Brighten Brandon's return home
Donation protected
As many of you know, Brandon has been though the wringer the past few weeks.
Starting the first day of the school holidays, 25 June, Brandon became unwell.. Starting innocuously enough; he was tired - too tired to play his beloved WoW.. Given that he had cross country that day, we put it down to that..
By Sunday he was running a fever, so on Monday off to the Dr we took him. Our Dr said he had "just the flu" and said to do all the normal things; plenty of rest, keep up the fluids, Panadol and Nurofen as required. By that night it was clear it was more than "just the flu". Brandon was burning up and his chest was rattling - so we called out a home Dr who diagnosed him with a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. We were told to give the antibiotics until Wednesday to start working.
On Tuesday 28 June, Brandon began coughing blood. So we called an ambulance. Without even checking his breathing, they told us there's was no point in going to the hospital as they would say that all we can do is wait for the antibiotics to work. (Still very angry with QAS about this.)
Boy were they wrong. By Wednesday Brandon couldn't walk without help. He could barely breathe. He was limp and pale and exhausted. So back to the Doctor we went. And from there, straight for an x-ray. After looking at the films, the radiographer called an ambulance and we were rushed to Logan hospital where the emergency Dr told him that the new antibiotics they would be using were the big guns. (Just want to say how amazing the staff are in children's emergency, and then again on the ward!)
At this point, Brandon was diagnosed with influenza A, and atypical pneumonia (mycoplasma). After 2 nights on oxygen and then high flow oxygen it was clear that Brandon was not improving... And clinically, he reached a point where the resuscitation team had to be called in. So on Friday, 1 July, a video conference was set up with the retrieval team at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.. And Brandon had his second ride in an ambulance, accompanied by his worried mum, a Doctor and a Nurse.
Brandon was admitted directly to the Paedatric Intensive Care Unit. The rest of Friday involved 4 attempts at a nasogastric tube to try and get some nutrition into him, an arterial line being put in and a change of medication.. If Logan prescribed him the big guns, Lady Cilento prescribed him rocket launchers.. After a full day on Saturday, it was clear Brandon was still deteriorating. So at 2 pm on Saturday 2 July, a decision was made to put Brandon into medically induced coma and intubate him. He was unable to breathe for himself, unable to move.. We were told he may not make it through this.
On Sunday, we were told on top of influenza A, and mycoplasma pneumonia, he also had community acquired methicillin resistant staph.. So his antibiotics were changed again.. These were the atomic bomb of antibiotics.
He had a central line inserted, as well as a peripherally inserted central catheter or PICC line. This was in addition to a cannula in each arm.. He had multiple lumens off each of his lines, some for sedation, some to keep him paralysed to enable a ventilator to breathe for him, some for pain relief, some for antibiotics. He was also having antibiotics inserted into his nasogastric tube, along with his nutrition, regular Panadol and ibuprofen to manage his fevers.. As there was very little being absorbed through his stomach, transpyloric tube (TPT) was put down his nose.
Brandon stayed intubated for 5 long days.. It was terrifying.. The last 2 days were very difficult, as although he wasn't in pain, he was no longer as sedated as he been and the medication that kept him paralysed was reduced as well... There is nothing like your child staring at you uncomprehendingly as you stop them from ripping out the pipe going down their throat..
On Thursday the 7th of July, Brandon was extubated. He was still highly medicated and there was still a very high chance that he would require intubation again.. All his medications were continued, and still he had soaring fevers.. He had multiple echocardiograms to look at his heart to make sure that the infection hadn't attached itself to any of the valves... Initially the results were inconclusive, but fortunately, it was determined that this hadn't occurred. Blood was taken multiple times a day to see if the infection had spread to his blood or bones.. He had daily chest x-rays to ensure that his lungs were clearing.. Physio 3 times a day.
Following 12 days in PICU, and Brandon was moved to the acute and long stay ward. 8 days on the ward and he's still very ill. He gets breathless from sitting up, exhausted from brushing his teeth.. But that's the thing - He can do these things. He's still on antibiotics, and will be for at least another 3 weeks. It will be at least another week before he can leave the hospital, and several before he can return to school. He misses home, his sisters, his bed, his pets. He misses his life.
As a welcome home to Brandon, we would love it if you can contribute what you can toward something special for him... He's been through so much and it would make his day to come home, walk into his bedroom and see the surprise...
Starting the first day of the school holidays, 25 June, Brandon became unwell.. Starting innocuously enough; he was tired - too tired to play his beloved WoW.. Given that he had cross country that day, we put it down to that..
By Sunday he was running a fever, so on Monday off to the Dr we took him. Our Dr said he had "just the flu" and said to do all the normal things; plenty of rest, keep up the fluids, Panadol and Nurofen as required. By that night it was clear it was more than "just the flu". Brandon was burning up and his chest was rattling - so we called out a home Dr who diagnosed him with a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. We were told to give the antibiotics until Wednesday to start working.
On Tuesday 28 June, Brandon began coughing blood. So we called an ambulance. Without even checking his breathing, they told us there's was no point in going to the hospital as they would say that all we can do is wait for the antibiotics to work. (Still very angry with QAS about this.)
Boy were they wrong. By Wednesday Brandon couldn't walk without help. He could barely breathe. He was limp and pale and exhausted. So back to the Doctor we went. And from there, straight for an x-ray. After looking at the films, the radiographer called an ambulance and we were rushed to Logan hospital where the emergency Dr told him that the new antibiotics they would be using were the big guns. (Just want to say how amazing the staff are in children's emergency, and then again on the ward!)
At this point, Brandon was diagnosed with influenza A, and atypical pneumonia (mycoplasma). After 2 nights on oxygen and then high flow oxygen it was clear that Brandon was not improving... And clinically, he reached a point where the resuscitation team had to be called in. So on Friday, 1 July, a video conference was set up with the retrieval team at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.. And Brandon had his second ride in an ambulance, accompanied by his worried mum, a Doctor and a Nurse.
Brandon was admitted directly to the Paedatric Intensive Care Unit. The rest of Friday involved 4 attempts at a nasogastric tube to try and get some nutrition into him, an arterial line being put in and a change of medication.. If Logan prescribed him the big guns, Lady Cilento prescribed him rocket launchers.. After a full day on Saturday, it was clear Brandon was still deteriorating. So at 2 pm on Saturday 2 July, a decision was made to put Brandon into medically induced coma and intubate him. He was unable to breathe for himself, unable to move.. We were told he may not make it through this.
On Sunday, we were told on top of influenza A, and mycoplasma pneumonia, he also had community acquired methicillin resistant staph.. So his antibiotics were changed again.. These were the atomic bomb of antibiotics.
He had a central line inserted, as well as a peripherally inserted central catheter or PICC line. This was in addition to a cannula in each arm.. He had multiple lumens off each of his lines, some for sedation, some to keep him paralysed to enable a ventilator to breathe for him, some for pain relief, some for antibiotics. He was also having antibiotics inserted into his nasogastric tube, along with his nutrition, regular Panadol and ibuprofen to manage his fevers.. As there was very little being absorbed through his stomach, transpyloric tube (TPT) was put down his nose.
Brandon stayed intubated for 5 long days.. It was terrifying.. The last 2 days were very difficult, as although he wasn't in pain, he was no longer as sedated as he been and the medication that kept him paralysed was reduced as well... There is nothing like your child staring at you uncomprehendingly as you stop them from ripping out the pipe going down their throat..
On Thursday the 7th of July, Brandon was extubated. He was still highly medicated and there was still a very high chance that he would require intubation again.. All his medications were continued, and still he had soaring fevers.. He had multiple echocardiograms to look at his heart to make sure that the infection hadn't attached itself to any of the valves... Initially the results were inconclusive, but fortunately, it was determined that this hadn't occurred. Blood was taken multiple times a day to see if the infection had spread to his blood or bones.. He had daily chest x-rays to ensure that his lungs were clearing.. Physio 3 times a day.
Following 12 days in PICU, and Brandon was moved to the acute and long stay ward. 8 days on the ward and he's still very ill. He gets breathless from sitting up, exhausted from brushing his teeth.. But that's the thing - He can do these things. He's still on antibiotics, and will be for at least another 3 weeks. It will be at least another week before he can leave the hospital, and several before he can return to school. He misses home, his sisters, his bed, his pets. He misses his life.
As a welcome home to Brandon, we would love it if you can contribute what you can toward something special for him... He's been through so much and it would make his day to come home, walk into his bedroom and see the surprise...
Organizer
Jason Just
Organizer
Lyons, QLD