Lets Lift Up The Weems Family

I am reaching out asking for this community to support the Weems family. Most of you know this beautiful family, but for those of you who do not here is a short introduction. Kevin, a fireman for Wilmington Fire Department, and his wife Jess have two beautiful children Kynlee (19 months) and Kolton (3months). During Kolton’s first check up after birth, Jess was told that Kolton had a heart murmur and that it was likely nothing to worry about, but he would need to see a cardiologist. At the appointment he was diagnosed with a PFO (small hole in the heart) and pulmonary artery stenosis. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be all in the days and months to come. On February 5, Kolton turned grey and was rapidly breathing at home. Jess rushed him to the pediatricians office with thoughts that he may have RSV.

When the nurse walked in Jess asked what she thought about his breathing. She quickly went to get a doctor because she couldn’t count his heart beat. Kolton was in SVT (Superventricular tachycardia) with a heart rate over 300 bpm. His pediatrician immediately sent him to the local hospital via ambulance were doctors confirmed that his tiny heart was beating extremely fast and gave him a drug to restart his heart. From there Kolton was transferred to the University of Maryland in Baltimore. He was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome (WPW). Normally, electricity in the heart flows from the top chambers (atria) to the bottom chambers (Ventricles) and is then extinguished, similar to a one-way road. In WPW, there is an extra, microscopic string of tissue that connects the upper and lower part of the heart, creating a complete circuit that allows electrical currents to spin faster and faster. An extra pathway. Typical symptoms for WPW include chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, and pale or ashy skin. The scary part for Kolton‘s family was that he didn’t have any symptoms until he was in this fast heart rhythm for long periods of time (hours). The two primary ways to treat SVT are with medications that suppress the arrhythmia or with cardiac ablation.

Kolton Is too small to have an ablation safely since catheters are designed primarily for use in adults. The doctors decided to treat Kolton’s condition with medication until he grows older. For months the doctors have worked to finalize the best combination of medication to control his SVT. But, his case has proved to be more challenging than anyone had hoped or expected.

Because he grew so quickly, doctors need to continually adjust his medications to keep him from experiencing more episodes as well as find the right combination of medication. In his first three months, Kolton was admitted to hospitals three more times for SVT and has had multiple ambulance rides, ER visits to restart his heart using a medication called adenosine, and PICU stays. Currently, Kolton Is admitted at University of Maryland Baltimore, on his sixth day, where he has had multiple episodes of SVT requiring adenosine to resolve. Doctors are working on finding an appropriate medication combination for him. This has completely changed Jess and Kevin’s life. Jess had to leave her job to care for Kolton full-time.

Kevin has to work overtime and an additional job to make up for lost wages. When Kolton Is in the hospital, his 19-month-old sister, Kynlee, has to stay with other family members and friends because she is not allowed on the units that her brother needs to be on in the hospital. Jess and Kevin try their best to keep him away from children who are sick, as the flu or fever could put him over the edge and cause SVT. Kolton wears a 24 hour heart monitor and Jess sleeps with the stethoscope on her nightstand, to check his heart rate at home to help determine when he needs medical attention from an episode.

I ask you to help support this family during this devastating time and to make a donation to ease some financial burden for their family. It is greatly appreciated. Please continue to keep Kolton and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Thankyou in advance!!!