Almost 2 months have passed since our oldest son, Kylan, became extremely ill.

Last month I published a vlog about life after PICU. You can see it here.

Kylan has made so many improvements since that video and I want to share some of the details with you!

He is finally able to walk without a walker which is his biggest accomplishment yet. He has been going to PT once a week and continues to have appointments with his infectious disease doctor and his orthopedic surgeon.

He was receiving IV medication at home twice a day, but when we ran out and contacted Kylan’s doctor, he mentioned a problem with our insurance covering it, so he prescribed a different by mouth antibiotic in its place. He is still taking an antibiotic that he has been taking since we left the hospital, so he is currently taking two antibiotics and a probiotic each day. He takes one antibiotic three times a day and the other just once a day.

We were hopeful that because we weren’t administering IV meds at home anymore that his picc line would be removed so he could go to school on August 12. His school started on the 8th, so we were hoping he would only miss 2 days. Unfortunately, the doctor wanted to keep in the picc line until further notice because there is a possibility that he may need IV antibiotics again in the future.

His blood was taken by a home nurse who then sent the labs to his doctor. His blood showed extreme inflammation just as it did the night he was admitted into the hospital. Once the IV medication was stopped and he was started on oral antibiotics, his left thigh started hurting and according to him, the pain was intense. He referred to the pain as, “just as bad as it had been in the hospital.”

At his last appointment with the infectious disease doctor, we were completely surprised to learn that Kylan does, in fact, have osteomyelitis. While he was in the hospital there were labs, scans, and tests done until there was some kind of explanation for his pain and high fever. We were told that osteomyelitis was ruled out and that the infection was only in the muscle. At his last appointment, the doctor confirmed that the infection is in his bone and that is why it is still hurting. The infection settled in his hip, causing septic hip, but the infection traveled through his blood to his kidneys and into his left thigh. The doctor scheduled an MRI for the middle of September so we can determine if there is still infection in his bone, joint, and soft tissue.

Even though Kylan still has his picc line, we were told he could stop hombound and could begin school the following week. He started school on August 27th. He loves being with his friends and has enjoyed his classes. Even though we have been told that there’s a possibility that the infection could return, we are staying positive and are praying for a full recovery.