The Adventures of Sloan the Warrior

On Monday morning, January 18, 2021, the Medical City Children's Congenital Intensive Care Unit team, which consisted of congenital heart surgeons, pediatric cardiac intensivists, pediatric heart nurse, pediatric perfusionists, pediatric anesthesiologists, and pediatric cardiologists, met to evaluate Sloan's case.  They discussed all the options and possible outcomes, and then decided the best option for Sloan based on his current situation. After the CICU team met, Dr Brenes (congential heart surgeon), Casey (congenital heart surgery nurse practitioner), and Dr. Manzuri (pediatric cardiac intensivist) came to Sloan's room to give Mama and Pop the game plan...Sloan would have surgery in the afternoon to place a Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt in his heart.  Sloan's condition was not improving even with all the medical interventions they gave him in the last couple days, and his heart needed this shunt to create a pathway for blood to circulate to his lungs.   The surgery was

1am-ish  Dr Das told Mama that even with the fluid, Sloan's oxygen levels are still decreasing. If this continues, Sloan will need more Precedex to relax him and get his heart rate down to the 110s. Sloan will also need another IV just in case because his veins are so small the IV inserted in the ER could go bad so they need a back up IV. Sloan will likely need a central line. The central line will be better to get blood for labs and meds into him since the IVs can go bad. He will also need an artery line to monitor his blood pressure. If his oxygen levels do not get better, they will need to intubate him and have a ventilator help him get the oxygen he needs.  Due to a possibility of infection, surgery would not be an option today, but there could be talk of Sloan having surgery later this week. Dr Das has Sloan on PGE to open the pulmonary duct. Hopefully this will help with the pulmonary flow, but it may affect his oxygen. 5am-ish  Looks like the PGE is helping with his stats st

Pop noticed there was blood coming out of Sloan's belly button. Of course, we had no clue why so we called our Pediatrician. Because it was the weekend, Mama and Pop got the After Hours Nurse Line. Nurse Jody asked questions to access Sloan's health. She gave Mama and Pop the umbilical cord protocol for cleaning and caring for the bleeding. The last thing she needed in order to close the case was Sloan's rectal temperature. Pop did the rectal temperature a few times, and it was reading 95.6. Nurse Jody felt that the thermometer was likely faulty so she told us to go buy a new one, and she would call back in an hour to get the new temp. Mama bought a new thermometer specific for baby rectal temp, but even the new thermometer gave a reading of 95.3. Nurse Jody informed Mama and Pop that protocol for a temp less than 98 for babies is to take Sloan to the ER. Mama and Pop took Sloan to Medical City Children's ER immediately. We told the ER that Sloan is a Tet baby. Sloan wa

Hey everybody... I'm one week old!  This past week has flown by. My dirty diapers have been changing colors as expected and I've been peeing like crazy... Must be mama's delicious milk. I've been doing a lot of sleeping, eating and peeing lately. When I'm awake, I like to be held by Mama and Pop. I also just gaze around and check out my new home, go over my ABCs with pop or just snuggle up with Mama.  My first pediatrician visit went well. I didn't have jaundice and I'm gaining weight fast.  The pediatrician said that it's normal for my feet to be cold and that I may turn blue because I'm a Tet kiddo. This is me doing what I do best. Don't mind my milk mustache... I really love snuggling up to Mama. She has this cool fabric that lets her wear me like a kangaroo!  Here's pop feeding me some delicious food. I'm always hungry and I make sure to let my parents know.  Sometimes I get nakey when I eat because I tend to f

The onsite pediatrician, Dr Patricia Evans, heard a murmur while listening to Sloan's heart so she ordered an echocardiogram. She sent the echo to a cardiologist, Dr Ted Carlson. Dr Ted Carlson called Mama's cell and diagnosed Sloan with Pink Tetralogy of Fallot . Mama asked him what we as parents need to watch out for and do for Sloan's cardio defect. Dr Carlson said nothing just cuddle and love on him like any newborn baby and come for a visit in 2 weeks. Dr Carlson never came to examine Sloan at the hospital. He basically said there's not much we can do until we get Sloan's Tet surgery at 4 to 8 months old. On Friday, January 8, 2021, Mama and Sloan were discharged from Baylor University Medical Center with the all clear from the Mama's obgyn, Sloan's onsite pediatrician, and the referred cardiologist with no further instructions except to enjoy our newborn baby. Home with Mama and Papa About to eat with Mama Learning my ABCs with Pop

Sloan Edward Phan was born at 7:20am. He weighed 5lbs 6oz and was 19 inches long. I made it. They put me on Mama for some skin to skin time.  My first family picture with Mama and Pop I'm hanging out with Pops

Hey there, family! Welcome to Sloan's blog.  We wanted to have a place to share Sloan's progress and provide information on children born with congenital heart disease, specifically Tetralogy of Fallot.  Please follow along for all of Sloan's updates.  We thank you for your thoughts and well wishes. We hope for a speedy recovery and that you get to meet him soon!