In Loving Memory of Srikar.

Dear Srikar.. May your soul rest in peace.

SRIKAR POTLURI (Jun 20, 2008 - Mar 20, 2010)

Funeral service :
Monday, March 22, 2010.
Time : Viewing starts at 10:00 am
Address: Hughes Funeral Homes,
9700 Webb Chapel Road,
Dallas, TX 75220-3556
Phone : (214) 350-9951‎

still in same condition

Srikar is still in same condition. He is not responding much today, like yesterday when we touched him. His shunt and external drain is removed. They placed a new external drain. His antibiotics dosage is increased little bit today. His body is still not able to regulate the temperature, and also his blood pressure kept dropping two times last night and two times during day time. we are waiting for the anitbiotics to kick in and clear the infection which might be another three to four days to see any difference. We are also worried how his brain is effected due to infection. We will know once he has an MRI, which will happen once his blood pressure is in control.

Please keep Srikar in your prayers for few more days.

bad day

I should say Srikar had a bad day today compared to worst day yesterday. His blood pressure dropped two times today. He is still not responding. Finally they found the bug today and are giving the necessary antibiotics. They did a 30 min EEG for any seizures ,and found out the right brain has very low voltages, but no seizures. The PICU doctor asked the neurologist if they can do it for more time as he has not happy with the 30 min result. So they started the EEG later today evening for 24 hrs.
The neurologist is also waiting for the infection to come down to check for any brain damage. We are concerned how much this infection has damaged his good brain. when we pinch his hands he is moving his hands and see some EEG activity, but when we touch or pinch his feet, he pulls them back, but EEG doesn't show anything.
They might remove the shunt tomorrow afternoon, if he is stable tonight and tomorrow morning.
Please keep Srikar in your prayers for smooth removal of shunt, and for speedy recovery from the infection

critical, but stable

Srikar is in critical condition, but stable. Afternoon his blood pressure went down and almost went to cardiac arrest. The doctor found it on time and worked on him. Right now he is getting blood , phosphates, potassium and calcium.
Please keep srikar in your prayers.

infection

We came to know that his infection is bacterial meningitis. He had a CT scan, and we see that there is fluid build up, and the looks the shunt is not pumping enough of it. so they put an external drain and also a small incision near his chest and took out the shunt tube for external drainage. According the neurosurgeon, pressure is very low, but doesn't know why the fluid is building up.
We see some fluid coming out from the shunt, but nothing from the external drain.
He is on antibiotics and electrolytes. He will be getting some blood also. Central line and picc line are placed few minutes ago.
He is on ventilator and is very very sick. Please keep srikar in your prayers.

scary... scary... night

Srikar was acting all weird from last evening. first his eyes went all the way up and he was shaking and moaning. We let the nurse know about this. After 30 mins or so, his heart beat went all the way up to 205 and his left hand was doing weird things. It lasted for few minutes, and this continued every few minutes. They him two doses of Ataven, and also IV depakote,but the seizures did not stop immediately. he was hitting the bed with his right leg and his left leg was in the air, and his left hand was doing weird things. He was seizing continuously for 30 mins. They checked his shunt, and told us the pressure is not too high, and we asked them to tap it. We came to know that he has an infection, and were moved to PICU around midnight. He slept for few hours and was on antibiotics. Today morning his pupils weren't reacting and he wasn't gagging or coughing when the doctor pressured his tongue. They tapped the shunt today morning, but couldn't get any fluid. They think the shunt might be clogged and right now they are putting Srikar on breathing tube and are getting an emergency CT scan. The plan is to take off the shunt today and treat the infection.
We will update once we talk to the neurosurgeon.

3 rd day of surgery

Srikar had a rough night yesterday. He slept OK today morning. We were shifted from PICU today afternoon. He did not like nurses touching him during the shifting process and started crying. He got pedialyte today afternoon, but did not take it well. He threw up four times from evening and was miserable and nauseated. Rough evening too.... Hopefully he and dad will have uneventful and restful night.

2nd day of surgery

Srikar is sleeping most of the time today. He is having fever from last night. He had a very rough day yesterday, but today was an uneventful day and am hoping the same tonight too. He wakes up for couple of minutes and goes back to sleep. He is not eating/drinking anything yet. If he was little perky and could eat something by mouth, we would have been out of PICU.
He is taking little bit more time than the neurosurgeon expected. Hopefully he will wake up for more time and eat something tomorrow. He also had an NG tube inserted as we are having trouble giving his medications.

day of surgery

9:30 AM got an update from OR that Srikar's surgery started.
12:15 PM Srikar is out of OR and in PICU. Dr. Sacco told us that they disconnected the connection between the hemispheres. We might go inside in 10~15 mins to see him


Srikar is moving little bit. He is waking up, crying and going back to sleep. His breathing tube was removed right after surgery and he is doing well without that.

Srikar woke up 30 mins ago and had 16 seizures. He is bothered by them and started crying whenever he is having one. He got Motrin few minutes ago and went back to sleep. He is crying in his sleep whenever he has a seizure. My heart aches to see him in such a pain.

redo surgery

Srikar is scheduled for redo surgery on 9 Mar 10 i.e tomorrow at Medical city, Dallas by Dr. Sacco and Dr. Price. Getting the surgery done at Hopkins this time is going to financial burden to us as Dr. Carson does not take our new insurance. So we decided to get it done at Dallas this time.

The neurologist at Hopkins, Dr. Vining has some concerns regarding his EEG. His EEG shows right side spikes whereas his clinical seizures always shows his right hand and right leg moving. After discussing with the other neurologists at Hopkins and talking to Dr. So (Srikar's neurologist in Dallas), she too agreed that removing the remaining left side tissue and disconnecting hemispheres might benefit Srikar.

We are concerned about his surgery and recovery as he had a long surgery and recovery last time. Please keep Srikar in your prayers for a smooth surgery and recovery.

wonderful holidays

Srikar had wonderful holidays with family. Srikar's uncles and aunts came to Dallas for holidays. We had fun with family and went to local attractions.
Srikar started rolling over both sides easily. He doesn't want to sit in our laps anymore and prefers to be down on his tummy. He got a stander couple of days ago. He also got a stroller and bathchair.
We tried the stander today for few minutes. After we put him in the stander, he started looking all around the room. He is making open mouth sounds and is working on close mouth sounds.
We haven't heard from Hopkins regarding his surgery date. hopefully we will hear something next week.