A local family is asking for help as their 11-year-old son is battling heart complications. A GoFundMe account has been set up.
His mother, Ashlie Benson, has told KSAL the following:
My son Jordan is 11 years old and has had five open heart surgeries and countless heart catheterizations and procedures through the years. His most recent planned surgery was in August of 2021 and it was to replace a conduit that was put in when he was younger. The surgery was successful and he was able to go home a few weeks later. In November of 2021 Jordan got really sick and wasn’t doing well so his Dad brought him in for a checkup with Cardiology where they noticed something abnormal on his echocardiogram so they admitted him to the ICU and took him for a CT scan. Jordan coded on the table and needed CPR and was shocked several times, but they were able to bring him back. They found a pseudo aneurysm near the conduit they had placed in August. This is a really rare complication of surgery that almost never happens. Jordan was rushed into emergency surgery for 11 hours and the aneurysm was repaired, but developed an infection so when he was finally sent home he was on long term antibiotics. Things went well for awhile, but in January of 2022 Jordan was having side effects to the antibiotic he was on so his infectious disease drs changed it to a different one thinking he would tolerate it better. He started to slowly get sicker and sicker after that and started having fevers in March. We took him to see his pediatrician, cardiologist and Infectious Disease Dr’s multiple times over the next month and everyone assured us it was viral and that he was okay. On April 7th I spoke with his cardiologist office again and explained that something was wrong and I wanted him to be seen. I was instructed to drive him to Kansas City to have him evaluated in the emergency room of Children’s Mercy if that would make me more comfortable. Jordan and I got to Junction City and he went unconscious, seized and had no pulse. I did CPR in the car on the side of the interstate until paramedics got there and he was taken to the hospital in Junction City and then lifeflighted to Kansas City. He was in the hospital for 9 days and it was discovered that he had infection within his heart, his bloodstream and his sternum. He was started on IV antibiotics and put on meds for his heart and sent home with a PICC line and an external defibrillator that would shock him if his heart went into an abnormal rhythm. The plan was to wear that for a couple months until the infection cleared up and then to come back to have a pacemaker/defibrillator put in. 3 days after being discharged Jordan’s heart stopped again at home. His vest shocked him and brought him back, but his heart continued stopping and needing CPR and to be shocked 13 times in less than 24 hours. He was life flighted back to Children’s Mercy where he remains in the ICU. He had an emergency surgery to put in a pacemaker and his heart rythym is stable at the moment, but he has a long road ahead of him and will be in the hospital for quite some time.
I’m a Pediatric Nurse in Salina and I have only been able to work 1 day in the last few weeks because I’ve been here at the hospital with Jordan. Hes going to be here for quite some time and I’m trying to raise money so that I can stay with him without the added stress of bills piling up at home. These last 6 months have been incredibly stressful and I have completely drained my savings account. I really appreciate if anyone even read through all of that because I know it’s long, but I was told it was worth a shot to send our story in hopes that maybe you guys can share it. Thank you.
If you would like to donate, you can visit the GoFundMe page at:
