Dawsonshire

Keanon’s Heart-aversary is March 25th!

March 25th marks the 2 year anniversary of Keanon’s Successful Open Heart Surgery.

Help us celebrate by donating to the Children’s Heart Research Guild.

• Simply write checks payable to: Children’s Heart Research Guild

• Print and fill out the Tax Deduction Form

• Send to:     Keanon Dawson c/o Doug Wright P.O. Box 2070 Milton, WA 98354

Our efforts to raise money for the Children’s Heart Research Guild will run from 3/25 to 4/25.

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I was completely unprepared for the information they were giving me. I continued to question our son’s cardiologist, “What happens if we don’t opt for him to have open heart surgery?” The answer was the same as it had been every time I asked. “Your son will ultimately die of lung and heart failure.”

How could a little heart murmur found at birth, turn into open heart surgery? People have heart murmurs all the time and live a perfectly healthy life. After all, I thought I was there for good measure, for a 2^nd opinion. I had no idea that what his cardiologist would tell me was that my son had a life threatening birth defect.

Keanon Dawson was diagnosed two weeks after he was born with a severe congenital heart defect called Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD); otherwise known as a “hole in the heart”. Keanon underwent open heart surgery in March of 2008 at Seattle Children’s Hospital. His heart has been repaired and he is a healthy and vibrant toddler. Keanon was given a second chance at life!

As curious and medically minded parents, we requested the video files of Keanon’s surgery. Months after his recovery and with some mental preparation, we watched each meticulous cut, stitch and movement of his surgeon. And with Keanon, lively in his bouncy seat next to us, we were ahh struck as we watched the surgeon hold our son’s tiny little heart in his hands. We watched the moment our son’s life was saved.

With the Keanon’s heart journey behind us, we have the capacity to support other children born with congenital heart defects. Our mission is to raise funds for the Children’s Heart Research Guild and do our part to raise awareness.

More often, VSD’s can be repaired using catheter procedures and devices.  As research, tools and techniques advance, even larger VSD’s like Keanon’s, can be repaired without invasive open-heart surgery.  Because heart repair procedures have advanced so quickly over the past few decades, doctors do not yet have solid outcomes for children who have had open-heart surgery, been on by-pass, or lived with patches for more than 20 years.

Awareness will lend more support for other parents with children living with congenital heart defects.

Awareness will encourage support for funding and research, so critical to saving and extending lives.

Read more about Keanon’s Heart Journey

Heart_Tax_Form

Just one Dr.’s appointment short of the finish line!

Last Friday morning, I happened to have the tele on in the background and this segmant on a VSD surgery was aired on the Today Show. It is a wonderful story of a Cambodian girl who lived to be 9 years old with a large VSD, a lifespan that is very rare. She was brought to the U.S. to have the same surgery that Keanon did. It really touched me and put shivers down my spine – because the reality is, the surgery is “life saving” and I don’t ever want to forget that!

Keanon had his follow up appointment with his cardiologist on Friday. We went with positive thoughts that the fluid on his heart would be gone and that the steriod treaments had done the trick – and they did!Hurray! Keanon is on the home stretch. And boy does he know it – every 3 weeks of his life he’s had to see the Dr. and spend hours being monitored. He is ‘usually’ such an angel, sitting still for the techs having to do his Echo’s and EKG’s, flirting with the nurses and being so cooperative for the doc. This time though, he decided he was soooooooooo over sitting around in his diaper all day while people inspected him. He screamed his head off for a good part of the Echo and wouldn’t calm down until just before Dr., gave his positive report. I don’t blame him! We’ve all have enough of this business, so thank goodness Keanon has a clean bill of health! And ultimately, what that behavior shows is that he’s now got all the energy in the world to get really fired up – that’s a good sign.

He gets to take a break for 4 whole weeks before he has to go back to the cardiologist. In the mean time, he will be weened off of his last drugs and should be able to be without any symptoms of his defect. He still has leakage around where the patch is, which is totally normal and not expected to close up for 6 months. With that, he was eligible for one last Synagis shot, this time in both legs since he’s gained weight and needs two doses. The shot will continue to protect him on the tail end of the cold and flu season from RSV.

KJ is just doing so well and is still an angel baby. Playing a lot, trying to crawl (mostly scootching backwards), sleeping and eating. Did I mention eating! Holy Moly – he is eating like a champ and has gained a lot of weight. Granted, he’s still not even on the charts for his age, but to us – he looks like a huge, chubby, healthy baby! We are so happy with his progress.

We’re going to Pump you up…

KJ had his big match up with his cardiologist on Monday. And although everyone including the medical staff, is impressed with his progress, there’s still a small hang up. After hours of chest x-rays, EKG, and echo – all revealed that he still has fluid around his heart. (within the pericardium).

To help get rid of the fluid, KJ is now on a steroid regimine and will continue to be monitored. Not only do we expect him to be totally pumped up, doing curls with a 25 pound pug in each hand, but he’ll likely be going in and out of roid rage. Not to mention that his wee little cries will gradually start to sound like the cry of a 300 lb trucker. “Waaaaaaaaaaaa, Weeaeaeaaaaaaeaa, Mmmmmmmmmmmem, waaaaaaaaaah.”

He goes back to the cardiologist next Friday. We’re hopeful that by then, the fluid will be gone and he’ll be able to be off the last few drugs that he is having to take.

Keanon continues to amaze us all with his incredible recovery and his strong little spirit. He is doing so well and with each day is getting back to himself…almost a little too active to where mom and dad share a panicked glance over his vigorous kicks or attempts to roll over on his chest! It won’t be long before he’ll be allowed to do all the things a 7 month old baby is meant to be doing! (like feeding the pugs his crackers)… Until then he’s restricted to sitting and laying.

Thanks all for the traffic to the blog – we know KJ has quite the fan base. He loves the comments and looks forward to reading them every day.

We’re still receiving lots of well wishes, nourishment, and goodies for Keanon. We appreciate it so much and are so grateful for such a huge network of friends, family and co-workers.

Thank you!

~The Dawson Clan