prayer request: for Chris

July 28, 2008

family

[UPDATES ARE IN THE COMMENTS. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!]

I’m passing this along from one of my family members. Please pray. I cannot imagine what their family is going through right now.

The “Miracle Boy” Chris had a problem last night. He had nausea, vomiting, a fever and a very high heart rate– over 200 beats per minute. I think normal is about 70 or 80. {His mother} took him to the hospital where he was seen by one of the doctors who took care of him as an infant 14 years ago. Chris is in the Intensive Care Unit. He seems to be doing okay now. His heart rate and temperature are about normal and he ate a decent supper. He was pretty groggy at first, but by this afternoon he was watching TV and laughing. His white blood cell count is slightly elevated, but everything else seems normal. They can’t find any cause for the incident. They lowered the heart rate with drugs and he will probably have to take beta blockers for the rest of his life.

Chris’ doctor says that most people, who have had the type of heart surgery Chris had, would not have lived for more than half an hour at 200 BPM. Chris’ heart was going at that rate for more than six hours. The doctor agrees that he is a “Miracle Boy”.

For some background, Chris was diagnosed long before birth with a spectrum of birth defects seen only very rarely. His parents pursued the best of care for him, but doctors insisted that no one with this particular syndrome ever lives beyond one year of age. He’s now fourteen.

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0 Comments

  1. Ivy

    Praying. Please keep us posted.

  2. philangelus

    update (apparently I’m about twelve hours behind on receiving updates due to the chain of forwarding):

    Chris has remained in the correct heartrate rhythm this afternoon and evening. I believe they were able to slow his heart down using drugs as opposed to having to shock him back to the right rhythm.

    They’ll continue to monitor him tonight and provided he doesn’t slip back into tachacardia he’ll probably be allowed to come home tomorrow (Monday). He’ll have to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and will probably be on a beta blocker from now on. I don’t know if his doctors at $$$$$$$ will want to see him this week as well. I know that the doctors at %%%%%% were in close contact with his pediatrician and were going to be contacting his cardiologist at $$$$$$.

    Thanks for the prayers.

  3. philangelus

    update:

    I wanted to let all of you know that Chris came home from the hospital late Monday afternoon. He’s wearing the halter monitor and has an appointment to see his doctors at $$$$$ on Monday. The doctors still have no idea why Chris had this problem Sunday morning. All I know is that he scared the bejeebers out of us.

    Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support. I know the prayers work, witness Chris at age 14. I {family member} have forwarded all your messages to {Mom and Dad}, who are very grateful to all of you.