On Tuesday my 2 month old nephew Blake went to his 2 month Dr appointment. At his appointment the Dr told them he was a healthy baby boy, but his heart rate was a little high. They let him calm down and then took his heart rate again and it was still high. Long story short... the Dr rushed them up to Primary Children's Hospital. When they got there his heart rate was 240 which is really high (a 2 month old should have a heart rate between 120-160). He was in what's called SVT. (You can google SVT and get more info, but it is pretty much an extra electrical current in the heart that goes in a circle and causes the heart to beat twice as fast and doesn't give the heart the chance to fill all the way up with blood before it pumps again) He was admitted to the ICU. Since Tuesday they have tried several medicines and other methods to try and get his heart to reset and go back to a normal rhythm, but so far that has not happened. His heart rate has improved, but not to what they want it to be. It is currently hanging out in the 180s-190s. He was on 3 medications as of this morning, but after drawing blood they discovered his potassium was high and had to take him off the medication that lowers his heart rate. The Dr told John and Jen that they think with the case of SVT he has, that his rhythm will most likely not go back to normal on its own and they may have to be satisfied to get his heart rate back to normal and stable until he weighs enough to have surgery to fix the problem, which is about 30 pounds.
He has shown a couple of good signs. Randomly throughout the day his heart rate will drop to normal, but then go right back to where it was. Last night his heart rate dropped to normal for 45 minutes (the longest it has been normal so far) while he was sleeping, but as soon as they woke him up to feed him it went right back up. He is so happy and funny... when he wakes up, he smiles at you and laughs and you would never know there was something wrong with him.
The Dr.s say they are lucky they found it when they did (the symptoms are nothing you would be able to tell in a baby: dizziness, light headed, nausea, lethargic) and that most likely he had only been this way for a couple days. Normally by the time they catch something like this in an infant, they have been in it for so long that they have heart failure and have to have a heart transplant. They caught Blake's early enough that as long as they can get his heart rate down with the right medication his heart should fully recover until he can have surgery to burn or freeze the extra current he has in his heart that is causing the fast beat and abnormal rhythm. The reason for this long story and explanation, besides to update everyone even though it should be Jen doing this, is for me to express being thankful. Although I've always loved and cared for my family, this week family has meant more to me than ever. Seeing my sister, brother in law, and nephew go through what they've had to the last few days has made me so thankful for the strong sister I have and the amazing family I have. I could never sit by and watch my baby go through what she has and still have a positive attitude. Jen has been nothing but positive and strong. They spend almost every minute they have, including spending nights there, at their baby's side. I watch the love and support she has from family and friends and it reminds me how lucky we are to have good family's and good friends who are willing to give up time to help out and who truly care. I have relieved John and Jen a couple times for them to go home and take a shower and eat some food that is not from the cafeteria and although they are the ones telling me thank you for helping out, I am thankful and happy I am able to help out and that they trust me with their cute baby. I would do anything for them as well as for all of my family or friends. I am thankful my sister is a nurse, and although I wouldn't wish this on anyone, she knows enough that she is capable of taking care of her baby during this rough time and Blake is very lucky to have her as a mom. I am thankful for the understanding boss I have who let me leave early on Friday to go help my sister out. I am thankful for a loving husband who understands why I may come home late every night because I am with my sister or helping them out. I am thankful for my health and for my family's health. I am thankful for the roof over my head and the jobs my husband and I have to provide for us. I have so many blessings in my life and things to be thankful for, family being just one of them. Maybe this is a good time of year with it being Thanksgiving for me to realize what I am thankful for.
We love you Blake, John and Jen and I pray for that cute baby constantly throughout the day. I know he is a fighter and strong enough to get through this.
8 years ago
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