Additional treatment for Polk County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Barry Henderson is underway, but whether he’ll be stable enough in the coming days to make a trip to the University of Florida Shands Hospital remains to be seen.
In the latest update from Chief Deputy Jonathan Blackmon on Henderson’s condition, he’s now undergoing dialysis alongside his need for a ventilator after he contracted COVID-19 and began his hospital stint nearly 50 days ago. Dialysis is the process by which toxins, excess water and solutes are removed from the blood artificially when the kidneys are no longer able to do so.
Blackmon said that with dialysis underway, Henderson is stable again but not enough so to be able to move him to a different medical facility for further treatment.
The hopes are to improve his kidney function, which would allow him to be transported.
Henderson has now been on a ventilator for more than 40 days, needing it to help breathe just three days after he entered the hospital. He’s been undergoing treatment for the virus at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.
On Tuesday, Henderson was slated to be taken to the UF Shands Hospital with hopes that some of their experimental treatments might help, but he suffered renal failure in the hours before an air ambulance was about to transport him out of state.
Now the struggle will be to fully re-stabilize him, and then get permission from insurance providers to allow for his travel again.
Blackmon asked for continued prayers for Henderson and his family as he continues to suffer the ill effects of COVID-19.
Check back for regular updates as they become available on Henderson.
