What was initially believed to be a diabetic emergency quickly turned in to the unimaginable. Sweet Kaden started feeling unwell on January 10th with flu like symptoms. Since he had been around other people who had been sick, his sweet mom had him lay down to rest. What started with a headache, throwing up, then switching to extreme fatigue, Shantell started to worry about his blood sugars. In hopes to delay care, she called down to Primary Children’s to see if they could head straight there since that is where he always ended up in the past with diabetic problems. They suggested if he was stable enough, to just go straight there. With the help of his older brother, Parker, Shan quickly got him in the tub to clean him up and that’s when things went downhill fast. Kaden became unresponsive in the tub and Shantell knew they were in trouble. She called 911 and thankfully an ambulance arrived quickly. He was rushed to Bear River Hospital where they thought he was in DKA and requested life flight while they intubated him due to the swelling on his brain. When Kaden arrived at Primary Children’s, a CT scan was performed determining Kaden had suffered a stroke, which then caused him to go in to DKA. This was absolutely devastating news and Kadens prognosis looked very grim. He was rushed in to surgery in hopes to save his life, with the odds very against him, while his sweet mom waited desperately for an update. After the surgery, they did a full MRI on Kaden and found that he had suffered another stroke and had damage to his brain stem. They think the brain stem damage came from the sodium they had to give to save his life.
Kaden spent the next 9 days in a medical induced coma to allow his little body to heal and the swelling to decrease. With countless scares, hourly neuro checks, monitors going off, and so many ups and downs, Kaden was finally extubated on January 20th. While this was such an exciting, amazing time, and everyone was so thrilled he was able to breathe on his own, the hard realization of just how affected he was by the strokes started to set in. Kaden has been at Primary Children’s going on 1 month, and has a very long road ahead before he will be able to go home. The simple things he has been doing his whole life (holding his head up, walking, talking, using the bathroom, eating and drinking, and so many more) he has to completely relearn, and the therapy will be extensive (months, potentially longer). He is still in the pediatric ICU and can’t start intense rehab until he is moved to the floor.
His sweet momma hasn’t left his side! She is his angel, his peace, his comfort, his everything! She is his calm, encouraging, loving, peace to this devastating storm he is facing and he needs her there! As a single mom and the sole provider for her family, she needs our help! She has already been off of work for a month, and will likely need several more months to care for him. While the hospital bills are overwhelming, and growing daily, she also has her mortgage, car payment, utilities, care for her other sweet boys, and so much more on her plate. Anyone who knows Shantell knows she is the first to offer love and support to those in need. While there is so much we can’t do to take away what her family is going through, let’s all band together and help where we can! Every donation, big or small, is so appreciated! Every dollar helps ❤️
I will try to provide updates on Kaden weekly. Please follow along this journey with us. And please feel free to leave a little message or words of encouragement for Shantell and Kaden! Thank you in advance for your generosity