I ❤ Tucker Volkman
Donation protected
Tucker Volkman was born on June 11, 2013 to Travis and Pam Volkman of Belgrade. Tucker has two older brothers and a sister.
Due to a heart condition noticed in the womb, doctors instructed the family that Tucker must be born at a specialty hospital. Two weeks prior to Tucker's due date the family headed for the University of Washington Hospital in Seattle. Noticing complications they admitted Pam into the hospital early and scheduled for Tucker's birth. The hospital had an entire ICU room set up and approximately 15 doctors, specialists, and nurses on hand. Upon Tucker's birth he wasn't breathing and was whisked away immediately to the ICU room. After several hours the doctors had Tucker alive and stable enough to transport him, by ambulance, to Seattle Children's Hospital.
Since his birth the doctors have determined that Tucker's health problems are greater than they initially predicted. Tucker was diagnosed with Heterotaxy Syndrome, Dextrocardia, and Situs Inversus, as well as a heart with only three out of the four chambers, and an unbalanced AV canal. Due to his conditions Tucker has had numerous catheter procedures, stomach surgery, two open heart surgeries, RSV, a life flight, and several hospital stays. Tucker requires appointments with his pediatric heart specialist in Missoula on a regular basis, is monitored closely by his pediatrician, and has to have his oxygen level tested at home.
Tucker is currently scheduled to receive his next open heart surgery in December, 2016 at Seattle Children's Hospital. He will be undergoing the Fontan with fenestration procedure. This will hopefully be the last surgery out of a series of open heart surgeries which reroute the entire blood system to compensate for the heart's weak structure. The surgery will require a hospital stay of at least 10 days with numerous weeks of at home recover after that.
The family has been told that eventually, even after receiving the series of open heart surgeries, Tucker may still need a pacemaker or even a transplant later in life. Please help support the Volkman family during this difficult time.
Due to a heart condition noticed in the womb, doctors instructed the family that Tucker must be born at a specialty hospital. Two weeks prior to Tucker's due date the family headed for the University of Washington Hospital in Seattle. Noticing complications they admitted Pam into the hospital early and scheduled for Tucker's birth. The hospital had an entire ICU room set up and approximately 15 doctors, specialists, and nurses on hand. Upon Tucker's birth he wasn't breathing and was whisked away immediately to the ICU room. After several hours the doctors had Tucker alive and stable enough to transport him, by ambulance, to Seattle Children's Hospital.
Since his birth the doctors have determined that Tucker's health problems are greater than they initially predicted. Tucker was diagnosed with Heterotaxy Syndrome, Dextrocardia, and Situs Inversus, as well as a heart with only three out of the four chambers, and an unbalanced AV canal. Due to his conditions Tucker has had numerous catheter procedures, stomach surgery, two open heart surgeries, RSV, a life flight, and several hospital stays. Tucker requires appointments with his pediatric heart specialist in Missoula on a regular basis, is monitored closely by his pediatrician, and has to have his oxygen level tested at home.
Tucker is currently scheduled to receive his next open heart surgery in December, 2016 at Seattle Children's Hospital. He will be undergoing the Fontan with fenestration procedure. This will hopefully be the last surgery out of a series of open heart surgeries which reroute the entire blood system to compensate for the heart's weak structure. The surgery will require a hospital stay of at least 10 days with numerous weeks of at home recover after that.
The family has been told that eventually, even after receiving the series of open heart surgeries, Tucker may still need a pacemaker or even a transplant later in life. Please help support the Volkman family during this difficult time.
Organizer
Travis Volkman
Organizer
Belgrade, MT