Kolton's Funeral Expenses & Service
Donation protected
Hi. My name is Christine Nguyen and I wanted to set up a GoFundMe for my baby cousin who is in need of a heart transplant after having an open heart surgery to repair a leaky valve. I'm hoping this will help my aunt, uncle and baby cousin with travel expenses, hospital care, medication, and time off of work.
When Kolton was born in 2013, he had a reverse heart flipped on his right side, only 3 heart valve working, and much more. He was also born without a spleen and has to take medicine daily. Since he was born, he has been through 2 major surgery before the open heart surgery. He has had all of his surgeries at Vanderbilt and we were hoping after this open heart surgery that this was the last of it.
Kolton has recently turned 3 in July and less than a month later he was admitted into Vanderbilt for open heart surgery.
I'd like to thank everyone for helping and supporting Mimi, Grant, and Kolton throughout this surgery/ transplant process.
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This is the update list from Aug 9th on his open heart surgery day.
He's been in there now as of 7:45am CST. It took over an hour to prep him with IV's lines etc.... Now 6-8 hours of surgery. He will be having a "Fontan" procedure and then stopping his heart to repair leaky valve. Kolton is now in the hands of the surgery team so be in prayer God is with them, Kolton and his parents. His mom and dad had to leave him and now in waiting room.6-8 hour procedures.
UPDATE @ 11:39AM EST: Surgeons have made their way through scar tissue so far taking their time. Haven't made it to Kolton's heart yet. Kolton is stable and he has no concerns at the moment. Everything going as they planned.
UPDATE: 1:00 EST;
Surgeons caked and finally made it through scar tissue and hooking up bypass machine and will start "Fontan" procedure first, then repair the leaky valve, and last attach leads for future pacemaker.
So if there is a needed pacemaker in his future they do not have to have a major open heart surgery just to attach pacemaker leads to his heart.
They say Kolton is stable and still no concerns everything going as planned.
[email redacted] PM EST :
Surgeons called and they have completed the hardest part. The stopping of the heart and repairing the leaky valve. His heart is back pumping and working fine.
Next is to complete the "Fontan Procedure" followed by the placement of the pacemaker leads.
Still have 3-4 hours to go. Then another 1-3 hours in recovery before we get to see Kolton as they make sure no concerns and he's stable.
UPDATE: 4:15pm EST
Surgeons called and they are still finishing the Fontan Procedure and have the pacemaker leads to attach next.
Once completed they will run a few tests and conduct an echocardiogram. If everything goes well he will be transported to recovery.
They said to expect several more hours and a 1-3 hours in recovery before we see him.
UPDATE: 9:05 PM EST
Kolton still in surgery going on 12 hours. Longer than they expected.
We are waiting on further status on if they are finished or headed to recovery.
UPDATE: 0745AM EST
Kolton made it to ICU last night at midnight. He will be kept sedated and on pain meds today. They will be concentrated on control internal bleeding which is normal through drain tubes. But want to get it slow or stop today.
Also to try and get the breathing tube out sometime today or later tonight. When that happens they will slow down on pain meds to allow him to wake up to a degree. Still keep him on certain pain meds for his pain but but bring him out of his deep medicated sleep.
Since this surgery date, he has gone through an emergency surgery, a chest compression, multiple fluid tubes, and lots of pain and suffering.
Because they had to do chest compressions on him, it was possible that this undid his leaky valve.
After 7 weeks of being in the hospital, he was able to come home with a PIC line. For the next couple weeks, they have to do weekly visits in Vanderbilt for check-ups. This past Tuesday, 10-4-2016, they went to Vanderbilt for their check up, but doctors said he wasn't getting enough nutrients and not healing properly and they had to admit him back into the hospital.
UPDATE:
Update: 10/7/2016 11:30am CST
Kolton's heart is not pumping as it should. It's pumping slowly so that's why is oxygen saturation levels are low. Which causes fatigue and loss of appetite. They have him on a drug call MILRINONE it helps the heart starting beating stronger. But can only be used in ICU. So I don't know how long we will be here in ICU or how long his stay in hospital will be at this point.
Also his valve that was repaired during surgery is leaking more now that before the surgery. Could have been when they tried placed feeding tube and he crashed and went into ICU several weeks ago, they did chest compressions so that could have contributed to this situation with the leaky valve.
UPDATE: 9:00am CST. 10-11-16
Kolton is in the O.R. for a cath procedure to watch his heart and perform needed repairs if any. Stated length from 9:00am until 11:15am CST.
Once completed we will get a full detailed observation and the course of action needed for Kolton.
UPDATE: 10/11/16 4:15 PM CST
Kolton is having issues with his heart not pumping correctly & a leaking valve.
If medications do not help restore his pumping he is too high of a risk to go into surgery to repair the leaking valve.
This means Kolton will need to be placed on the transplant list which they are sending those doctors today or tomorrow to speak with us to have the process started. So he's on the list. If he improves he can always be removed from the list. Lost for words at this point.
When Kolton was born in 2013, he had a reverse heart flipped on his right side, only 3 heart valve working, and much more. He was also born without a spleen and has to take medicine daily. Since he was born, he has been through 2 major surgery before the open heart surgery. He has had all of his surgeries at Vanderbilt and we were hoping after this open heart surgery that this was the last of it.
Kolton has recently turned 3 in July and less than a month later he was admitted into Vanderbilt for open heart surgery.
I'd like to thank everyone for helping and supporting Mimi, Grant, and Kolton throughout this surgery/ transplant process.
----------------------------------------------------
This is the update list from Aug 9th on his open heart surgery day.
He's been in there now as of 7:45am CST. It took over an hour to prep him with IV's lines etc.... Now 6-8 hours of surgery. He will be having a "Fontan" procedure and then stopping his heart to repair leaky valve. Kolton is now in the hands of the surgery team so be in prayer God is with them, Kolton and his parents. His mom and dad had to leave him and now in waiting room.6-8 hour procedures.
UPDATE @ 11:39AM EST: Surgeons have made their way through scar tissue so far taking their time. Haven't made it to Kolton's heart yet. Kolton is stable and he has no concerns at the moment. Everything going as they planned.
UPDATE: 1:00 EST;
Surgeons caked and finally made it through scar tissue and hooking up bypass machine and will start "Fontan" procedure first, then repair the leaky valve, and last attach leads for future pacemaker.
So if there is a needed pacemaker in his future they do not have to have a major open heart surgery just to attach pacemaker leads to his heart.
They say Kolton is stable and still no concerns everything going as planned.
[email redacted] PM EST :
Surgeons called and they have completed the hardest part. The stopping of the heart and repairing the leaky valve. His heart is back pumping and working fine.
Next is to complete the "Fontan Procedure" followed by the placement of the pacemaker leads.
Still have 3-4 hours to go. Then another 1-3 hours in recovery before we get to see Kolton as they make sure no concerns and he's stable.
UPDATE: 4:15pm EST
Surgeons called and they are still finishing the Fontan Procedure and have the pacemaker leads to attach next.
Once completed they will run a few tests and conduct an echocardiogram. If everything goes well he will be transported to recovery.
They said to expect several more hours and a 1-3 hours in recovery before we see him.
UPDATE: 9:05 PM EST
Kolton still in surgery going on 12 hours. Longer than they expected.
We are waiting on further status on if they are finished or headed to recovery.
UPDATE: 0745AM EST
Kolton made it to ICU last night at midnight. He will be kept sedated and on pain meds today. They will be concentrated on control internal bleeding which is normal through drain tubes. But want to get it slow or stop today.
Also to try and get the breathing tube out sometime today or later tonight. When that happens they will slow down on pain meds to allow him to wake up to a degree. Still keep him on certain pain meds for his pain but but bring him out of his deep medicated sleep.
Since this surgery date, he has gone through an emergency surgery, a chest compression, multiple fluid tubes, and lots of pain and suffering.
Because they had to do chest compressions on him, it was possible that this undid his leaky valve.
After 7 weeks of being in the hospital, he was able to come home with a PIC line. For the next couple weeks, they have to do weekly visits in Vanderbilt for check-ups. This past Tuesday, 10-4-2016, they went to Vanderbilt for their check up, but doctors said he wasn't getting enough nutrients and not healing properly and they had to admit him back into the hospital.
UPDATE:
Update: 10/7/2016 11:30am CST
Kolton's heart is not pumping as it should. It's pumping slowly so that's why is oxygen saturation levels are low. Which causes fatigue and loss of appetite. They have him on a drug call MILRINONE it helps the heart starting beating stronger. But can only be used in ICU. So I don't know how long we will be here in ICU or how long his stay in hospital will be at this point.
Also his valve that was repaired during surgery is leaking more now that before the surgery. Could have been when they tried placed feeding tube and he crashed and went into ICU several weeks ago, they did chest compressions so that could have contributed to this situation with the leaky valve.
UPDATE: 9:00am CST. 10-11-16
Kolton is in the O.R. for a cath procedure to watch his heart and perform needed repairs if any. Stated length from 9:00am until 11:15am CST.
Once completed we will get a full detailed observation and the course of action needed for Kolton.
UPDATE: 10/11/16 4:15 PM CST
Kolton is having issues with his heart not pumping correctly & a leaking valve.
If medications do not help restore his pumping he is too high of a risk to go into surgery to repair the leaking valve.
This means Kolton will need to be placed on the transplant list which they are sending those doctors today or tomorrow to speak with us to have the process started. So he's on the list. If he improves he can always be removed from the list. Lost for words at this point.
Organizer
Amber Christine Nguyen
Organizer
Knoxville, TN
