The Party Animal

Jack with Gary (the ECMO coordinator)


Jack with two of his respiratory therapists









Jack opening his gift from Santa


Benji, Wyatt, James & Jack


Jack with Dr. S - his PICU attending during ECMO


Jack with Dr. B - the head of the ECMO program and PICU doc


Jack frustrated that he can't get a good self-portrait


Jack's self-portrait (he really did this himself!)


Wild man Jack (check out the hair and crazy mouth!)


Last week Jack was a regular party animal. Thursday night we attended his first ever ECMO Survivors Holiday Party! Last year we wanted to go but Jack had other plans (emergency surgery when he reherniated). It was so amazing to attend this year and felt like a giant milestone. When he was on ECMO we got this great photo of him sticking his tongue out and they said they would show that at the ECMO party. Since that day we thought of him attending his first ECMO party. We saw his old respiratory therapists (ECMO perfusionists), PICU docs and of course, Gary - the ECMO coordinator. It amazes me every time we go back to Hopkins that everyone remembers the 3 of us. One of Jack's PICU attending docs seemed so excited to see us. We had not seen her since his ECMO days because she was on sabatical (research) for several months after he left the PICU. She remembered the room and bed # he was in while on ECMO. I always knew how all the staff at Hopkins impacted our lives (something I will never forget) but I didn't realize how Jack affected their lives. It was such an amazing night. We got to visit with the Koger family and then at the end of the party Santa came and each kid got to visit with him and get a present. Dr. B is the head of the ECMO program and he told us that the program is 21 years old and in that time they've had 400 patients. Recently the program has expanded so they can have up to 4 patients on ECMO at one time and they have approximately 35 patients per year now. I think the survival rate for ECMO is around 50% (I remember someone telling me that). That means Jack is one of 200 survivors in the history of the program at Hopkins. That sure is one special club! We also met other ECMO patients and parents. It was neat to see all these kids running around with identical scars on their necks. The great part was that they were all RUNNING around.

On Friday night I took Jack to my lab Christmas party. He had a great time there as well. It was the first time some of my lab mates met him.

Jack is feeling a lot better. He still has a cough that bothers him quite a bit at night and keeps us all awake. Today he's a little snotty again - I hope he didn't pick something else up. I have to get him well before Christmas! James and I are feeling great. That sure was a nasty stomach bug though! It lasted about 4 days and actually landed me in the ER. Glad that's over!!