Hunter P.
Texas
Birth Date - December 1, 2006
Diagnosis - Acute Liver Failure
Theme: GREAT OUTDOORS
Including: Fishing, Camping and camp fires, Hiking, Boating, Canoeing, Mountains/scenery, and Animals you would find in the woods
Due Date: 10/1/17
Hunter's Story
Hunter became ill near the end of March, 2017. He had vomiting with no fever or cause and lethargy. I took him to the ER where he was examined and sent home. We saw his pediatrician the following week. By then he had started to show signs of jaundice of his skin and eyes. He had blood work done. One week later we went to a GI doctor and had an ultrasound.
That night, at 9:30 we got the call from the GI to go straight to Dell Children's Hospital. We were there for about two weeks when they decided to do a biopsy but his INR numbers were scary and they didn't feel comfortable doing the biopsy there. Hunter was transferred to Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston. We found out two days later it was acute liver failure.
We waited another week with trying to use medicine to get liver levels normal. After things were just getting worse and worse with no signs of any improvement he was placed on the special 1-A status transplant list. The liver from the first donor was too large. A week later, we got our second offer and he had the transplant on May 16, 2017.
Roughly 48% of Acute Liver Failure in children stays a mystery. Hunter went through weeks of testing to try and pinpoint the cause, but nothing was found. From the time of the official diagnosis it was two weeks until he got his new liver. It was from a deceased donor.
Hunter was released from the hospital 10 days after his transplant, but was readmitted 2 days later for an infection. That's just the beginning of this long journey ahead. He will have a lifelong battle of his body constantly trying to reject his new liver. This hit our family out of nowhere. Everything in Hunter's life has changed.
Hunter is also medically required to have a new diet -- meaning he must change his old eating habits and switch to organic, clean food (no sushi that he loves, no eating out at cafeterias, no school-provided lunches, etc.). In addition, he will be on medications the rest of his life.
"Hunter ABSOLUTELY adores the quilt! Wow! Tears and hugs were flowing. I cannot thank you enough!!"
