Fighter Friday - Gannon

Diagnosis: dTGA and a very large VSD (single ventricle)

Tell us about yourself or your fighter: Gannon was prenatally diagnosed with dTGA and a very large VSD (single ventricle). He was born at 36 weeks and 5 days. At 10 days old he had a PA band. One week later he developed Stage 4 NEC and had emergency bedside surgery where most of his right colon and large intestine was removed and an ileostomy placed. He then became septic and his prognosis wasn’t good. He overcame this but then had a left sided stroke and seizures. A blood clot was found in his IVC and in his leg where he had PICC lines which was the cause of his stroke. I finally got to bring him home 4.5 months later. He had his Glenn at 8 months old and had several complications afterwards. He went into respiratory failure twice and had to be emergently intubated both times. During a cath, a very large PDA occlusion device was placed and his pressures stabilized almost immediately. After 2 months, we came home. At 2 years old, he had his ileostomy reversed but one week later, he perforated. Another emergency surgery and ileostomy was placed. We were there for 2 months. On 10/15 of this year, Gannon had his Fontan and has done WONDERFUL!!!! He was only hospitalized for 13 days and we got to come home. He’s doing so well and I just still can’t believe it. He’s not blue anymore, he’s PINK!!!! All together Gannon has had 20 hospitalizations. 15 of them have been from complications from viruses.

Can you share a memorable moment that embodies your child's bravery and fighting spirit?: When Gannon became septic after having Stage 4 NEC, he was very sick and no one expected him to survive. I was holding his hand while I was praying and asking God to show me a sign if he was going to make it or not and this overwhelming feeling came over me and Gannon was looking at me while he squeezed my finger. Everyone thought I was delusional when I told them he was going to survive. From that day on he improved a little each day. And since then, any obstacle he’s been faced with he has overcome.