Geneva father of five fights back against odds

Two months ago, doctors told Nicole Guvenoz her husband's chance of survival was slim.

Lewis Guvenoz, 38, of Geneva suffered sudden cardiac arrest May 13, and it took Delnor Hospital doctors 45 minutes to restart his heart. The long period with limited oxygen, resulting in an anoxic brain injury, put him in an unresponsive state to the extent that some medical professionals suggested to his wife that she consider taking him off life support.

"When I took over, (Lewis) had pretty impaired neurological function," said Dr. Kishore Santwani, Guvenoz's neurologist at Delnor beginning one week after the accident. "He could open his eyes but not much else. He had no movement, and he had instability from his vitals as well."

Guvenoz is undergoing intensive therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. He is still fighting for his recovery, but his strides are growing every day, smashing all expectations and forcing therapists to constantly set new goals for progress.

"Cognitively, he's very there and very aware, far more so than anyone expected," his wife said. "(Last week), his therapist was using music and he was able to choose the type of music he wanted. He chose the Black Eyed Peas song 'Boom, Boom, Pow,' a song my son used to dance to."

Guvenoz's therapists originally set minuscule goals, according to Nicole. They aimed to see him swallow on command, be transferred to a wheelchair without pain and, eventually, be able to sit up.

Defying expectations, Guvenoz now talks, moves his legs purposefully and swallows within three seconds. Once he passes a swallow test, food will be reintroduced. And doctors are confident walking is on the horizon, Nicole said.

Nicole attributes much of her husband's progress to his greatest motivation - the five children, including newborn twins, waiting for him at home. And jogging emotional memories can make a huge difference, according to Santwani.

"On Father's Day, I took the kids down to see him," his wife said. "He was pretty alert, but the next day he started talking. I believe in my heart it had to do with them, that great incentive, having your children with you."

When Guvenoz was first moved to the Rehabilitation Institute, his insurance was only going to cover therapy through June 29, unless substantial progress was documented. With his vast improvement and the recommendations from his doctors, insurance granted the Guvenozes more time at the Institute.

But with greater mental awareness comes great frustration for Guvenoz.

"The other day he said to me, 'I'm not sure I can do this,' " Nicole recalled. "I told him, 'We didn't get an option. I'm doing my part so you have to do your part.' He said, 'I don't want to be a burden to you.' And I told him, 'I saved your life. You're not a burden because we chose to have you here.' "

Guvenoz's current physical challenges are due largely to muscle spasticity. To combat the problem, he will next undergo an operation to have a baclofen pump placed in his spinal cord. The pump will emit doses of baclofen, a drug used to treat spasticity, directly to his problem areas without making him mentally groggy. This invasive surgery was not thought possible a few weeks ago, according to Nicole, and the fact his trial run was so successful in itself shows great progress.

Along with combating Lewis' physical challenges, Nicole is also fighting to keep her head above rising financial waters. A fund, located on fatheroffive.org, has been collecting donations for his medical bills, but the family still has one main need - a vehicle to transport all six of them to see Lewis.

Nearly $13,000 in donations has been collected, according to his sister, Ayla Dickey. The family is also working on a fundraising event Oct. 24 for Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness month. The event, a 5K race called the "FO5K," is looking for volunteers and sponsors at fo5k.com. It will also feature a 1K Fun Run for children. Denise Croft of St. Charles, a race coordinator who started Living the Dream Racing, will help conduct the event and raise money for Guvenoz.

But, Nicole said, the material goods mean little compared to their desire to see Lewis healthy again.

"I want my husband home, but I don't know when that will be able to happen," she said. "I used to say, 'If,' but I believe in my soul he can come home. That's why I spend five of seven days downtown (at the RIC), which kills me, but he has to come first."