Thursday’s graduation for Kettle Run High School will be a special one for Joseph “Joe” Heppler, father of graduate Rhett Heppler. Joe almost didn’t make it.
Â
From her son, Joe Hepplerâs room at Kansas University Medical Center, Cathy Heppler put her cellphone on speaker so she had both hands available to consult her notes.
âWe have been in the hospital this time 77 days so far, which makes 122 days for the whole year.
âThis is the fifth infection he has had in his brain this year,â Heppler said Tuesday. âThis would be our fourth trip of the year up here.â
Joe has had 16 surgeries this year and battled five different bacterias in his brain.
The latest and worst brain infection led Joeâs hospitalization on Sept. 29 at KUMC. Since Sept. 29, he has had six brain or shunt-type surgeries.Â