Whether it’s his cheerful good morning, him asking you how you are doing (and always asking it twice), the hugs he likes to give or just that spirit he shares with the world that is contagious we know that many have asked about his journey so we will update this page as his journey continues. Kirkland, a unique young man with a unique story. On the day of his birth, his pediatrician heard a heart murmur and called in a pediatric cardiologist. The cardiologist performed an echo that same day and found that he had a bicuspid valve and dilated ascending aorta. It was then that we were told he would need to be monitored by a cardiologist for the rest of his life. Four days later we were released from the hospital and went home with a heart and oxygen monitor. Only two days later, we went to the emergency room with what was later determined to be a seizure. We spent the next week in the hospital running a battery of tests, everything from EEGs, EKGs, and blood work to a spinal tap and so much more. It was during this stay he was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and put on medication; the brain MRI definitely showed the difference between the 2 brain hemispheres. At two months old, his life took another turn. Another trip to the emergency room to find out he had contracted RSV. Four days in to our stay he coded on us. A team of medical staff rushed in to save him as his room looked like a battlefield. We were sent from one hospital to another to go into their pediatric ICU. That’s when they found out the RSV was attacking his body and and he needed an immediate blood transfusion. God willing, a pint of blood was found and his life was saved. We then spent the next year bouncing around from geneticists to cardiologist to try and determine what had caused his heart issues and what needed to be done to care for him. Through the many medical issues he had faced a light was shown on him through is blood transfusion. Kirkland and his parents were chosen to be spokespeople for pediatric blood donations and had the privilege of going to Sea World in Florida for the kickoff of the national campaign, Pints for Half-Pints. We also had the privilege of testifying for a Senate subcommittee on blood availability on Capitol Hill. We strongly believe that everything we did promoting blood donations helped save many other lives because so many people started donating because of Kirkland’s story. As several cardiologists have monitored him over the years we have taken countless echocardiograms, EKG’s and cardiac CT scans. At the very beginning, surgery was discussed as a possibility and he was placed on blood thinners for a while but none of his tests throughout the years found it necessary for surgery until now. Kirkland had a CT scan with contrast done on October 27. We were then called into the cardiologist on November 7 and were told that the dilation of his aorta was at 6cm and that surgery usually happens at 5.5cm (our ‘research’ says normal size is 3-4cm). The cardiologist said they would send Kirkland to Baylor-Scott-White in Plano for the surgery and it would happen soon. This was a complete surprise to us because Kirkland has had zero ‘symptoms’, nothing had changed with him. However, this is what the cardiologist said had to happen and so here we go. We were not just worried about the surgery itself but we were worried with insurance. Kirkland had just turned 26 the weekend before that cardiologist appointment and we were waiting to hear from the insurance company that he was accepted back on our insurance. Thanks be to God, we heard a few days later that he was back on our insurance. Kirkland will be receiving an echocardiogram in Amarillo before go to Plano. Kirkland is then set to receive a CTA, computed tomography angiography, at Baylor Scott and White on Monday, November 27, and will then see the surgeon later that morning. We are anticipating the surgery to occur a day or 2 days later but this is not definitive. Finally, we would like to say thank you to everyone who has already reached out and sent their love and prayers. We know the greatest healer is the Lord above and prayers are impactful and we are thankful to everyone who has kept him in their prayers as we move forward.
