Tought I would include the info the Newspaper asked for to do Nathan's story. It was written a week a go before the new findings. I'm sure it was very hard to write.
Nathan Powell is six years old.
He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of high-functioning Autism, at the age of three.
He has one younger brother, Tony, 3, who has been diagnosed with standard Autism.
Nathan is in Texas Children's Hospital on the 18Th floor (CV-ICU) being treated for Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Tachycardia, and Congestive Heart Failure.
Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. There may be multiple causes including viral infections. Biopsies have been done to determine the cause, but an explanation has yet to be found. The doctors have already begun preparing the parents for the likelihood that Nathan will need a heart transplant if his heart doesn't begin to strengthen from the medication he's receiving through IV around the clock.
The heart condition was discovered after being hospitalized for a week at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. Nathan's doctor noticed that his heart was racing and ordered tests to be done. Immediately after reading results the doctor informed Nathan's family that he needed to be transferred to Texas Children's Hospital as soon as possible.
Once Nathan and his family arrived at the hospital in Houston his heart-rate continued to climb, and a team of over a dozen cardiologists had to sedate him and get his heart to calm down so that it wouldn't stop beating. He was put into a medicinally-induced coma for five days with a breathing tube, after such time he was brought out of it, and he now has to be given numerous medications intravenously to prevent heart failure. If his heart does not shrink in size, a transplant is a likelihood.
My husband's job just informed us that he can be on medical leave, but it has to be without pay. We have to now pay our insurance premiums ourselves so we can have insurance for myself, my wife, and my 3yr old.
We have to move to Houston in case the transplant is a go, and we need to be within 1hr away from the hospital at all times. We will have to wear a pager 24/7 in case a heart is found and have to be at the hospital as soon as possible.
If the transplant takes place, his 3yr old brother cannot be around him in case of infection. He has to be on numerous meds in case of rejection. We have no idea how long he will be in the hospital.
Our friends have started a benefit account for him at DuPont Goodrich Credit Union Under the name Nathaniel J. Powell Benefit Account. The Account number is 700639700. The money will really appreciated and used towards his hospital bills and other necessities.
Please help our son. . . . one day, he will do great things in this world.
Written by Michael D. Powell Jr. and Margaret Powell
(aka. Dad and Mom) |