One of the things Deanna Skillman loves about the Greybull community is how everyone comes together. She's seen it over and over again, most recently when she and her son Ayden returned from Denver after a so-far-successful heart transplant for her son.
'Ayden's on a once-a-week appointment right now,' Skillman told Cowboy State Daily. 'So, we go up to Billings once a week right now, and then every fourth appointment, we go down to Denver so they can see him. They still have to have eyes on him.'
Doctors tell Skillman that Ayden, 18, is doing extremely well so far.
Young Ayden was born without a full heart, a rare congenital defect. His mother originally didn't realize what was wrong with him, only noticing that he would regularly fall asleep too quickly while nursing and was regularly too cold.
At one point his temperature measured 88º, far too cold for anyone, let alone a baby; that was when the family discovered the medical condition.
Several surgeries were required to save Ayden's life; those led to some developmental disabilities, though they kept him alive and helped him lead a relatively normal life, including a job at a local cafe.
A life-threatening infection earlier this year, however, led doctors to conclude Ayden needed a new heart. Miraculously, a match was quickly found.
And so far, so good. Ayden's not out of the woods just yet, but the limberness of the heart so soon is a very promising sign. ...
'Everyone's excited,' [Skillman] said. 'And when people see him, they're just happy to see he's back home. They've also noticed that his skin color is different. Everything about his physical outward being, they're seeing a night-and-day difference.'
The young man has to play it safe for now, staying away from large crowds and those not in his family due to the risks that even minor illnesses can pose.
The family is planning a low-key holiday season:
'The main thing is, Ayden gets to be home for the holidays,' Skillman said. 'And he's so happy about that. We all are. Because, honestly, we were making plans to have Thanksgiving and Christmas in Denver, if the doctor in Billings couldn't do the ultrasounds and stuff.'
Much to be thankful for.
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