Born: @ 39 weeks (Full Term)
NICU stay: 7 months (221 days)
ECMO? (Providing Cardiac and Respiratory Support): No
Breathing Intervention: Oscillator, Jet Ventilator, Ventilator, CPAP, High Flow Oxygen and Low Flow Oxygen
Left CDH Survivor
# of surgeries: 3 major surgeries - CDH repair, Lobectomy, Nissen Fundoplication and Gtube placement
Additional Info: Kellen was given a 10% chance of survival after birth. He should have been on ECMO, but just skirted it. Out of the 3 other babies born approximately the same time as Kellen, he was thought to be the one that would go home first. He was the very last to go home, leaving a good 4 months after his CDH Frat Bros. Kellen ended up having a Left Sided Lobectomy removing the upper lobe on one of his already underdeveloped lungs. This procedure was done due to the lung trapping CO2 preventing him from getting off breathing support. After removing the lung, it was determined that Kellen also suffered from CLE (Congenital Lobar Emphysema). We were told that the chances of having CDH and CLE, not being dependent of one another, was 1 in 150 million.
Kellen went home on April 13th, 2015 on 1/4L of oxygen 24 hours a day and a feeding tube, plus 3 meds, in order to allow him to thrive at home. I can proudly say that he is now off of oxygen all together and is currently weaning off of his last med. He has been a fighter through and through and has taught us to never give up!
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