Tim's Variety Plate: Morning Update

June 2, 2012

Morning Update

This morning's update is that essentially there isn't an update. Tim was stable overnight with a very minor fever cropping up around 4AM which has already been resolved. For now they still don't have a plan for extubation so it looks like it will be a quiet Saturday in the PICU. Tim is expecting visits from some of his grandparents today while the rest of the family tries to get some loose ends... tied up.

As Jeff is getting ready to go back to work during the day next week our friend Gabi Reczek (https://www.facebook.com/gabrielle.reczek) will be coordinating a schedule for people to sit with Tim and/or help Christine out with Rosie while she's at the hospital this week. Please touch base with her about how to volunteer your time as she takes this significant task off the family's shoulders. Thank you so much Gabi!

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About Tim's Heart

Tim suffered from a rare heart condition in which the lower half of his heart operates in reverse. Instead of the stronger half of his heart pumping blood to his body, it is serving his lungs. And the weaker half is working in overdrive to pump blood to his body. Tim also was born with other heart defects. A hole in his heart was repaired when he was just 5 months old. During that same surgery, a pacemaker was installed to remedy an irregular heartbeat.

Over the next 2 years, Tim had 3 surgeries to prepare him for the complicated "Double Switch" procedure. This complicated surgery disconnects major blood vessels from the heart chambers they are currently attached to and reconnects them to the correct chambers. Tim underwent this procedure in June, 2010. While the surgery successfully reconfigured the vessels, his heart did not recover fully and he was in heart failure.

On June 20, 2012 Tim received a heart transplant after nearly a month of hospitalization as a result of a cardiac event that happened on May 30. Since transplant Tim has recovered well, with no signs of rejection to date. He is currently awaiting discharge from the hospital.

Despite his diagnosis, Tim has always lived a very full and relatively normal life for a 5 year old boy. We will continue keep in close contact with his cardiology team, and he is on several medications daily to prevent rejection of his new heart. While our family has gotten past a significant hurdle there is still the possibility of additional surgery or hospitalizations in Tim's future. Regardless, we have always focused on making the most of the day to day and try to enjoy the simple things the best we can.