Inside Pediatrics Winter 2019

Jacks, learned that Charlie Belle’s kidneys would never function, and she would need dialysis to stay alive. She underwent multiple surgeries for bowel perforation and catheter placement. Through the ups and downs, Charlie Belle’s care team never gave up. “We had to do dialysis 24 hours a day for months for her to get adequate nutrition to heal her surgeries and grow her lungs,” Askenazi said. “As she grew, we were able to reduce the number of hours of dialysis, allowing her to receive dialysis treatment at night and get occupational and physical therapy during the day.” The Aquadex played a key role in Charlie Belle’s treatment.

After seven months in the hospital, Charlie Belle was discharged home on four days a week for hemodialysis at Children’s of Alabama. She recently transitioned to home dialysis with visits to the hospital at least once a month. Charlie Belle, too, will eventually need a kidney transplant, but in the meantime, the Jacks are simply grateful to those who saved their daughter’s life. “Without them, she wouldn’t be here,” Megg Jacks said. For more information about pediatric nephrology at Children’s of Alabama, visit childrensal.org/nephrology .

Born with failing kidneys, Charlotte “Charlie Belle” Jacks of Prattville, Alabama, recently transitioned to home dialysis with visits to Children’s of Alabama at least once a month. Below: Charlie was placed on the Aquadex 24 hours a day for months while she healed from her surgeries.

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