On March 9, 2018, McKinley went to the ER. She had a been ill with what seemed to be a prolonged flu bug. Several IV’s, CT’s, and x-rays later she was rushed to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. By 6 PM that night McKinley was on life support. She was in renal failure, her heart was enlarged, and she couldn’t breathe on her own. McKinley had a team of many specialists and doctors assisting her, performing tests, and around the clock 1:1 nursing staff. Tests were not giving clear results but eventually, it was determined that McKinley had caught a virus at some time in the past and it had attacked her heart and as a result, her heart was so severely damaged that the doctors started to prepare her parents for the very real possibility of a heart transplant. On March 26th McKinley had open heart surgery where specialists placed a Berlin device (LVAD) to do the work of her heart until the time would come that she would need to be placed on status a1 on the organ donor list. Among multiple tests, medications, McKinley received blood transfusions. McKinley has had many ECHO’s and with each one was the hope of a MIRACLE that her heart was starting to heal. One ECHO after another the news was not as good as hoped. Her heart was not showing any improvement. McKinley’s amazing team of doctors told her mommy and daddy that they were certain that there would be no healing and that they needed to plan for the inevitable heart transplant. McKinley’s parents were desperately clinging to the hope and belief that there had to be something more, just one more thing that they could try to avoid the transplant. The team told them of a drug that they could try that MIGHT help. McKinley’s next ECHO showed yet another miracle, the tiniest show of her heart beginning to heal. If McKinley’s heart can heal, and work on its own, then McKinley could be only the 5th child in the Country to be able to come off of the VAD (Berlin) and go on to live a normal, healthy life. That is a statistic that we will gladly be a part of. While McKinley has months and months of recovery and healing ahead, we continue to pray for one more "Miracle for McKinley"
July 9th will mark the 4-month date since McKinley was admitted. He mommy and daddy have spent nearly every waking moment with her, staying in the nearby Ronald McDonald House and missing out on so much precious time with their other three children who wait at home. As long as she has the Berlin, McKinley will remain in the hospital. We continue to pray for McKinley’s miracle and invite all of our family, loved ones, and friends around the Country to join us on this journey with McKinley.
OK, I’ll start. Yesterday June 29, 2018, we had a blood drive for McKinley in her hometown, Santaquin, Utah. I don’t yet know how many pints were donated but I understand there was a great turnout. They played some great, classic rock and roll music, got people pumped and I think it’s safe to say that we had a great time helping Mckinley by donating our blood. Thank you to all who were able to participate. Make sure to share the link to this, our virtual donation campaign.
Challenge your friends (or anyone for that matter) to a friendly competition! Who will win the battle to do the most social good for your community?
Put your virtual blood drive campaign against one or even multiple other campaigns to see who can recruit more blood donors for the American Red Cross.
