Asking for prayers and support for the Sites Family.

On February 9th Charlie went to the hospital after experiencing 4 days of “flu like” symptoms. When he arrived to the ER at Enloe his heart was in an arrhythmia called Afib, they did multiple scans and found quite a few things that prompted an immediate admission. They did an ultrasound of the heart and found vegetation that had taken place on his aortic valve. By this time they had confirmed he had infection in his bloodstream as well. With the infection and vegetation on the valve they diagnosed him with endocarditis of the aortic valve. This was making his heart beat abnormally, but also created aortic regurgitation

where his blood back flowed into the lungs. The team at Enloe made the decision that Charlie was going to need an operation and a more specialized surgeon. He got transferred to Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento on February 11. When he arrived we met the cardiothoracic surgeon who accepted his case and told us he needed Charlie to be more stable before he could operate. He was intubated, fluid overloaded, kidneys had taken a hit, and infection in his body. We waited at his bedside for 4 days hoping his lungs would improve and that the surgeon could operate. On February 15 we got the call he was ready for surgery. That day he underwent open heart surgery to receive a new valve. In the OR the surgeon decided to place Charlie on ECMO (a machine to give his heart and lungs time to heal) because his right side of the heart had been compensating for so long. He was on ECMO for 2 days and his heart was ready to come off support , so February 17 they removed it and he began circulating and oxygenating his blood again on his own. This entire time an infection doctor was trying to find the source and cause of this infection. With a CT of mouth they confirmed he got endocarditis from an infected tooth. They started antibiotics specific for the bacteria that caused all this and within a couple days his infection improved. While they were looking for the infection they also found he had a liver injury. Charlie developed hepatic encephalopathy after the heart surgery. Where his liver was struggling to metabolize everything and was releasing too much ammonia into his blood which created confusion and prevented him from fully waking up. He also developed some esophageal and gastric bleeding, he had to have two other small procedures to help the vessels that were causing the bleeding. He had to be given blood products to during all this. The endocarditis also caused blood clots in the lungs, liver and legs so they placed an IVC filter in his heart to catch these clots. A lot has gone on over the last month, now Charlie has been extubated and is fully alert. He has a long road of recovery and rehab ahead of him. He was completely bed bound for almost three weeks. He started some therapy this week and has been able to start leg lifts and raising his arms. Small, but huge wins at this point in his journey. Jenny and Charlie haven’t been able to work, and Charlie will be out of work for awhile. We are asking for any support to help them get through this difficult time. Jenny, Hayley, and Kourtney have been traveling back and forth to Sacramento almost everyday during all this. Any support is appreciated to help with gas, food, and upcoming medical bills. This was unexpected and no one could have seen this coming. Thank you for all the prayers and support