PRAY4J
The beginning
Jackson was a healthy sixteen year old and star basketball player. After blood in his stool for a couple of weeks and no answers from a local hospital, we took him to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. He was admitted and would be there for 70 days.
He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis which is inflammation in the colon. Each treatment plan did not work. Jackson continued to get worse and got very complicated with other health issues. He was in the intensive care unit for several days. Eventually, the decision was made to remove his colon.
After the colon was removed, he was back in the intensive care unit. The picture shows his medical tree on how much medication he was on.
After getting out of the hospital, the community had a thousand people lined up on the streets to welcome Jackson home. A tv crew was even there to interview him. It was a big deal to have been in the hospital 70 days with two icu stays, a major surgery and near death. Little did we know that this was just the beginning.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota
Jackson travelled to Rochester, Minnesota to Mayo Clinic. He attended a pain clinic to manage the pain he experiences daily. During the stay, he was hospitalized for a few days at Mayo Clinic due to acute problems that occurred. When not admitted, Jackson and his dad played golf at a municipal nine hole golf course. Jackson was also interested in photography and took great photos around the city.
One of Jackson's dads college best friends brought his family from South Dakota to meet Jackson and encourage him to keep fighting. Jackson sill remembers meeting the Rude family.
26 months in Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Jackson knew something was wrong. The local emergency room showed that Jackson had a blockage in his j-pouch and small intestine. He was transported by ambulance to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for surgery to remove the blockage. It was unsuccessful. An emergency surgery was required. The priest was called to visit the parents before surgery began. His blood pressure was 50/30 when surgery started. The surgeon expected him to code at any time. Jackson survived that surgery and had several surgeries over the next few days.
jackson was in the intensive care unit for a month. His small intestines were perferated and would take time to heal. A fistula developed that basically was a hole in his abdomen that would take a year before surgically removed.
Jackson was in Cincinnati Children's Hospital for 26 months. Jackson's mom lived in the hospital room with him for the 26 months. Jackson's dad worked all week then drove to Cincinnati to be together for every weekend.
Jackson lost the strength to walk while in the hospital so long for now. He has not lost the strength to keep fighting to get his life back.