Meet Our Patients
Kali:
Hours to Live | Now Normal Life at Home
Choosing hope over hospice
When Kali was born — at just 24 weeks — her parents were given a choice: take her to hospice and make her as comfortable as possible, or take her to Houston, where she might be eligible for a lung transplant.
Her parents summoned all their hope and took her to Texas. By the time the transplant was scheduled, Kali's 8-month-old body was failing. She was turning blue from the lack of oxygen and literally had only hours of life left.
Double lung transplant and a new lease on life
Before her surgery was even completed, Kali showed an immediate change: her new lungs started working, her color came back, and she's been improving ever since.
A trach-tube in place since birth has been removed, and many of the PHS services and supplies, such as oxygen, suction, heat/humidity, and other equipment related to her trach, are now no longer needed. Kali still uses her food pump and gets once-a-year nutritional assessments, as well, but she's being weaned off more and more equipment as she grows.
Coming home for the very first time
"She was about a year old when we brought her home, and PHS met us at the airport with all the equipment we would need," said Kali's mom, Janice. "It was the first time out of the hospital, and they made sure we were safe and healthy and that all our needs were met. They helped us do what we needed to do to make sure she has a great life. I feel lucky to be her mom."
Born:
2006
Diagnosis:
Born 24 weeks early, Kali needed a lung transplant even before her first birthday.
Challenge:
Kali's lungs were failing, and without a double transplant, she would not survive.
Solution:
PHS met Kali's family at the airport on their way home from surgery, providing all the respiratory and nutrition supplies and services she would need.
Result:
Kali still receives routine visits from her PHS clinical specialist, but she's been successfully weaned off the majority of her equipment.
