Mike Conner, bass player with The Country Gentlemen Tribute Band, and popular Roanoke, VA musician, singer, and event producer, is currently hospitalized in Knoxville, TN after losing consciousness on Saturday.
According to good friend and fellow musician John Miller, with whom Mike and his wife were visiting in Knoxville, Conner was returning to the house after running out to his truck to retrieve something, when he fell forward across the front door. Miller and Mike’s wife Annette were able to perform CPR until an ambulance arrived to bring him to the hospital.
Based on Mike’s previous medical history, it is believed that he experienced a cardiac event and lost consciousness. He also struck his head sharply when falling, and medical personnel elected to induce a coma on Saturday afternoon to prevent brain swelling.
Fortunately, he regained consciousness on Sunday evening, but still has a breathing and feeding tube installed. Miller told us just now that Mike is fully responsive and was able to respond immediately to questions. He is able to move all his limbs so the family is hopeful that no brain injury has occurred.
Fluid has also been found in his lungs, and he is being treated for pneumonia as well.
As bad as all that sounds, Mike’s quick return to consciousness has everyone hoping for a full recovery.
Cards can be sent in care of the hospital…
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
1901 Clinch Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37916
… and good will messages can be left on his Facebook page.
There are medical people in Mike’s family, and he seems to be in very capable hands. We’ll post additional details as they are known.
UPDATE 11/1 – We received this note from Mike’s wife Annette today, with something of a splash of cold water on the optimistic tone in this post. While everyone still hopes to see him recover fully, she wanted to point out the seriousness of his situation.
Annette says that Mike has been again placed in an induced coma, in large part to eliminate him struggling with his feeding and breathing tubes. So he is not conscious at this point.
She also shared these details…
“Mike suffered from Ventilator Fibrillation, the most deadly arrhythmia. His heart stopped beating and the lack of oxygen and blood caused him to collapse. He landed on a concrete porch. He is in medically induced coma still.
He still has a low grade fever and is on antibiotics for pneumonia. No response from him this morning. Still on the ventilator and in medically induced coma. Will go to catheterization later today, while on the vent.
We are not out of the woods. Please pray for a complete healing of his organs and brain.”
That we will.
