Devin Mikeal Wallings Story
July 2021
The Morning of July 20,2021 my son Devin Mental status changed.
July 22 my son had dental work done. That flowing Tuesday Devin was sick running a fever and his head was hurting. The next day I tried to get him into his doctors but they had no spots open. I then took him to the hospital near us. We were there for hours. They sent him home saying he had a virus. We got home at about 830 that night. About 630 the next morning my son was not himself. He didn't even know who I was at first. Anyone who knows Devin knows he is a mommys boy. He kept saying stuff off the wall.
I took him to childerns near us . They did a CT scan right away. They found that there was fluid collection and he needed surgery right away. They then took Devin to Children's main campus in Cincinnati Ohio. Devin went into surgery around noon and didn't get out till about 8pm that night. The main surgery was L Craniotomy for evacuation of parafalcine subdural empyema. Subdural Empyema is a life threatening infection and it was around Devins brain. He has a drain called an EVD.
830 I finally got to see my baby boy. Everything was going fine then around midnight, my son's heart rate and blood pressure started to rise to where the doctors were worried. They took him to get another CT scan. That showed there was swelling of the brain. Then surgery number 2 happened, called Bifrontotemporal decompressive craniectomy. This is where they took the front of the skull off hoping it would help but it fully didn't. The back of his brain was continuing to swell.
Shortly after that the doctors had a meeting with us. Every parent's nightmare. My son had some strokes (meaning he had brain damage) and his survival rate was less than 20%. After this meeting they went ahead and put Devin into a medical comma. They did this in hope to save my son's life. August 4th they started to slowly put my son out of the medical coma. In the days to come waiting for my baby to wake up. I was getting hit with he may not wake up, we don't know how he will be , he could be paralyzed. THey had no answer to give me hope. The only thing giving me hope was that my son is a fighter. August 6 Devin opened his eyes.
Few days later Devin had another CT scan done. This scan showed another spot on his brain. The spot was more solid. August 12 they did another surgery called initial placement of empyema drain. It was to try and get a drain tube in the new spot. It was not successful. So another meeting happened to go over what they could do. Do nothing and watch it to see what it does, try again or take more of his skull off. We agreed to try again and let them adjust the empyema drain but with a thicker catheter. Surgery 4 was successful.
They did a CT scan or MRI, I can't remember, and it showed he had fluid build up at the top of the spinal cord. August 23 they did a 5th surgery called suboccipital craniectomy, C1 laminectomy, duraplasty and tonsillar shrinkage.This was to make more room and help get the fluid flowing like it should. It failed.
Sept 24 Devin had his 6th surgery called bifrontal cranioplasty. He got his bone back in.
Through this dark time my son Devin did wake up and he knows me and everyone else. He blinks, raised his eyebrows and clothes his eyes to communicate with everyone. He can smile and started to mouth words.
They have tried to take the breathing tube out 3 times. The first time was a failure due to a mucus plug. The 2nd time it was 2 hours he lasted. His oxygen started to go down fast. The 3rd time he lasted 11 hours but his secretions were too much for Devin to handle.
Devin has been fighting infections and mucus build up this whole time.We also found out that Devin's left diaphragm is paralyzed. This is the muscle underneath the lung. His left lung does not fully expand like it should. Down the road he will have another surgery to plant his left lung to where it will stay open.
In the next 2 weeks Dvine will be getting a trachea. It took me so long to agree to it. I wanted to make sure I gave Devin chances to try and breath on his own. Also he may be getting a shunt ( high chance). A shunt is a hollow tube surgically placed in the brain to help drain cerebrospinal fluid and redirect it to another location in the body where it can be reabsorbed.
Devin has been in ICU since July 28 and wont get out till mid or the end of October.
Devin has a long road ahead of him with everything going on. A few things we know for sure, he will be in a wheelchair and tied down so he won't fall out and be pushed by someone else then himself. Also when Devin comes home he will have to be watched 24/7 and hope we get a nurse(s) to help out at home.
Things that we don't have answers for and only time will tell is how long Devin will be on a ventilator and trach and how paralyzed he will be. As of right now Devin has not moved any body part from neck down. He can't even hold his head up right now. These could be permanent factors due to the brain damage and the 5th surgery.
Today Sept 29th is where we are at.
My husband and I got work to do on our house to be ready for Devin to come home. With me not working worries me financially to get our house ready in the few months we have. Our main goal is to upgrade our electrical panel, get a furnace in our house ( we have gas heaters), better insulation and remodel the down stairs for a wheelchair medical bed and his medical supplies he will need (which will be a lot when he first comes home)
Also to help get a medical van that will be easier to get Devin in and out of.
If you cant help with a donation, you can help by sharing, help with fundraisers /benefits or know anyone who could work with us get our house ready by letting us do payments or let us know of any groups to help us out.
My son Devin was a normal 14 year old boy who world got turned upside down July 28. I have faith that he will one day be able to ride a bike, go swimming or just walk outside and play when ever he wants to like he did before this dark time. I also have faith he will be able to talk again . I never thought I would miss hearing my son call me mom or that he loves me. My world has also be turned upside down. Its been 2 month and Im still a mess. I have 2 younger kids at home 6 and 8 years old. I have to always leave them to go with their brother in the hospital which is hard on me. Its also hard to leave Devin to come see my younger kids. It will never be easy on my kids or myself until my son is home with his family. Please Pleas help us out in any way. We are a family in need to Make sure Devin can come home when its time.
You can reach me on Facebook Crystal Donley my profile picture is of my son Devin and I and it says faith over fear. Also #DevinWalling
Thank you for all that can help
God bless