Brendon James Stephan was born on July 20th at 1:54 am weighing in @ 5 lbs. 15ozs. and 19-1/4 in long. In Chippewa Falls, WI @ St. Joseph's Hospital. Because Brendon was so blue at birth he needed to be in an oxygen mist tent immediately. After tests were run we were told Brendon had a heart murmur with a possible hole in his heart and was having trouble with oxygen levels . Later that morning he was transported by ambulance (non-emergency) to the Neonatal unit in St. Joseph's Hospital Marshfield, WI. Daddy, Grandpa and Grandma Stephan and Granddad Annen drove to Marshfield to be with Brendon. after more testing, we were told that Brendon had a heart condition requiring surgery. Mommy was released from the hospital late in the afternoon, so Nanna Annen drove Mommy to Marshfield. On the morning of the 21st Brendon was air lifted to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Daddy ,Mommy and Uncle Joe drove to Milwaukee, We were told that Brendon's defect is called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) In the early afternoon, of the 21st he had 2 balloonings done on the heart ventricle to increase the size. That went well.
Brendon is improving as he is monitored day by day. With the exception of a duct that hasn't closed. Next week he will have another electrocardiagram (echo) to check that duct. After we may find out just how much longer he will be in the hospital.
On Tues. August 8th, Brendon had his echo, it showed that the duct still hasn't closed but has gotten smaller in size. The doctor's team decided that Brendon could be released from Milwaukee, but wanted him to be in Marshfield with an appointment made with the pediatric cardiologist.
So at approximately 6 pm on August 9th, (Brendon's original due date) Brendon was released from Children's Hospital. and rode with Mommy and Nanna to Marshfield. We are staying with some relatives who live close to the clinic. On Thursday, August 17th Brendon has an appointment to see the pediatric cardiologist. We are hoping to hear something about going home.
Brendon's duct is 50% closed, and he is doing well enough to come home. So Brendon, Mommy and Nanna were able to come home on the evening of Aug.17th. Brendon had his first pediatric's appt. in the morning on the 18th. Which went well. He has been gaining 1 to 3 ounces daily. He is adjusting to home life (new environment). He has to see the pediatric cardiologist once a week until futher notice. So at least one day a week Mommy, Brendon, and Daddy (when he is not at work) will be in Marshfield,or Chippewa, or Eau Claire at the Marshfield Clinic for an appt.
10/5/06 ~ Alot has happened in the last two months. Brendon has a sensitivity/allergy to the milk protine. Therefore he has to drink a very special hypoalerginic formula (which is one of the most expensive kinds~ thank goodness for WIC who is paying for it. It is almost $200/mo.) made out of oils, protines,and vitamins. He is now 9lbs. 11oz. and 22 3/4in. He is a health boy except for his heart. He now only seees his peds.dr. 1- 2 times a month and his cardiologist 1 time a month. Next Fri. he is going to the cardiologist and is to have a echo., and if all is well we are hoping to schedule surgery for Nov.! Brendon is now sleeping through most of the night. He is adjusted to home life for the most part. He now is starting to giggle and laugh, with many smiles.
Brendon had his repair heart surgery on Dec. 8, 2006. He went into surgery at 7:45am and came out at 3pm. He went onto the heart and lung bypass machine, then they patched the hole, and opened the valve the rest of the way. Then they took him off the heart and lung machine, and did an echo (in the surgery room) only to find that the valve was still too small so they had to put him back on the machine, went back in and inlarged the valve, took him off the machine, and did another echo(which was fine). Then they had trouble trying to get the bleeding to stop. He was in the PICU for 2 1/2 days, then was transfered upto the IICU 3 1/2 days. He was relased from the hopstial Dec. 12, 2006. We went to Grandpa/ma Stephan's house (in Fall Creek) the next day, and then went home Dec. 17, 2006. He had fluid around the right lung. as of Dec.22, 2006, he has no fluid around the lungs. We went to see the Cardiologist on Jan. 11, 2006, He's out of the danger zone!
He will need another surgery some time between the ages of: 10 years and teens.
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