All About Hunter...

It turned out to be a very rough weekend for those in the house of Mullins. Hunter Ray Mullins, 23 months, had been sick since Memorial Day with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. He was unable to hold down much of anything for that whole week. On Friday evening his parents, Jeremy (my youngest brother) and Crystal, noticing a continuous decline in his condition, decided to take him to the emergency room. They arrived and checked in at around 8 pm. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 11 pm after a slight protest they received the next available room in the ER. As his lab tests began to come back it was clear that Hunter was a sick little boy. His creatinine was very elevated at over 3 times the normal demonstrating that his kidneys were not functioning as they should. As the ER staff waited on a urine specimen, it was determined they were not functioning at all.

After a series of exams, xrays, lab tests and consults it was determined that Hunter would be better served by a pediatric hospital. He and her mother were transported by ambulance to Little Rock's Arkansas Children's Hospital, a nationally acclaimed hospital. Upon arrival it was determined that he was in desperate need of dialysis as his blood pressure skyrocketed to 186/133, a critical level for an adult much less a tiny, less than 30 pound infant. As he was prepared for treatment, his lung collapsed, dealing yet another set back and postponing the needed dialysis. Central lines, dialysis catheters, epigastric tube and intubation were all employed and Hunter was placed on a ventilator. Saturday was a horrendous day of waiting for news to surface from Little Rock. It was a day of great fear not knowing what God had in store for this family.

At sunrise Sunday, there was nervous anticipation as to what the outcome might be. Finally the call was made and there was peace. Hunter was waking up wanting his mother and his shoes. He is a child that must have his shoes at all times. When he gets out of the bath, when he goes to bed, the boy wants his shoes. It was the first sign of an improvement and it was very welcome. But little Hunter is still not out of the woods. He remains in the unit at children's undergoing dialysis. All of the intubation has at the time of this writing been removed but he has begun to have labored breathing and is extremely anxious.

It is uncertain at this time what brought all of this on. It was originally suspected that it was E coli and consequential Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Doctors are now questioning that diagnosis and cultures are pending. His sisters are still here wanting their baby brother to come home. They were in quarantine while their own lab test were out. They came back negative for any bacteria and once again can be around other children.

It has been a rough weekend and start of a week. There have been small improvements in his condition. Those rays of hope are shining and getting brighter at the same time. Please be in earnest prayer for Hunter and the family. Jeremy and Crystal both need the Lord in their lives. This situation may be just the opportunity.