the various brain scans.

Once he wakes they will remove the breathing tubes and, assuming all remains on track (organs and brain scan) they will clear him for medivac to the US Military hospital in Germany. It will be VERY GOOD news once we reach this point.

I've discussed the potential move with the military, tricare international (a liaison group between the French doctors and the military), and the US consulate has also been involved. Military support has been excellent. Ulya will be able to travel with Scott via airplane. My Mom and I will drive Scott's car from Nice to Germany.

Thank you for the payers and positive thoughts.

I'm so glad to hear that he's improving! Thanks for the updates!

---

http://aclockworkmango.com

Thanks for the updates on his condition....all the things in bold are exciting! Sound's like he is out from playing defence in his own red zone and marching downfield....this is awesome. 110F core temp was crazy!

Here is today's updated note from Steve:

Here is an update on Scott's condition as of end of day July 7th:

The doctors continue to be concerned with the condition of Scott's lung's. They took x-rays yesterday and found a large amount of infection in his right lung. They are now using some "targeted antibiotics" to fight the lung infection. They are optimistic that his lungs will heal because he is young and was in good shape prior the heat stroke. They told us today that it may take 3 to 4 weeks for the lungs to heal. They will not "wake him up" until the lungs are strong enough for him to breathe on his own.

Kidneys are working, but not as well as they should. The doctors indicated that unless there is improvement in the next day or so that they will put him on kidney dialysis. They feel confident the kidneys will recover.

Liver. Still stable, making slow progress. They continue to tell us it will take time.

Brain. Scott has a brain edema (brain swelling). They are treating this by controlling his blood pressure and by keeping him on the ventilator. The ventilator helps his lungs and ensures he gets enough oxygen into his blood stream. This helps the brain also as it needs oxygenated blood. They have told us this will also take time.

Please continue to remember Scott in your prayers.

Please keep the updates coming! I really hope Scott makes a complete recovery! I was on the course and it was HOT!!! There was no shade from the sun, so it was a TOUGH day.

Scott and his family are in my prayers!

Hang tough Scott and family. These are hard times, but he went in with a healthy body and it sounds like he is in good hands.

I am glad to hear he is receiving great medical care in Nice. All the best in the recovery.

Update end of day July 8th from Scott's brother Steve:

We were able to see Scott twice today.

Scott was put on kidney dialysis today. We hope that will help his kidneys heal more quickly. I am not sure how long he will be on the dialysis machine.

The liver appears to show slow, but steady improvement.

We have been told the lungs are making progress. His breathing certainly appeared to be smoother today (its been "jerky" and labored in over the last few days).

On a positive note, I think Scott could hear us today. When I went to see him this afternoon his right eye was closed and the left eye was about half way open. While standing on this left side, I said "Scott, can you hear me?" and his eye fluttered. He did that twice. I then when to the right and did the same thing. He opened his right eye and it fluttered too. I am choosing to take this a good sign.

Due to great support from IBM friends in France, we found some housing for Ulya and her mother for the next 3 to 4 weeks in Nice.

Thanks for your continued support.

Hello, July 10th update from Steve Thompson.

We had a good meeting with the doctor today due to the help of one of our French friends (the doctor did not speak a single word of English).

Scott is making great progress, especially if you consider his condition just two weeks ago.

His kidneys are at 20%, but the doctor is confident the kidneys will heal to 100% - it will just take time (probably 3 to 4 weeks).

His liver is now at 70% - a significant improvement from last week.

There is still some concern with the infection in his lungs. He has been on antibiotics, but his progress is slow. A "infection specialist" will see Scott tomorrow. The doctors hope he will be able to prescribe some antibiotics that will be more effective in fighting the infection. That said, the doctor is pretty confident the lungs will recover. According to the doctor, his system wide health has improved greatly in the last 10 days. That alone will help his body work to heal his lungs. The doctor felt he maybe at a point where he can be moved to Germany by the end of this week. We would love to see that.

Scott was more alert today. He can communicate by blinking his eyes, moving his hands, and legs. He should continue the process of "waking up" each day. We expect he will be even more alert tomorrow. Once his lungs are strong enough they will take him off the ventilator and stop the medication that keeps him somewhat sleepy (to help with tubes in his throat) - at that time he will be able to speak to us.

We will have more news tomorrow.

Tough day for Scott today. Please continue to remember him in your prayers.

Kidneys continue to improve - no apparent issues.

Liver appears to be fully recovered.

There was some real problems with his lungs today. Apparently, he has had some type of reaction to the antibiotics they were using to fight the lung infection. He is now in very critical condition. To aide in his recovery, he as been put back into a medically induced coma. The doctors have told us it will be 48 hours before they have a better understanding of the nature of the infection and how to best fight it. They stressed that his condition is very critical.

They are treating him with a very broad arsenal of antibiotics right now in an effort to fight the infection. Once they have the test results, they will be in a position to focus the treatment. He was placed on dialysis again today, not for the kidneys, but for the lungs. The dialysis will help purge his system of the drugs that caused the reaction. His immune system is very weak due to his condition over the last 2 weeks. As a result, he has been very susceptible to infection.

We are very concerned. Please continue to support Scott with your positive thoughts at prayers.

I've been following this thread and am praying that Scott will recover. Stay strong.

---

-------
http://www.y-rocket.blogspot.com/

Any update today on Scott's condition? Stay STRONG Scott!!!

Hello,
I am a family member of Scott's (cousin). Yesterday the news was that he was again in critical condition due to an adverse reaction to antibiotics for the lung infection. They had to stop the wean from the sedatives and put him back under a full medically induced coma (from what I understand). He was requiring 100% O2 on the vent yesterday and the doctors stressed that his condition was very critical. Here is the update from his brother today:

"Scott is stable today. But there was some progress. His oxygen levels dropped from 100 on Monday to 55 today. That's good progress. The doctors were also able to isolate and identify the bacteria that is causing his lung infection. That will make it easier for them to prescribe the most effective anti-biotic. His liver and kidneys are still doing well.

We have been reminded (again) by the doctors that this will take time and that there will be some ups and downs.

We will have a "changing of the guard" here in Nice. My Mom will return to the States on Thursday morning. My sister Jodi will arrive in Nice on Thursday morning. I will head back to the States on Saturday. Jodi will stay in Nice with Ulya for the next week while Scott continues to recover.

Thanks again for your support."

Thank you to everyone following for your thoughts and prayers. We are hoping for him to make a full recovery!

"His oxygen levels dropped from 100 on Monday to 55 today. That's good progress"


HUH? How is that good progress?

It means his % of oxygen requirements. We breathe 21% oxygen normally. He was requiring 100% oxygen yesterday and today is to 55%. Does that make sense? Sorry for the confusion.

Yes. When we(medics) refer to O2 levels dropping, were talking falling saturated O2 levels.
Which is bad.
You were referring to How much supplemental O2 he was receiving
Sorry for my understanding but thanks for clearing that up.
Best wishes to a speedy recovery.

Any new updates on Scott? I've been following his recovery on a daily basis. Hopefully things have been continuing to improve!

Jean

All the best to Scott....I hope he is coming along!

I got behind on updates...here is the latest from Scott's sister Jodi who is now in France with Scott. I believe Steve (Scott's brother) has now returned home.

July 11th - Hi! I am doing my first update from France. Stephen is going home in the morning. We had an uneventful morning visit with Scott today. We met with his doctor this afternoon and got some great news. His liver and kidneys are making great progress and functioning well. The test they did on his lungs, to test for any bacteria, came back negative. They will continue to test this for the next few days to see if it remains negative. He does have some mucous remaining in his lungs that they are trying to get out. They had him tilted to his side when we saw him and they said it should just run out. He no longer has ARDS. They have decreased his sedative again and if they can continue to get the mucous out of his lungs they will continue to decrease it so that he will wake up. Hopefully soon! We really appreciate your love and continued prayers.

Thanks,
Jodi

July 16th - Hi. More progress again today. Scott is continuing to do well. His oxygen level was 38 when we saw him this afternoon (21 is normal). They are continuing to decrease his sedative. They said it may be sometime tomorrow or Monday that he may wake up. Thanks again for your prayers!

Jodi

Sunday, July 17 - No real change with Scott today. It is very quiet in the ICU on Sunday's. There are no doctors to speak to, but his numbers on the machine are the same. Oxygen still at 35. They had to put him to sleep a little bit again today to change a catheter. They should start the waking up process again tomorrow. Our translater is coming at 1:00 and we will hopefully get to meet with a doctor and receive more information. Thank you for your continued support and prayers. We really appreciate all of you.

Jodi

Thanks for the update! Haven't posted here but have been following---here's to a good week of recovery!

Jodi,
Thanks for the updates. I was Scott's seminar leader for the 3 month class he just finished here in Garmisch. Please know that he has all of his seminar 9 teammates, all of PASS 11-5, the garmisch community, (plus many people from my church back in the U.S.) praying for his recovery. I have been sending updates posted on this site out to his seminar and PASS classmates all over the world, so thanks for keeping us updated. We pray he will wake up today and have a swift recovery! Martha

Update from Jodi 7/19

Hi, Scott is awake today and responsive. When we ask him questions he will slightly move his head. Unfortunately the bacteria in his lungs is back. Because of the infection in his lungs, he has a fever. They have started him on a new antibiotic today. Hopefully they will be able to fight the bacteria again with this new antibiotic. His oxygen levels are at 41. The bacteria needs to be gone and his oxygen levels need to be between 30 and 35 for them to remove the breathing tube. His kidneys and liver are still doing good. We just need to fight this bacteria infection in his lungs. Please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers.

Thanks for your support,
Jodi

Fantastic news!!!!! I did IMFrance as well and it was a very tough race. It sounds like Scott is a fighter and he is fighting and winning this battle. GO SCOTT WE ARE ALL CHEERING FOR YOUR RECOVERY!!!!!!!!!

---

Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

7/20 update from Jodi -

Hi, today was a great day. Tomorrow they are taking Scott off of the ventilator. The doctors feel that the breathing tube is the cause of his returning bacteria infection in his lungs. His oxygen is 36. They will continue with the antibiotics and give him oxygen through the nose. They are also going to stop all sedation in the morning. Scott is already very awake and I think he is very uncomfortable. His arms have been tied down and I can only imagine how horrible that would feel. His liver is good and the doctor said that his kidneys are functioning better than his (the doctors). If all goes well tomorrow and he stays stable on the oxygen for 2-3 days, they will then transfer him to Germany. Great news! We are so excited and hopeful and prayerful that all goes well and he can continue to heal.

Thanks so much!

This is great news, however the poor guy is currently a prisoner in his own body. No race should end this way. All the best to him and his family!

get better brother!

Update from Steve on 7/27

Hello,

I heard from Ulya this morning.

Scott was awake and no longer on the ventilator. It sounds like he is doing great. Apparently he told Ulya, "go get me some food, or I will go get it myself". We took that as a good sign. I think he will be transferred to Germany sometime in the next couple of days.

I will send another update as soon as I get some more information.

Thanks

Awesome news! I've been following along and hoping for the best

Great news, any updates? Did he get transferred to Landstuhl yet?

---

FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah

He did not get transfered....Scott had a bad couple of days. Here is Today's update from Steve:



Hello,
I am sending this update on Ulya's behalf. I spoke with Ulya last night and with our friends in France the Lafitte's this morning. The Lafitte's were with Ulya at the hospital this morning and helped with translating during a meeting with the doctors.
The doctors believe that Scott swallowed a lot of sea water during the swim portion of the race. Apparently the sea water in his lungs impacted his body's ability to take on oxygen during the race which contributed to his heat stroke. This sea water continues to cause some problems with his lungs.
As we heard from Ulya yesterday, Scott is struggling to breathe as a result of additional infection in his left lung. The doctors believe this infection (pseudomonas) was caused by sea water and that it sat dormant for a period of time. It is now causing some real issues (limiting the lungs ability to oxygenate the blood and its actually attacking the lung tissue) and is resistant to the antibiotics. Scott is on a new antibiotic (apparently the strongest one available) for a 3 to 4 day treatment. If the antibiotic does not show results within the next day or so, Scott will need to be sedated again and placed back on the ventilator.
His condition remains serious. Please keep Scott and his family in your prayers. His current antibiotic needs to clear this infection.
Thanks

More prayers from this side of the Atlantic....thanks for the updates.

Here is an update on Scott's condition as of end of day July 27:

Scott has Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) again. Basically, this is a condition where his lungs are not able to oxygenate his blood. Scott is sedated and back on the ventilator to help his lungs perform this function while they heal. Scott is now getting a nitric oxide treatment to aid his lungs in getting oxygen into his body. His current oxygen levels are at 75 and holding.

He continues to fight an infection in his lungs. The doctors checked his lungs via fibroscopy today, but found no sign of the bacteria. The doctors felt the bacteria maybe masking itself in some way. They also did some X-rays which did show evidence of infection. He also has a fever. There maybe some additional bacteria or fungal infection that is impacting his lungs ability to function. The puss and mucus that was clogging his lungs seems to be gone.

It will take time for his lungs to heal. We hope for some indication of progress tomorrow.

Please continue to keep Scott in your prayers.

Thanks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephen Thompson

Scott and family continue to be in our thoughts here stateside. Hoping for progress and a full recovery!

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Wow I was there too this year and last. I will send all the positive energy I can his way.

I was there this year too, very tough conditions and the heat on the promenade was intense. All the best Scott.

Hi, any news (good, I hope) on Scott?

Marty

Any news about Scott? It's been a few days, have he his lungs cleared up?

Any update on Scott's condition?

Thanks,

---

FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah

Bump

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Hi, sorry for the delay. I've been out of town for the last week. Here are the Aug 2nd and Aug 3rd updates from Steve, Scott's brother:

Scott will be moved to a hospital in Marseille tonight. This is about a 2 hour drive. He will go via ambulance with a police escort. He is moving to Marseille for a procedure that is not available at the hospital in Nice. The procedure, at least as far as I understand it, will place oxygen directly into his blood stream via some arteries in his legs. This is a treatment that is used quite often for patients who are suffering from ARDS. This will ensure his body and organs will receive the oxygen they need while limiting the stress on the lungs so they can continue to heal.

Scott is still struggling with infection. Earlier this week, after several scans and tests, the doctors found little sign of the bacteria. At this point they made the decision to take Scott off the antibiotics, but then his fever quickly returned. This bacteria seems to mutate and resist the antibiotics. They also think it "shields" itself some how making it difficult to locate and identify.

We hope that Scott will be transported to Marseille without incident and that he will recognize all the promised benefits of this treatment.

Thanks for your continued support.


Hello,

Scott was successfully transferred to Marseille. He arrived at about 3:00am France time. He is stable with a slight fever and his organs (other than the lungs) are functioning properly. The doctors are doing another fibroscopy today that they will send to the labs in Marseille for analysis. This is all in an effort to fight off the infection.

This will be a two to 3 week procedure. I will continue to have an update each day.

Thanks

Best of luck Scott....with your will of an Ironman, you'll beat down all of this. Best of luck with having the treatment for the direct oxygen link into the arteries in Mareille.

Here is the update as of August 7th:

Scott is still in Marseille undergoing the ECMO treatment. This will probably continue for another 2 weeks before he is moved back to Nice. He seems to be making slow progress.

His oxygen levels are down to 50%. He is also less sedated so that he can do some of the breathing on his own which will help strengthen his lungs. Scott's blood gases are checked 3 times each day and they seem to be improving which is another good sign. Recent x-rays also show a reduction in the infection. Scott is turned on his side each day to help break up and remove any secretions that remain in the lungs.

His inflammation level also shows improvement. The inflammation levels are down from 7 to 1.4 with 0 being the goal.

His condition is still critical, but the doctors feel he is making slow progress.

Update for August 9th:

Scott suffered some complications as a result of the ECMO process yesterday. Essentially, his blood cells were breaking down due to the treatment. The medical team in Marseille corrected this through a surgical procedure where they remove the tubes from his leg and neck, turn him on his stomach, and re-insert the tubes. I am not sure how this corrects the problem with the blood cells, but it does. The doctor explained this morning that the blood cell issue has been corrected.

His oxygen level is stable at 60%. They will keep him on his stomach as this seems to help his oxygen levels. His lungs are struggling to function, so we hope this change will create a better environment for his lungs to heal.

Scott's condition is at its most critical point. So please keep him in your prayers.

I raced in France this year. The heat was indeed pretty brutal especially given that I live in Canada and we did not have any hot weather of any kind prior to the end of June. I was initially feeling down because my time was much slower than I wanted. In order to give me some "perspective" a friend sent me this thread. After I read it I felt silly for being so petty. I am actually now very grateful I was able to finish and stay healthy. I have been following this thread and sending Scott all the good vibes I can muster. Given what he has already been through I think it goes without saying that Scott is a true "Ironman" for his continuing battle to recover. Hang in there man. I am pulling for you.

Thank you for the update, I continue to follow this thread and hope and pray for Scott to make a complete recovery!!!

Prayers for Scott. No one should endure this as a result of an Ironman. I hope this latest treatment helps. It sounds like the French medical system is stepping up to help this athlete. Nice to see. Having received some pretty prompt and "high service" treatment in a Swiss hospital recently, I was quite impressed. I would have not received that type of treatment here in Canada (at least I don't think so).

Dev

Hello,

Some good news today. It appears that the drugs are working and that Scott's lungs are starting to heal. His oxygen level has been reduced to 40%. If he continues to progress over the next couple of days they will take Scott off the ECMO machine. That's all I have for now, but will keep you posted as I learn more.

Its great to see some progress today.

Thanks

Great news!!!!

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

8/15 Update from Steve Thompson (Scott's brother)

Hello,

We had a good visit with Scott today. Oxygen requirement held steady at
36 today and the oxygen level in his blood hovered in the high 90s (goal
is 100). He still has a slight fever. The medical staff will run some
more tests tonight in an effort to determine the cause of the fever so
they can best treat it.

The doctors have started the process of waking Scott so they can get a
better sense of his lungs ability to function on their own, without a
ventilator. It will take a couple of days for Scott to wake up. He did
open his eyes a few times today and it appears that he could understand
and recognize us. If his lungs function well, he maybe off the ventilator
within the next week.

I will have more once we return from the hospital tomorrow.

Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Hello,

Scott continued to make progress today.

He was very awake when we arrived at the hospital at 12:30 (visiting hours are 12:30pm to 8:30pm). His eyes were open and he clearly recognized us and could understand what we were saying. He was not able to speak as he still has a breathing tube in his mouth. It was great to see him awake. We were very anxious to get an update on his condition from the doctor. After spending 15 minutes with Scott, Lt. Colonel Butler (Scott's boss who is also in Marseille this week) came and told us that the doctor was available to meet with us in one of the family consultation rooms. This doctor does not speak English.

As we headed down the corridor to meet with the doctor, I tried to call Karen Lafitte (our friend from Church in Nice) so she could act as a translator via a speaker phone. Karen was out of cell coverage and I could not get hold of her after two attempts. We were not sure what to do as we were anxious to discuss Scott's condition with the doctor, but we did not have a translator. As we opened the door to leave the treatment area, the door directly across the hallway opened at the same time. To our surprise, it was the missionaries (white shirt, tie, black name tag). One was from Oregon and the other from Utah. Both spoke French. The missionaries joined us in the family consultation room and were able to translate the discussion.

After the discussion with the doctors, the missionaries explained that a member of the Marseille ward, whom we met on Sunday, called them this morning and told them that they needed to go to the hospital. They explained that there was little they could do to help and that they had some plans, but this Sister from the Marseille ward insisted that they go to the hospital. This Sister picked up the Sister Missionaries (two young ladies also serving their mission in Marseille - one from Utah and one from Bulgaria) and the Elders and brought them to the hospital. They walked through the door right when we needed them. The Sister Missionaries were able to spend some time with Ulya while the Elders and I gave Scott another Priesthood Blessing.

The arrival of the missionaries was a great blessing for us (and Scott) today.

The doctors explained that Scott is improving. Yesterday, the ventilator was doing 70% of the breathing - today it is down to 50% ventilator, 50% Scott's own efforts. His lungs appear to be healing. In fact, the lungs are progressing enough that the doctors stopped the dosage of Vectarian (see notes below for reference to this drug). His lungs continued to progress without the drug - a very good sign.

If Scott continues to improve over the next day or two, they will remove the breathing tube and provide oxygen via a simple tube in his nose. He would then be able to speak and eat (I think Scott has lost nearly 30 pounds through this experience). If he is not ready to remove the breathing tube, then they will most like use a tracheotomy - in either case they should remove the breathing tube soon.

We look forward to seeing Scott tomorrow.

is there a reason he has been intubated for so long (6 weeks?) last ICU i worked in about a year ago was pushing for trach at day 6-7 if it was going to be a long haul. that maybe on the more aggressive end of the spectrum.... but 6 weeks is a long time to be intubated
best of luck

Hello,

Quick update for today, August 18th.

Scott is awake. He is able to blink in response to questions, faintly squeeze your hand, and he even waved to me as I left the room today. It is great to see him awake. He was also given a tracheotomy today which will make the healing process better for him (no more breathing tubes). It will also help reduce the likelihood of new infection which could result from the breathing tube. He will not be able to speak with the trach until he is off the ventilator which maybe another week or so.

He continues to make slow and steady progress. The doctors are optimistic.

Thanks

Thanks for sharing. This is exciting to hear! Keep up the spirits. If he had the fight in him to push toward the Nice finish line that same strength of mind will get him through this to the real finish line!!!

Dev

Thanks for keeping us posted, keep up the fight Scott. Day by day, keep making progress!!

Thursday August 25th update

Scott continues to make great progress. He was off the ventilator for nearly 4 continuous hours yesterday. His blood oxygen level while off the ventilator was at 100% (the goal), so he is doing really well. He is very awake (no sedative) and a little frustrated that he cannot communicate very well. He has a small white board and a marker, but it is difficult for him to write much. It felt like we were playing Pictionary as we were trying to understand what Scott was writing. I expect he will be able to write better today.

We are working towards a transfer to Germany on Monday. From there he will go on to the states for recovery/rehab.

Thanks again for your support.

Great news. Good luck Scott....you'll get to the real finish line soon !

Update from Germany...

Scott continues to do well. He has now been off the ventilator for 4 days and counting. Its been nice to be in an English speaking hospital. The military staff has been very supportive. The next step for Scott is rehabilitation. They have started some rehab work here, but most will be done at the Naval hospital in Bethesda.

Scott will be flying to Bethesda via military transport on Friday.

Scott's voice is getting much stronger. I have attached a photo from yesterday when he spoke to his wife on the phone for a couple of minutes. He is only able to speak for a few minutes before he is exhausted. It is also difficult for him to hold the phone. He will get stronger with time.

Thanks again for all your support.

Thanks

wow first time I have seen this thread. I haven't read all the pages yet. Do we know yet how this happened? Was it just from the one day of effort or was something wrong ahead of time/


Hope he continues to get well!

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Great news, it was looking pretty dicey there for awhile... let us know how his rehab program goes.

Marty

I know Ironman got Scott in this mess in the first place, however, please read him this quote from Jordan Rapp's IMC winning speech:

"But no one in this room has a burning desire to be, “typical.” That is not why you do an Ironman. You do an Ironman because you want to reach the stars. And you want to do it the hard way. Because that is what makes it special."

The same spirit that made him special enough to be in Nice in the first place will get him through this. Good flight to Bethesda and all the best with the rehab. Many thanks for the French doctors who got him back to all of us.

This is Steve Thompson, Scott's brother. I have been with him in Nice, Marseille, and now Landstuhl Germany (US Military Hospital).

He is doing well. He took 6 steps today which surprised the PT and the nurses. He has a long rehab road ahead of him, but he is off to a great start.

Thanks for all you have commented on this blog. I shared this blog with Scott this morning. He has been reading with great interest and appreciation.

Thanks again.

Hey Steve....thanks for being there for him! I'm excited to just know that he is reading. I remember some time ago, on this thread mention of trauma to the brain. Have a safe trip over to Bethesda. I take it he'll be flying in a military transport with proper medical support ?

Great news. All the best for the recovery, he will need his family & friends support.

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Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
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AMAZING news, so happy to hear that Scott is on the mend! Please pass on my best wishes to him!

Jean

Final update from Steve....sorry, I tried a few times and failed to upload the pictures. I can email them to someone who knows how.

I hope everyone had a nice Labor Day weekend.

This will be my final regular update on Scott's condition. Scott was transferred from the US Military hospital in Landstuhl Germany to the Naval Hospital in Bethesda last Friday. I have attached a few pictures of the transfer below. You will see a picture of Scott loaded on a litter in Germany with the medical equipment needed for the move. You will also see a few pictures of him being loaded into the C17 airforce plane and an in-flight picture. Scott was one of three critical care patients on the flight (their was another critical care soldier and a critical care infant). There were approximately another 55 wounded soldiers (non critical) and the crew. I think I was one of two civilians on the flight.

Scott did very well on the flight. His oxygen level was never lower than 97. Other than being uncomfortable (he was on that litter for nearly 14 hours) there were no issues. We landed at Andrews Airforce Base in DC after the 9 hour flight. We were met by a special "wounded warrior" ambulance that took us around the beltway with sirens sounding and lights flashing to the Naval Hospital.

I've also attached a picture of Scott in his room at Bethesda. He spent one night in ICU before being moved to the regular ward on Saturday. This is a huge milestone - Scott is no longer in ICU.

He will now begin his re-hab work. We are not sure if this will take place in Bethesda or in some outpatient center somewhere else in the country.

Thanks again for all your support while Scott and his family when through this experience. We are so pleased with the outcome and wish Scott the best in his recovery.

While I will no longer send out a regular update, I believe you will be able to follow Scott and his progress on his Facebook page.

Thanks again

That is friggen awesome!!!!!! Congrats Scott and thank you for all the updates mmarriot.

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Barry Dmitruk
2017: Florida 70.3 (done); Mont Tremblant 70.3 & Ironman

Steve, thanks for the update. A whole lot of us are pulling for Scott and would love to get further updates. I guess my best hope is that Scott will soon be well enough to give us updates himself.

Thanks for keeping us informed.

Thanks everyone for all the support. This is Scott Thompson. I really appreciate everyones thoughts and prayers. I am currently at Fort Belvoir with my family. Recovery is going well. I spent three days in a wheel chair, three hours with a walker and two days with a cane. I am working on getting my strength back. (I lost 60 pounds while in a coma). I hope to get on my bike again as soon as it arrives from Europe. Hopefully before Christmas. I really appreciate everything that everyone did for me and my family. You all made a terrible situation a little better. I hope to be back to form by this summer. No more Ironmans for me though.

Delighted to hear that you're further down the road to recovery. 'Back to form by the summer' sounds like a good prognosis' given where you were. All the best wishes for the future and look forward to hearing about your next bike ride.

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Hang tough.....and thank you for taking the time to respond here.

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"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

This is good news. I was thinking about this thread a few days ago & meant to check in, so it's great of you to post.

I hope everything goes well for you over the next few months..

Nick

Great news....welcome back!

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Scott,
Thanks for the update. Glad to read a post from the man himself.
If Slowtwitch has a thread of the year award you'd win in a landslide. It was riveting to say the least.
Wishing you a speedy recovery and a happy holidays.

Wow...sorry I missed this earlier today. Great to hear your positive fighting spirit and looking forward to when you are back on a bike. As for Ironman, this is only a "game". You haven an entire life to live for and it can be totally fulfilling doing other things! Thanks for coming on here and updating us. Please lean on the community for moral support as you go through up days and down days!!!

That's great! I prayed for you and am very excited to see that you're not only recovering but getting back on the bike.

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http://www.y-rocket.blogspot.com/

Scott, it is Thanksgiving in the US. For some reason thought about you and your ordeal. I hope the recovery over the last year has progressed well.

Dev