Kody Farmer: recovering and reporting from an intensive care unit

Many readers are aware that Kody Farmer, a long time writer for the "Blaine County Journal," has been hospitalized for a couple of months. Readers were surprised to learn that despite being in intensive care at the VA hospital in Salt Lake City Kody's was still writing for the paper. Kody was airlifted from Fort Harrison VA Hospital (in Helena, Montana) on April 22 to the VA Center in Utah. He's been recovering in intensive care since that flight to Salt Lake City more than 70 days ago.

Keith and Keri Hanson, owners of the "Journal," asked me to write a story about how Kody is progressing with his recovery and also share how he's continued writing stories for the paper. I recently had an in-depth phone conversation with Kody. Here's some of what I learned about his illness and his writing challenges.

Kody was first diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 2002

In his early thirties Kody began to experience "intense stomach cramps, difficulties eating and troubles with my bowels." He was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract, mainly the small intestine. Some victims with Crohn's remain symptom free most of their lives while for others the symptoms never go away. There is no known cure for Crohn's disease. Sometimes the progression of the disease can be controlled with medications. When medications are ineffective surgery to remove affected organs is required.

Kody explained, "In 2002, when I was first diagnosed with Crohn's, the doctors suggested the disease may have been progressing for some time before they discovered it. By 2007 my condition had deteriorated to the point I required surgery. In 2020 I had yet another relapse."

The recent episode (spring, 2023) was "the worst ever." During early spring 2023 Kody said, "I didn't really feel pain like I had in prior episodes but I could tell I was deteriorating, getting weaker and had less energy." Finally, Makhayla, one of Kody's adult daughters who lives in Chinook, insisted he go for medical attention. In fact, she insisted her sister, Tonii, take Kody directly to the VA facility in Helena.

Kody said, "I knew I was in bad shape when at Helena I was admitted from the ER (emergency room) to the hospital in about five minutes, a process that usually takes a couple of hours." He arrived in Helena on April 19, on April 22 he was taken by life flight to the VA hospital in Salt Lake City. Twelve days after that he had surgery to remove a blockage to his small intestine.

A week later it was determined the first surgery did not work and he had a second surgery. Kody explained that he now has no more options for surgery as there is not enough bowel left to remove. After the last surgery he could not even keep down potato soup. "Now I can only take water, ice chips and hard candy by mouth, no solid foods." It appears he will not be able to take food by mouth until late July at the earliest.

Not all medical gloom and doom

Reflecting on this latest episode Kody said, "My daughter, Makhayla, saved my life. The doctors said if she had not insisted I get medical attention I would have died." Daughter Tonii drove him to Helena for medical attention, and in early June made the decision to stay by his side for the remainder of his time in Utah.

Kody described the medical treatment he's received at Salt Lake City as, "The best care I've experienced. My medical team apologized for some of the poor treatment I had received in the past. Compared to other treatments this experience has been amazing."

On the medical side of things Kody admits, "I was not always my own best advocate. I would let things I felt needed to be done on my job keep me from seeking treatment in a timely manner." Seeking to improve his ability to communicate with his medical team, Kody created a "team of four" who act as his medical advocates, interpret and explain what the medical staff wants of Kody. The team of also relays Kody's concerns to the medical staff.

The team of four is made up of Kody's two daughters, Makhayla and Tonii, his niece, Jackie (a registered nurse) and his sister, Jodie, who also has Crohn's disease as does her son. Kody said, "With the team of four receiving and sharing my medical needs and requirements with my medical providers and keeping track of what my providers want of me, I can devote more time and energy to getting better."

Kody's passions for writing, playing golf and touring sports stadiums are still strong

Kody's daughter Makhayla, who does the layout for the "Journal" each week as well as many other tasks at the paper said, "My dad's passions are writing, golf and visiting or touring sports stadiums, in that order." I told Kody over the phone, "People often ask me how you are able to collect background information and write stories for the "Journal" from an intensive care unit." He laughed and said, "It's not easy but writing is a passion and I figured out, with some help, how to get stories written." He added the medical staff is very supportive of his writing and do things to help facilitate his writing.

"The first story I did," he began, "was all on my cell phone and texted to the paper. That was brutally slow." Next his sister Jodie and daughter Makhayla helped him put together a couple more stories. Finally, the two bought him "an electronic notebook and a keyboard. "That helps me write independently." Jackie also helped him connect to the hospital's wi-fi so he can access information from the internet for background. A big challenge, he said, is writing with all the interruptions going on in a hospital. He added, "My best time for writing is usually between 1am and 3am."

Of his writing Kody said, "I want to keep writing. It's one function I can still do despite my poor physical condition. For me writing is therapeutic. Writing occupies my mind and keeps me from dwelling totally on my medical problems.

Kody said another motivation for writing is, "I don't want to disappoint Keith and Keri Hanson (owners of the "Journal") who have been so supportive of me over my years at the newspaper." Keith Hanson described Kody as "one of the most reliable and energetic employees we've had at the paper. He's totally selfless, always trying to help others despite his own health challenges."

Fulfilling his passion for golf may still be a ways off for Kody but has been able to fulfill passion number three-visiting a sports stadium. From his hospital room he can see the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium. For Kody's 53rd birthday on June 20 his palliative team (a care team made up of different professionals that work with the patient, family, and the patient's doctors to provide support) organized a tour of the football stadium at UT for Kody despite his being in the intensive care unit. Makhayla said, "They arranged the tour and I think it was the happiest I've seen dad in a long time. He really enjoyed the tour and photo opportunity (see photo with story)." Family members accompanied him on the tour.

Kody's main goal is getting well and returning to work. He said he has started walking 'rounds' within the facility, sometimes pushing his feeding tube along on a rolling stand as he walks. And getting back to writing "at full steam" is also a serious goal. Then he laughed and said, "An immediate goal is to start climbing stairs again. It's one thing to walk distances on flat ground, climbing stairs is a whole new thing."

Toward the end of the phone interview, I asked Kody what he would like to say to the folks back home. He said, "Tell them I really appreciate all the folks who text and contact me. The encouragement helps me want to get better." I'm grateful to the medical staff here in Salt Lake City who continually monitor and help me see the way to getting well again. And my family has been extremely supportive throughout the years of health issues and especially during this most recent episode."

It's no surprise that after more than 70 days in intensive care Kody is still optimistic. That seems to be his nature.