Welcome home, Konnar: 11-month-old celebrated after surviving life-and-death medical crisis

At the tender age of 11 months, little Konnar Cotten has faced more medical adversity than most people face in their entire lives.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, Konnar finally left Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston after a six-week stay and made the journey home to Thicket, Texas. He and his parents – Dillon Cotten and Kaycee Hughes, and 4-year-old sister, Monroe, were warmly greeted with signs, confetti and banners with messages of “But God” and “Welcome Home, Konnar.”

The family’s loved ones and well-wishers organized the procession to show their love, support, and admiration for the tiny warrior who defied the odds.

Konnar’s medical crisis began on Nov. 6 when he suffered complications after what should have been a routine surgical procedure to remove his adenoids. As he was coming off the anesthesia, there was a struggle to keep his oxygen level up. That’s when it was determined that Konnar had contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a potentially deadly virus for infants. The adenoidectomy was an outpatient procedure at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, said his maternal grandmother, Amy Hughes.

“He was immediately flown to Texas Children’s Hospital. On the flight over, he was struggling to breathe and they had to intubate him,” Hughes said.

A few days later, Konnar was put on an ECMO machine to oxygenate his blood so his little lungs would not be stressed as he fought the symptoms of RSV.

“His blood was going out into the ECMO machine and then back into his body after it was oxygenated. He had to be put on blood thinners to avoid clotting. A side-effect of that was the risk of stroke, which he ended up having. He also had a seizure, another side effect of the blood thinners,” she said.

Konnar was on the ECMO for 17 grueling days, with doctors telling his parents that his chances of survival were grim.

“The doctors weren’t giving us a lot of hope. Even after ECMO, they weren’t sure if he was going to make it. For those 17 days, it was touch and go. Two steps forward and three steps backward. They told us that if we didn’t put him on ECMO that there was no chance he would make it. It was our only option – that, and a lot of prayers,” Hughes said.

The family found itself in perpetual prayer. On social media, they asked for their friends and loved ones, and even strangers who shared their updates, to lift up Konnar in prayer.

A glimpse of hope appeared last week when Konnar was able to come off the ECMO machines. Two days after that, the medical team working with him began weaning him off the sedation.

“We were able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While he was on ECMO, he swelled so bad and looked awful. He was so out of it. Once he was off ECMO, we started seeing glimpses of the old Konnar,” his grandmother said. “Konnar is a very sweet and happy little boy. He has a very chill disposition, very cheerful.”

Even though the worst seemed to be behind him, Konnar’s medical struggles were far from over. During surgery to remove the cannula tubes from his heart and lungs – a surgical procedure requiring the expertise of 25 doctors – it was discovered that the cannulas could not be removed without another surgery that would require surgeons to open his chest.

“They had to get cardiologists in there for that part of the surgery. So now Konnar not only has a scar on his neck from the ECMO but he has a scar on his chest like an open heart surgery,” she said.

While the long-term effects of his medical struggle are still uncertain, his grandmother said the doctors have been very hopeful and believe that he will eventually make a full recovery.

“He has some effects from the stroke on the left side of his body. He will be doing some intense therapy – speech, occupational and physical therapy,” she said. “It’s going to take a long time for him to recover.”

Konnar’s family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support they have received from friends, loved ones and strangers. His struggle has captured the attention of people throughout the United States and around the world. Hughes said the family has heard from people from as far away as Africa, Australia and Finland.

“They have told us they are praying for Konnar and our family. People have also shared their testimony of when their child went through something like this. I ask that you all keep praying for Konnar in the months ahead,” Hughes said. “Thank you all so much for taking Konnar as your own and praying for him like he is one of your family members. God heard your prayers and ours. Because of those prayers and people’s generosity, Konnar is still with us. Konnar, Dillon, Kaycee and Monroe are better because of everyone who reached out to support us.”