Michael Dylan Politzer
June 27, 1993 - February 17, 2012
It took a village to get this amazing young man home from the ICU to honor his final wish - to be in his own home, in his own bed, with his family. He has touched countless lives around the world, surmounting unbelievable odds. Traveling great distances, his brothers Steve and David stood at his side to the very end - best brothers ever. His beloved Granny Ann Marie and Uncle also trekked from cross country. Our deep gratitude to the entire HMC team for its compassion. Our hearts are broken, but at last Michael is free to fly.
Last Update: Feb, 2013 Hospitalizations: 73 Surgical procedures: 41
"When Death comes knocking at my door, I just slam it in his face!"-Me
I'm a graduate! P Amiee Ickes has Parkes Weber Syndrome, a vascular disease similar to mine. For more information about Parkes Weber, see the pink entry on the sidebar. I was on National Geographic on Monday, March 22, 2010 @ 9 PM. Here's an overview of my appearance! GO TO http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/blood-4214/Overview TO SEE!
| Fellow KT-ers! Visit k-t.org and become a member! I no longer use my old address!! I apologize to those whom I have not answered, and if you email me at this address I will respond ASAP!! If you put yourself on the map, PLEASE E-mail me and let me know. If you do, please make your marker LIGHT GREEN UNLESS YOU HAVE KT, in which case, make the marker RED. Read any medical articles on my Important Resources Page ![]() Me before my stoma revision in August '07. See how my foot is really round? Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome capillary vascular malformations (port wine
stain), soft
tissue/bony hypertrophy (abnormal growth of bone and soft tissue resulting in
thickening or lengthening of the limbs/organs) and varicose veins.
The patients of this syndrome live with debilitating vascular
malformations (abnormal collection of blood vessels ; arteries: which carry oxygenated blood and veins: which carry deoxygenated or dirty blood) at
different anatomical locations i.e., soft tissue, bone, systemic organs etc.
resulting in loss of function in the affected tissue or organ. This tissue
defect (vascular malformations ),
especially of the bone and tissues in the limbs run the risk
for amputation... Parkes Weber Syndrome is characterized by a capillary malformation
(PWS) that has an underlying high flow vascular malformation (AVM). This
syndrome causes hypertrophy (overgrowth) of the affected area. Basically, blood flows between the veins and the arteries instead of just back & forth through them! blah blah blah...I can't understand a WORD of this! English please! Here's what it means: Abnormal blood vessels grow where they don't belong or are missing where they should be. Usually the body part near the "bad veins" grows way too large (hypertrophy). Most of us KTers have overgrown feet, often with fused or oddly formed toes. We have vascular malformations, like tumors, and port wine stains (pws)--purple patches of skin filled with lots of capillaries. Most of us bleed a lot. Our lymphatic (lymph) system (like clear blood) also overgrows, making us swell. That's called lymphadema ("lim-fah-DEE-mah"). To have something removed endoscopically means they put a sort of tube through a small hole, and suck out the bad organ with a tube, like a vacuum. A broviac is a type of long-term central venous catheter with an external port for administration of medication. A Pyogenic Granuloma (also called a skin tag) is a small rounded mass of inflamed, highly vascular granulation (rough) tissue on the skin, frequently having an ulcerated surface.
************************** I’ve bucked the most daunting odds imaginable. From small bleeders to gaping, life-threatening wounds. But it’s an uphill battle.
I’ve been in the hospital more than 50 times and had 30 surgeries.
That’s a lot of slicing! I had my left leg amputated at the knee, my right foot
partially amputated and reconstructed; my
internal organs reconstructed twice; part of my bladder and intestines removed
and bypassed. My massive left hip, thigh, and rear were debulked
(cutting the bad stuff out) in 2002—a surgery I barely survived. I still have
skin breakdown and oozing from the surgical site. That sucker just won’t heal!
I’m half the size of other kids my age. I'll have to keep having surgeries all my life. I have a broviac in my chest -- that's like a permanent IV, so they can do transfusions without sticking my arms all the time. I need blood transfusions about every 2-3 months. Every day something new sprouts up to challenge me. Summer 2005, Age 12, Always on the mark! My Kool KT Friend Gordon and his dog, Doogan Check out some more of my KT Friends:
Joette, Gordon, & Me at a KT Conference Want your link here? Write me at mpolitzer27@gmail.com with your name, site, & a brief description of the site! I'll add your site as soon as I can!KT Fabulous is the blog of Arianna Faro, a fellow KT-er. Check it out today! Our Great Adventure With KT is another site which details a book by Sittidet Chaiyahat, a KT-er in Portland, OR. Hug someone today!
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