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CALVIN FRAHM III OF ATHENS
But little Calvin was not out of the woods. He was small for his gestational age. He needed to be transported by the Spirit of Marshfield ambulance shortly after birth to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. He was on a respirator and had several chest tubes placed to assist with ventilation. When little Calvin was only three days old, he was taken off of the respirator, but he had not yet released any urine from his body. Because of the medications being taken by Janitte, the baby’s kidneys had not developed and matured properly. Since Calvin was breathing fine on his own, and there were no other apparent complications, prognosis was fairly good if he could be maintained successfully on dialysis therapy. On March 21 a temporary peritoneal dialysis catheter was placed and continuous dialysis began. On March 29, just under two weeks old, Calvin had surgery to repair hernias and a permanent peritoneal dialysis catheter was placed. Dialysis continued 24 hours a day. Calvin continued to grow while the dialysis was slowly decreased. He was on tube feedings as it was crucial that he gained weight daily. His weight, blood pressure and fluid status were monitored very closely. Children’s Miracle Network was vital in Calvin’s treatments, as dialysis on infants is not common and specialized equipment was needed. CMN provided funds for a scale, crib, non-invasive blood pressure equipment and toys, just to name a few items. At 2½ months of age, Calvin graduated from the NICU to the Pediatric Unit. Dialysis continued nightly and by the end of June his dialysis therapy was nine hours a night. He continued tube feedings and remained on blood pressure medicine. While in the Hospital, mom, dad and grandma began learning how to do peritoneal dialysis at home. They became very active in Calvin’s care, learning to place his feeding tube, giving oral medications, giving medications through shots and monitoring his weight. The 4th of July was a real celebration for Calvin’s mom and dad as they prepared to bring him home the next day. There was daily telephone support from the dialysis staff and weekly appointments to assess his progress. The next milestone to celebrate was September 7 when dialysis was discontinued. However, Calvin must take in enough fluids daily to avoid dehydration, so the tube feedings continue. In November the peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed. Calvin requires frequent visits to the Marshfield Clinic and has had to be admitted to Saint Joseph’s Hospital several times for dehydration and upper respiratory infections. He also needs to remain on blood pressure medications, vitamins and receives special injections. But his prognosis is very good. His kidneys will never fully recover and at some point he may need a kidney transplant, but right now he is concentrating on crawling, rattles and discovering the world around him. dialysis patient, any dreams of having a baby were simply dreams ... not until March 17.
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