Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Back to school, PE, and recess......yeah!!!!

        Carter had a wonderful appointment with Dr. Fortuna yesterday!!!! He has been release from the cardiac surgeon and he can return to recess and PE!!! He is back in school full time and his restrictions have been lifted. Yeah!!! Hard to be.lieve it's been 6 weeks since his surgery. He s doing amazing. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We could not have made it through the last 6 weeks without all of you. Thank you!!!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

            Thank you so much to Team Carter and everyone who helped make Carter's benefit a huge success!!!! It was absolutely amazing how our family, friends, and community came together to show their support and love. We will never ever forget all the prayers, cards, phone calls, letters, care packages, gifts, food, donations, and countless other acts of kindness shown to Carter and our family during the time. It is amazing how wonderful and generous people are. You are all wonderful and have left an impact on our life that we will never forget!! I wish we could have given everybody at the benefit a huge hug and a personal thank you, unfortunately there wasn't enough time in the evening. I am truly sorry for that. You all have a special place in our hearts and we appreciate everything you have do for our family. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Friday, October 5, 2012

    A BIG thank you to TEAM CARTER!!!! You have been working so hard. We greatly appreciate all the time and hard work you have put into Carter's benefit. You are amazing!!! We love you all so much!!! Also thank you to my parents, uncle Turk, Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Fran, and all their friends who helped prepare the food for tomorrow. Thank you Kelly Liedtke, Jessica's Grandma Pat H., and Meg Barr for donating food. There are so many people who have been hard at work this week. I am sure I forgot someone (I am sorry if I have left anyone out). As you cab tell I am so overjoyed. Words can not express how I am feeling tonight. I am excited, nervous, and completely thankful to everyone for helping with Carter's benefit. Matt and I have also spoke at great lengths about Carter attending the benefit. We also spoke with his doctor. Initially he was not going to be able to attend. Since he is doing so well his doctor gave us the OK to us our discretion. So tomorrow Carter will be at the benefit at 5pm. Probably for 30-45 minutes and then again around 8:30 or 9pm to hear his Grandpa Pete's band Filthy Frank play. He will be there until about 9:30. We have to limit exposure to infection. So we are going to wear a mask and do lots of hand washing. We hope to see u all tomorrow. With Carter doing so well this has turned into a celebration. We want to celebrate how wonderful our friends family and community. And show our appreciation. We would not have made it through without each and every one of u. THANK YOU!!!!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

1st Postop Visit

   Yea!!!! Carter's appointment with the surgeon went really well. His labs showed that he was dehydrated. Which wasn't a big surprise since he is on the diuretic Lasix and he isn't drinking a lot of fluids. So Dr. Fortuna cut back his Lasix to 3 times a day.  Matt and I were also worried about his blood pressure medication. They had doubled the dose from before surgery. After talking with Dr. Fortuna he decided to go back to his presurgical dose.......yea!! He also removed his steri strips from his chest and his stitches from his chest tube sites. Nothing but healing wounds now!! Then we discussed in home tutoring and Dr. Fortuna said.........Carter can go back to school!!!! We do not have to wait 6 weeks. Yippee!!! He said as long as the environment is controlled and of coarse NO recess or gym class for 6 weeks then he felt it was ok for him to return. He still has to avoid infection. So he wants him to avoid crowds. He said to be extra careful. He can not be around those with coughs, colds, and definitely no one with the flu. I asked about the benefit this Saturday. He was real hesitant. He said it was too hard for us to control the environment. I think we have agreed on him going for dinner and staying for just a little bit. He will have to wear a mask. 7 years ago we should have bought stock in hand sanitizer....lol!!! Carter has an appointment with his cardiologist in Peoria on October 22nd and then a 2nd appointment with Dr. Fortuna his heart surgeon on October 29th!! Again I can not thank you all enough. We are so happy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Checking in at OSF

    Carter has a postoperative appointment with his surgeon today. He's excited to ride the trolley. So far so good. On to zray and lab!!!


Carter in the Newspaper

Source: http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=610021&query=atkinson


Jessica Hutchison, Tara VanOpdorp Goodwin, Dawn Hemphill
Photo Credit: Claudia Loucks/Quad Cities Online correspondent
 
Faith gives Yackley family strength
By Claudia Loucks Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2012, 7:20 am

ATKINSON -- Carter Yackley is "a living, breathing miracle." Just ask his mom.

Carter, 7, son of Matt and Kim Yackley, of Atkinson, was discharged from Peoria Children's Hospital Sunday, Sept. 23, after being admitted Sept. 11 to have a third open-heart surgery.

As a result, medical expenses have continued to mount, something a group of family friends want to do something about, so they've formed a group called "Team Carter Cares."

The group will hold a ''Team Carter Fundraiser" Saturday, Oct. 6, which will include a bowl-a-thon, hog roast, auctions and music with a disc jockey and a band.

Carter's condition has been a family struggle, Mrs. Yackley said.

"It is so hard to see an innocent child in pain,'' she said. ''Why him? There are moments when you start to lose your way, when you want to take all the pain away, but you can't. What gets us through the sadness and loneliness is our faith."

''Carter has a special purpose in life,'' she said. ''He is here with us today for a reason. All we can do is enjoy each day as if it were our last. "

Just hours after Carter was born Aug. 20, 2005, in Moline, nurses detected his irregular breathing, Mrs. Yackley said.

Carter was then taken to Peoria Children's Hospital where he was diagnosed with Truncus Arteriosus, a congenital heart defect. Basically, Carter was born without a pulmonary artery and consequently no pulmonary and aorta valves, she said.

He was four days old when he underwent his first open-heart surgery, at which time doctors implanted two artificial valves. He was released from the hospital after 34 days.

''We thought everything was a success at the time, but when Carter was three months old, on Nov. 6, we noticed his irregular breathing and he had not been eating well," Mrs. Yackley said. "We knew something was wrong and we took him to the emergency room at Trinity Hospital in the middle of the night. He was airlifted to the hospital in Peoria."

The Yackleys learned then that both of his heart valves had failed.

''Carter was too sick to have surgery immediately so after five days, when he was stabilized, he was back in surgery," Mrs. Yackley said.

Human cadaver valves were used in Carter's first surgery, she said. He then received a St. Jude's mechanical aortic valve and a pig valve to replace the pulmonary valve in the second operation, Mrs. Yackley said.

At that time, doctors told them his replacement valves and artery would have to be replaced as he grew.

"But this time, they used an adult-size mechanical valve for the aortic valve and it cannot fail, and may not have to be replaced," Mrs. Yackley said.

His Sept. 11 surgery, though, wasn't completely without complications, she said.

Three days after surgery, doctors discovered bleeding from Carter's chest cavity, so he was taken back to surgery Sept. 15.

"They did not find the source of bleeding, but they did find blood clots around his lungs and heart, and that was taken care of," Mrs. Yackley said.

He remained in the hospital until Sept. 23 to allow him to gain strength.

"Unfortunately, his heart is still too weak on its own, so he currently is dependent on a pacemaker," Mrs. Yackley said.

His parents have remained dependent on their strong faith through all the trials and turmoil, and believes ''God heard all the prayers for Carter during the last few weeks,'' she said.

"I believe everything happens for a reason," Mrs. Yackley said. "God has a plan for all of us. At the time we may not understand, agree with, or like the path that was created for us, but the path He has chosen makes us stronger."


If you go

Team Carter Fundraiser

Saturday, Oct. 6.

--1 to 4 p.m. bowl-a-thon, Lee's Lanes, Geneseo

Make team reservations by calling (309) 507-0510 or online at www.teamcartercares.blogspot.com.

--5 p.m. hog roast, Atkinson American Legion, free-will donations.

--6:30 p.m. pie auction

--8 p.m. silent auction biddings end.

For information, call (309) 269-0787 or email teamcartercares@gmail.com. Team members are Jessica Hutchison, Tara VanOpdorp Goodwin, Dawn Hemphill, Jennifer Wanicki, Eugenia Walters, Holly Wangelin, and Brooke VanDerSnick.