Berny & Guillain-Barre Sydrome

Hi Everyone,

Little Berny who has been here through AMH several times for his cleft lip & palette repairs, is now back in the US. Vanessa traveled to Haiti over a week ago to bring several children back (reunion pics coming soon) and to meet with a few folks. The day she arrived, she heard from Bernard, our wonderful Haitian friend who helps us with the medical visas, that Berny, his son, had woken up that very morning unable to walk or even move his legs! He was fine when he went to bed the night before, but the Haitian doctor feared he may have hurt his back and had sent them for an x-ray. Unfortunately, over the course of the next few days, the paralysis ascended to his arms and his hands. Vanessa found an American doctor to take a look at Berny and she diagnosed him with Ascending Paralysis or Guillain-Barre sydrome (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm). This is a strange sydrome caused by a virus and causes on-going paralysis until it runs its course. The immediate problem for Berny and his family; however, was the short-term concern that if it reached his diaphram and his lungs, Berny would not be able to breathe. There are no facilities to provide children with this type of urgent care in Haiti. If the virus reached his lungs, he would need to be put on a ventilator quickly in order to save his life.

Thankfully, Dr. Tracee was able to write the letter soon after she examined him and Vanessa was able to get an emergency visa for Berny to return with her for care. A hospital in Roanoke, Virginia agreed to give him care and he did well on the trip. He was put in PICU for a number of days and given as much medications as was able for this disease. Fortunately, the paralysis did not reach his lungs and he has some use of his arms at this time. He was released a few days ago and is staying with Heather and her family for the time being. Our prayers are now for his recovery and that he will be able to learn to walk once again. The doctors in Roanoke said that Berny is the youngest patient they have ever seen with his disease and they are unsure of how to predict his recovery. Most patients do recover all or most of their full functions after a period of time, so we remain optimistic for Berny. Please keep this little man and his family in your prayers.

Many Updates

Apology First! I want to say sorry for the long delay in any updates to you all. Our family has had a stressful month and I have been unable to spend much time on the computer. We lost my husband's father shortly before our daughter graduated from high school last week. In addition, Chedner has had numerous tests, doctors visits and has been struggling with his malfunctioning digestive system. We are headed back to the hospital on Monday to make a plan that may include a diverting colostomy for the time being.

We have a few updates for you:

Christy and Nelson are doing wonderfully and they will be returning to Haiti with Vanessa on June 14th. I can't wait to see those reunion pictures as I know this has been an eternity for Christy's Dad.

Achemine is being escorted back to Haiti in the next week and is doing really well with her new shunt.

Angelo is doing much better now that his mom has arrived from Haiti. He has been moved to a regular room and they will remain there throughout the duration on his radiation treatments. After those are completed at the end of June, Angelo and his mother will move to PA and live with his aunt until they return home in August. Unfortunately, Angelo has suffered some effects from both the tumor and the surgery to remove it. He is now permanently blind and is struggling to learn to walk & talk again. We are praying that the radiation will help to reduce the portion of the tumor that was inoperable and that this will help with his recovery.

Ruthlande has had her surgery and is living with a host family in the Chicago area. She is taking some antibiotics to help prevent any infection. There is talk of placing a shunt put in place to prevent any further build-up of spinal fluid in her lumbar area. I am not sure how long her stay here in the US will be, but it is such wonderful news that this strong little girl finally has a hope for a future.

Kensley is finally here in the US for surgery on his cleft lip. This is the little guy that refused to get on the airplane when I flew back to the states with Angelo, Christy and Nelson. I will update when we know more.

I will try and post some more pictures of the kids when I get some more recent ones from the families.

Blessings!

Host Family Needed in Chicago Area!

We are looking for a host family in the Chicago area for a beautiful little Haitian girl! Her name is Ruthlande and she is just over 1 yr old. This little girl has spina bifida and hydrocephaly needs surgery quickly. She will be coming to the US as soon as we can get her paperwork cleared. We have been trying to get Ruthlande here for some time, but the situation became an emergency over the weekend when she fell and the sac on her back broke open and began leaking spinal fluid. Here is a bit of the email from the nurse who is currently helping care for her in Haiti:

Ruthlande and her mother came to COTP at about 3pm yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. Her mom told us that Ruthlande was playing around on the floor at home and she either fell over or something hit the myelomeningocele (I'll call it "sac" b/c that's shorter and easier to spell!) and it burst open. I"ll give you a quick history on her and then tell you what we're doing for her.

History: Ruthlande has hydrocephalus and spina bifida. Her myelomeningocele is in her lumbar area (very lower back) and about the size of a baseball or a fist. She is 13 months old and weighs 9kg. She can move her legs but doesn't appear to have much feeling in them. She has club feet but not severe - I've seen worse!

Presenting Symptoms: Sac completely collapsed in on itself, Lost roughly 1 liter of spinal fluid and blood. Tear in the sac the size of a quarter. Fontanel sunken. Vital Signs stable and afebrile. Sleeping and lethargic but responsive to pain.

The hospital that will be caring for Ruthlande is about a half hour north of downtown Chicago. I do not yet have the names of the medical team or facility. We need a host family that will be able to give this little girl a good bit of time and attention as her needs are significant.

Hosting a Haitian child is sometimes challenging, but it is always so incredibly rewarding. It is an opportunity to show God's love to the littlest of his children. It is an opportunity to reach out and touch the world, to make it a better place for even just one child. These little ones need a family here that will love and care for them as their parents would during this difficult time. We would happily bring a parent with each child if we could; unfortunately, it is not possible with the current state of immigration policies here in the US. So, if you think your family would be able to open your hearts and your home to little Ruthlande, please contact us immediately for more information.

Also, please keep this situation in your prayers as she is quite vulnerable right now. Her mother is so loving and dedicated and has not left her daughter's side through all of this. Little Ruthlande has managed to live with an unrepaired myelomeningocele in Haiti for this long due to her mother's excellent care. It will be incredibly difficult for her to let this little one go, but she is determined to do whatever it takes for Ruthlande to have a chance at life.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi All....Happy Mom's Day to all of you with kiddos! I wanted to share some photos of a few special Mom's Haiti. In my humble opinion, being a mom is the most wonderful blessing God can bestow on us; however being a mom is not about giving birth. It isn't even about being a woman. It is about love...selfless, unconditional and never-ending love. Regardless of how our children come into our lives, it is our privilege to share our time, energy, knowledge and love with these small, unique individuals who look to us for all their needs to be met. We would give everything we have to keep them healthy, safe, fed and loved.

For many of us, it is a challenge to provide these essentials, but we are fortunate that we live in a country that has resources to help us. While these supports aren't always enough and we do have children in the US that suffer from malnutrition & disease, most of us have enough to meet our needs, if not our wants. For so many parents in the developing world, their child's survival must be their sole focus and any failure on their part, would mean the difference between life & death. All this being said, today is a day to celebrate all of those sacrifices of mothers all over the world. We don't always have to make the same sacrifices, but we are all willing to do whatever we must to give our children the best lives we can.

These woman have made difficult choices for their children. They have trusted complete strangers with their children's lives because they have no other options. God has given them the strength to let go of their babies and place them into his hands alone. I am in awe of their faith and their determination. Today, I want to thank them for their incredible example of selfless love!

Great Video...please take a minute to watch!

Hey, if you have a minute and want to be educated on the problem of malnutrition in Haiti, please watch this video by our friend, Corey Waters. It is very powerful...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFvKWCDNNWE

A Few Updates

My apologies to all our readers for being an absent blogger for the last few weeks. It has been difficult to keep up with the blog since returning from Haiti. Chedner has been sick and in the hospital. This picture is a rare moment when he actually slept in the crib for a few minutes. Now that we are home and he is getting better, the daily regime of care we need to do for him and his refusal to let me out of his sight is making it a challenge to accomplish much else. That being said, Chedner is growing and developing pretty well despite all his medical conditions. We will know more about his future and the extent of his medical anamolies after some testing later this month.

I wanted to give you all a few updates on some of the children who are currently here getting treatment.

Christy: She is doing wonderfully and the recent pictures I received from her host mom show a smiling, happy and healthy two year old girl! What an incredible blessing. She is enjoying the playing with the children in her host family and is getting stronger each day. The doctors have said she should be able to return home to her Papa soon. Is she a diva in those glasses or what!?!
Nelson: Nelson had the surgery to replace his damaged heart valves last week. The doctors had said that he would need to have artifical valves put into his heart and would need to take medication to prevent complications his whole life. This situation would make it extremely challenging for him to live in Haiti. The alternative to the artifical valves would be pig valves, but they were not optimistic that the sizes would be compatible. Vanessa and I rejoiced following the surgery when we heard that Nelson's valves were a match for the pig valves and he would not have to be on medication. This is amazing news for Nelson and his family. Hopefully, once he recovers from surgery, he will be able to travel home to Haiti soon.
Angelo: This brave boy isn't doing as well after surgery as we had prayed he would. He has suffered from some amount of brain damage which is understandable now that we know that the tumor he had took up 1/3 of his brain. In fact, it had wrapped itself around his brain stem. He is struggling just to keep going right now and needs our prayers. There are so many unknowns in his future and his mother is going to need God's strength regardless of the road she chooses for him.

Achemine: She is going home in just a few weeks! Her parents will be so very excited to have her back. Achemine did have a few complications after surgery, but is now doing well. Her shunt is operating fine and her parents will need to be vigilent with her health when she is back in Haiti. It is so wonderful to see that sweet face so clearly now that the swelling in her head has been relieved.

Berny: This busy little man is ready to return to his Mama & Papa. This trip went much more smoothly for Berny than his first. His surgery to repair the cleft palette was a success and he has mended well. We also found out during his stay here that, thankfully, he did not suffer from epilepsy, but is actually having some trouble with episodes of low blood sugar. This is very manageable and his family was relieved to hear that he wouldn't need to be on medications for this condition. He just needs to be sure to snack often...I know...sometimes easier said than done in a country such as Haiti.

Vanessa will travel to Haiti on June 14th and take whoever of these kiddos that are ready back to their families. She will then travel back to the US with a few more children for treatment here. Please send her good thoughts as she travels and hopes to finish up a bit of paperwork for some of the children.

Finally, I just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there! Enjoy!

Fran

Yole Christy Is Going Strong

Yole Christy was one of the three children who flew to the US with me last week. She is the little one you will remember with the beautiful braids, sweet face and loving Papa. She needed a heart surgery for a VSD and we are so thankful that Hershey Medical Center in PA offered to do this procedure for her. She is living with a wonderful host family that is taking great care of her and from the pictures, she looks like she is really enjoying herself. Although she had a rough few days after the surgery, she is now doing really well and will hopefully be ready to return home to her father very soon.

These two photos show how much can be accomplished when so many people come together to show God's love for these children.

In Feb., before surgery

Christy this week, post-surgery

Word of Mouth

Communication in Haiti is always interesting. Although everyone and their brother seem to have these cheap cell phones put out by Digicel, it is actually incredibly hard to find people. There is little structure with which to keep track of dates and times and central meeting places can be difficult to locate. All this is leading up to my discovery that "word of mouth" is by far the best advertising tool and means with which to let people know you are in town. I was not expecting to see many new families while I was in Port for only a few days, but on Monday morning, the day before I left, we had over ten new families arrive to ask for help. I have to admit that it was overwhelming at times, especially when there are children whom we cannot help or that it may be too late for us to help. However, there are always a few that pull at your heart and others that I pray we can find medical care for here in the US. This time was no exception.

There are two children that I would like you to remember in your prayers right now. The first is a two year old little boy named Elie and he has a problem with his intestines. He was born with an imperforate anus and they have done three surgeries in Haiti, including giving him a colostemy. Unfortunately, these operations do not always work and I am afraid that Elie is very sick. It is difficult for us to find care here in the US for this condition, but we are trying. The second is a young many named Charles. He has an infection in the bone in his leg and his need for care is immediate. I asked his mother if she had taken him to a doctor and she told us no, not this time. It turns out that Charles had this same infection 11 years ago when he cut his knee as a youngster. Not at 15 yrs old, the infection seems to have come out again. In fact, his leg has not grown as it should have due to this dormant infection. We are hoping they will get his medical records to us and some x-rays of his leg so that we can try and find him some help as well. Until the time when we can offer help, please help us by lifting these two boys up in prayer and ask God to do what he can for them where they are.

Chedner is sick again and I am not able to write for long periods of time. I will post again soon when I have more information on Nelson, Christy or Angelo and will also try and tell a few more of the stories of the children I met last week.

Blessings, Fran

Angelo

It has been a long, hectic and emotional two weeks for me. I have been to Haiti and back, bringing three seriously ill children with me on my return. Two have had surgery thus far and we are hoping the third will have surgery soon. The sickest of the three is and remains Angelo. This little six year old boy had a brain tumor removed on Monday. He is still critical, but there are have been improvements today. He needs many prayers as he has a long road ahead of him. Please keep him and the wonderful family caring for him in Toledo in your prayers.

I will post more about my trip to Haiti soon. I was amazed by all the God does in Haiti and how he shows his presence each and every day.

Thanks to all our supporters and those who are helping our mission to bring more children from Haiti to receive the medical care they so desperately need!

Pretty Sky

Sky Pics

Hope you can see past the glue and scabs to how beautiful this repair is! I'm amazed.

Little Stinker

Well... We went to the doctor and he took out the nasty little stints in Sky's nose, but asked that we keep the bar on (Logan's bow). I guess Sky went for a second opinion when I wasn't looking cause I found her tonight having shaken off one of her arm bands and having pulled the bar right off! The doctor did say if it fell off it was no big deal. Anyway, I took it as a great opportunity to take some pics of her and show off how gorgeous she is! Guess, I have to watch this little stinker 24/7 (:

Sky post-op

I am seriously sleep deprived and have to get to bed, but wanted to let you all know that Sky is doing well. Her surgery went perfectly and although she has a bunch of contraptions on her face and is in a fair amount of pain she is managing to be quite sweet. And just to prove how much she loves Gabriel - she hadn't smiled since her surgery on Wednesday morning, but when we walked in the door this afternoon and they saw each other she grinned! Her little mouth is pretty tight and swollen, but it was definitely a grin and I could see it in her eyes(: So precious! There is also a pic of the wonderful, awesome, amazing nurse who took care of us - Kelly we love you! Everyone at VA BAptist Hospital was so sweet and helpful. Dr. Germain had to run out this afternoon so I didn't get his picture with Sky, but I will get one tomorrow so you can see the man with the magic hands (: OK, off to bed. Thanks for your prayers - they were felt and Sky couldn't have recovered much faster!

Sky's big day

Please remember to pray for Skyline tomorrow. Her surgery is scheduled for 7:30am. Also pray she recovers well and eats soon after so that I can get home to the other four! I'll post a picture of her after surgery as soon as I can.

Achemine is doing better!

Quick post just to tell you that Achemine is doing better and should be out of the hospital soon! She is going to a host home with some other little ones and we know they will have her smiling in no time.

Achemine's Surgery

Hey Everyone,

Little Achemine had her shunt surgery last Thursday morning. It was a long surgery and she had a few troubles. There was a great deal of fluid surrounding her brain and when they drained the fluid, it left a gap between her tender brain and her skull. As you can imagine, there is not suppose to be a gap, but it took time to get air back in there to provide the needed cushion. Achemine was in ICU for about 5 days and was moved today into a regular room. She cannot be released quite yet as they are trying to figure out what is causing her to run a fever. A fever this long after surgery is not a good thing, so please be in prayer that the doctors are able to figure out quickly what is making her body react in this way. For now, Achemine is drinking her bottles fine and seems to be happy and content. We will keep you updated as she progressses.

I've included a picture of Achemine shortly after surgery. She is such a beautiful baby and Vanessa says that you can see a difference in her face already now that all the excess fluid has been removed.

Monley's Homecoming

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to share a few photos of Monley's reunion with his parents in Port-au-Prince. Don't be fooled by their serious expressions (many Haitians are happy about having photos taken), they have missed him terribly and are just thrilled to have him home and looking so great!

Thank you to everyone who helped Angel Missions Haiti make Monley's surgery a success! We couldn't do it without the generous support of so many wonderful people. Monley's family send their thanks to you all as well!

Suffering and Pain

On top of the recent news that we lost one of our little ones before even being able to get her medical help, last week turned out to be a very long week for Chedner and me. He has not been feeling very well. He is not only teething and having big time digestive problems but now the curve in his spine has gotten worse. You know, sometimes when I look at him, I cannot help but wonder how it is that one small baby can have this many problems and yet be so incredibly sweet natured. It's that "fairness" question that always pops into the mind when faced with these types of circumstances. Anyway, the events of the last week have gotten me thinking alot about pain and suffering in our lives and the lives of others. Even in the most blessed and easy life, there is some amount of pain and sadness. Then, if you look at a country like Haiti, at times it seems that all you see is suffering.

When I was in Haiti awhile back, I met with Chedner's father and told him how his son was doing here in the US. Fabius had a wonderful smile as he watched the video and looked at pictures of how big his only son has grown. He shared with me that Chedner had been shunned at birth by his mother's family due to the obvious physical abnormalities. He was scared for his son to return there as he was concerned that someone might try and harm him because of those differences. Despite the work of the surgeons, Chedner will never look "normal" in some regards. I have heard in Haiti it is common to view these congenital anomolies as a curse or a punishment for something wrong that his parents or family had done. They are not alone in this belief. While this may seem to be a foriegn thought, I think it hits close to home as well. I believe many of us worry that bad things that the pain and suffering in our lives is a result of our past sins. We do worry about "payback" for our sins and I myself have wondered occasionally when the other shoe might drop on some of the doozies I pulled off in my youth. Funny thing is though...I wouldn't ever think for a moment that Chedner's congenital anomolies have anything to do with his parents past behavior. Apparently, I must put my sins in a catagory all by themselves!

Now before you say anything, I know that is not how God works and thankfully a wise pastor helped me see that more clearly this weekend. I had spent too much time last week wondering...Why is there pain and suffering in God's world? Surely, our God of love would not want His children to suffer? Why do so many babies and young children in countries like Haiti and the Sudan die painful deaths while their mothers watch helpless to save them? Why did this small baby in my care have to be born with so many medical problems? Why did he have to be shunned? Why did his mother have to suffer the loss of her firstborn son so that he could travel to the US and undergo so many long & painful procedures over the next few years? Why doesn't our God just go ahead and put an end to the suffering of so many of these little ones?

After studying some passages in Romans 8, it became a bit clearer in my mind. Here's what what I concluded and you can tell me what you think:

I came to understand that in the beginning sin entered the world. It wasn't God's choice, just as it isn't God choosing to bring the suffering. Man introduced sin into paradise and by our natures we continue the trend. God simply acted as any loving father would and reminded us that there are consequences to our actions. He wanted better for us all. He isn't punishing us for the bad things we have done by having bad things happen to us in our lives. Our lives are lived in a fallen world and in that world all manner of misery exists. Pain and suffering are now part of that life. God is hoping that we learn from the mistakes we have made and in the end, hopes that we choose Jesus as our way out.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)

God cries as we cry to watch the pain of life as we know it now. He loves us and would never have chosen this course for his children, but as we did start down this path by ourselves, He will stay by our sides the entire trek. I was reminded that despite all the suffering and pain we have and see in those around us, God loves us and is with us always. He will help us carry on and is ready to take the strain from our shoulders if we give the load to him freely. I was also reminded that our hope is in Christ. And in the end, for those of us holding onto that hope, all will be made new and all the suffering & pain will come to an end.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I'm hoping this week is more peaceful and that I am able to make a plan with Chedner's surgeons that will help improve his quality of life. And I will remember as I work to help the sickest of children in Haiti that God grieves as we grieve for the state of this world. He has an answer in place here to help those who are in pain....the answer is us. God has placed all of us here to help others and to lessen the suffering of the less fortunate. We make can make the positive difference until, in the end, all is made well. When we work for that purpose, we cannot go wrong.

Sad News

Dear Angel Missions Family,

Today has been a very hard day. We mentioned last week a little Haitian girl named Kristy who needed care for cancer that was growing in her eye. This little four year old gave a brave fight, but in the end the cancer proved too powerful and help too late. Last Saturday, Kristy died. I am happy she is with our Lord and will not go through any more of the pain she had on this earth. But, I am terribly sad that we were unable to help her and her parents. It is so hard to describe the conditions of living in Haiti. Parents come to us begging for our help. We do all we can but always tell them that it is in God's hands. God brings us the doctors, hospitals and funding to help these children. Angel Missions Haiti is only the vessel through which He does His work.

We have a number of very ill children waiting in Haiti for care. Some of them are in danger of dying before help arrives. Please keep all of these little ones in prayer. If you are interested in helping our Mission, please contact us. We are simply a group of loving Moms and Dads trying to help other families who do not have any where else to turn.

Please join me in praying for the 17 children we have waiting in Haiti and for little Kristy's family.

May God watch over you and your family.

In Christ Love and service,
Vanessa

Monley

We wanted to let you all know that we had another little one return home to Haiti this week. Monley was here for cleft lip repair and did wonderfully with his surgery. His father and mother came to see Vanessa and I at St. Joseph's Home while we were there last month for an update. We were able to give them a photo of their little guy just after he his repair was completed. The smiles on their faces were pure joy. We know they were anxious to get their son home this week and we will hopefully have more details and some pictures on the blog of their reunion very soon!