The Happiest Patient...

Little Widline had her surgery a bit over a week ago and I received a wonderful update and these photos from her host mom. The surgery was a success thanks to the wonderful medical folks you see below. She had a pull-thru surgery done to correct her imperforate anus and did not need a temporary colostomy! They did, however, identify a number of other potential problems during the testing and procedure that will now need to be followed. Kate (host mom) says that she has two appointments arranged for further diagnostics, so we are asking that you all keep Widline, her host family and her Haitian family in your prayers for the next few months. Hopefully, the great medical folks at Columbus Children's Hospital will be able to figure out how best to help Widline so that she can return to her family in the best health possible.

From what Kate said, this little one is just a smiley girl and even after surgery bounced back to her happy self pretty quickly. She is so cute and is gaining weight and growing well. Thanks to all who are supporting her and her host family during this time!

Wonderful Update on Pharah

Here is an update from Pharah's host mom, Malia. She does such a great job describing little Pharah that I decided just to cut and paste rather than try to paraphrase it myself! A huge thank you to Malia and her family for taking such wonderful care of Pharah while she is recovering.

Dear Fran and Vanessa,

Hi! I just wanted to let you know how Pharah is doing.

Wednesday, April 5, 2008

Pharah is doing well, although she recently had a cold which lasted for two days. I was surprised at how quickly she recovered! Her head circumference continues to shrink. People who have not seen her for a couple of weeks can notice the difference.

Pharah continues to develop new skills. She claps her hands. She likes to clap and kick her legs to "If You're Happy and You Know It". She says, "Mama, Dada, gaga, and God or good" regularly and continues to try to imitate what we say. We are working on L words such as Aleluia, since she recently found her tongue. It's cute how she sticks out her tongue and waits for you to do the same! Although, her favorite game is still Peek-a-Boo. Pharah can roll from side to side and back to front and front to back. She is trying to roll across the room to a toy, but hasn't mastered that yet. So, I sing "There were three in the bed and the little one said,'Roll over, Roll over.' So we all roll over and..." Pharah, Scott, and I roll on the floor (Pharah, with my assistance). She laughs when we roll.

Pharah recently attended a birthday party at Romp and Roll. She enjoyed playing with the toys and toddlers in the inflatable play area (See attached picture). She also spent night with Russ and Kelly Lewis. She fell in love with them the moment she meet them. Russ has a beard and glass, which she loved grabbing! The had a Two year old daughter who loved playing with Pharah.

Now that the weather is getting warm, Pharah goes with us to the local community garden on Tuesdays. She enjoyss meeting new people and listening to the birds (There are no flowers, yet to see.). We also go outside in our yard and blow bubbles. Pharah also enjoys playing musical instruments, such as bells and the tambourine. This girl has music in her soul and love in her heart. She is always ready to hold hands and smile!

To God be the glory!
Malia Gordon

Riots in Haiti

We are asking for prayers from all the readers for the situation in Haiti. It is very volatile right now and things in Haiti sometimes do not get reported accurately. Basically, the people are hungry. Food prices have soared and the people simply cannot buy what they need. When you are this hungry, you have little to lose by demonstrating, even if those demonstrations get violent. I am always reminded when I see the pictures of these events, that I truly am blessed not to have to chose to feed my children dirt, oil and salt biscuits for dinner or send them to bed with empty bellies.

Our Haitian friend and fellow Angel Missions worker, Bernard spent a long night last night praying and asking God not to let the men who were trying to break into our new clinic (and his family's home) succeed in their efforts. God provided and they were unable to get inside, but we need to find the funds to better secure that building. The medicine, supplies and furniture can be replaced...Bernard and his family cannot be! I can't imagine how scared he and his wife were for their young son, Berny's safety.

Please take a moment today to ask for God's protection for Bernard, Susie and Berny as they struggle with the instable environment they are living in at the moment. Please also pray for all Haitians, their government and the world powers, that we can find a way to stop hunger. We know there are resources enough in this world to feed every person. So much goes to waste. There are ships in the port in Haiti full of food that has gone bad or just hasn't made it to the people that are most in need. Corruption and greed are not strangers in any corner of the world, it is just so much worse when those at the lean end have literally nothing.

Fran

Emerson's Homecoming

Emerson and Nyessa headed home last Thursday and his parents couldn't have been happier. They are wonderful folks. I met them last fall when we picked up Emerson and they were so loving and concerned for their son. Emerson had one of the worse cleft situations I had ever seen. Even his right eye was involved. In fact, the eye still needs some work, but the rest of his lip and face look wonderful following the surgery. He has grown alot in the last six months and is such a big boy. His family sends their thanks and said they will be praying for all the other children who need medical care.

Emerson is doing well and adjusting to life in back in Haiti. We will continue to investigate whether we can do more for his eye and keep track of his health as he grows.

Nyessa is doing well also and her family is thrilled to have that sweet girl home. She is such a character with lots of charm and sass. We will follow her as well and let you know how she is doing. I wish I had some photos of her homecoming, but our digital camera broke and we haven't been able to replace it yet. If anyone has an old digital that they would like to donate, we'd love to have it!

Again, we thank CMM for their assistance in finding both Emerson and Nyessa their much needed surgery.

Stephen Joseph Update

I have delayed in posting this as it has taken me a few days to make peace with it in my own heart. Since Vanessa and I found Stephen Joseph back in October, he has been on my heart. He is such a bright-eyed little man with a happy nature who was just looking for someone to play with when we visited the ward. Vanessa and I tried for months to get him moved to an orphanage we know would take great care of him until we could get him a medical visa. We have learned over the years, though that our plans are not always God's plans. Stephen did get moved out of the abandoned ward to an orphanage; unfortunately, it was not the one we had chosen. The good news is that he is out of the hospital ward. The bad news is that he is with an orphanage that will not work with us. I am sure they have their reasons just as I am sure that God has a plan for this little boy. My head accepts that my knowledge is incomplete and that I cannot know the big picture all the time (even some of the time, it seems these days); however, my heart is broken that we will not be able to help him. We thank all of you who have written of your support for Stephen and have offered assistance. Please continue to pray for him in the hopes that he may still get the medical care he needs and a chance at a better life.

Fran

Aluckson

This is a little guy we are hoping to get to the states soon. We have care lined up for him through Children's Medical Missions, a great group that helps us find care for many children. We are working hard to raise funds for many of the children, including Aluckson. He sure is a cutie!

Link Addded

Today, we are making an request that everyone please pray for Angel Missions and the children currently waiting for care. We have 9 children that have been approved care and are ready to process their paperwork to get their medical visas; however, our financial situation is tight. The photo above is on of the nine waiting to come. This is a baby girl named Dieunette. She needs surgery ASAP and we have found a hospital and host family in Nebraska to care for her. Unfortunately, we are short of funds to pay for her paperwork and travel.

We have been blessed with spreading the word about Angel Missions being able to help some of the children in Haiti who need medical care. We have also been able to start a small clinic in Port au Prince to serve a boys' home and for the families seeking medical visas to come and meet with us. Most of all, we have been blessed with a number of hospitals, doctors and host families around the country that have stepped forward to provide the much needed care. Unfortunately, our financial resources have not grown as quickly as our program. To continue, we need help!

I have always wanted this blog to be about sharing the stories of the children, their families and all who are working to help them. I have resisted asking for donations or adding a "donation" button onto the site; however, Vanessa and I have decided that, in order to continue to help the children, we are going to have to ask for help from others. We regularly speak at churches and with civic groups to spread the word about our mission and to seek donations. Angel Missions is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and all donations are tax deductible. A number of individuals have asked us how to make a donation, so I have gone ahead and added a donation button to this site. Please don't feel obligate to use it, but if you do feel so moved, you can make a donation (any amount) directly to our paypal account which then goes directly into our operating budget. Please know that Vanessa and I are volunteers and none of this money stays with us. We use all donations to pay for our program costs.

As always, we truly appreciate everyone's support for this mission. Together we are making a difference in many little lives.

Naphtalie Bazile's Surgery Today

Little Naphtalie Bazile is having surgery to relieve the symptoms of her hydrocephaly and prevent further fluid from accumulating in her head. She will be the fourth little one in our hydrocephaly project to have this repair. Please keep her in your prayers today.

Her host family has set up a link so that anyone interested can track her progress. Here is the the address:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/naphtaliebazile

**Note Added**

Naphtalie did wonderfully with her surgery and was released from the hospital the next day. Her host mom, Kim said she was amazed at the difference in her alertness and remarked that she was eating well and smiling at everyone. Her head size has already begun to diminish and we are hopeful that she will continue to do well during her recovery. Thanks for all your prayers!!

Joanise's Laugh

Joanise had surgery just a few weeks ago to relieve the symptoms of her hydrocephaly. She is doing really well and is having a great time with her host family and friends in PA. Before the surgery, Joanise wasn't terribly interactive and didn't show a great deal of interest in those around her. Her head was quite large and I'm sure the pressure was very painful for her. I'm told that since the surgery, she is developing quite a personality and a great belly laugh. Thanks for Chrissy for sharing this YouTube video of Joanise's giggles. What a wonderfully sweet sound!

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Smiles All Around

We've had a good number of children come our way with Cleft lip and palete. We have been able to help some with our contacts and with some collaborative efforts with other groups similiar to our own. However, there were a good number of older children still waiting for surgery. Vanessa was contacted by our friend, Dr. Tracee and we found out that Operation Smile was going to be spending time in Haiti. The surgeries were to take place in the Hinche area. To our surprise, Smile Train was in the area during the same time and also performing surgeries! Together they helped over 100 men, women and children who have been living with the stigma of Cleft Lip and Palete all their lives. Karen and Bernard sent some before and after photos to share. We are always so thankful when other mission groups share their resources to help all of serve the children of Haiti!

Jameson

Jefanor

Noel Micia

Back Home...

Chedner and I are home and enjoying being back with our crew. Wow, that was a long seven weeks. Ched is doing well and is happy to be with out of the hospital. He is unable to sit for long and cannot yet crawl, stand or walk. That will all come back with time. We did remove the brace (see photos) that was around his legs and he can move around a bit better without that! He is eating well and smiles lots. In the hospital, he refused to eat so they had to feed him through an NG tube. The plan worked as he gained over 4 lbs in just five weeks (more than he has in the last 9 months eating on his own)! He has chubby cheeks and outgrew many of his clothes. We've also noticed that he grew taller....either that or the traction really stretched the poor boy. I think it is partly growth and partly the fact that his legs/hips/feet are now basically in the correct position, making him look longer. At least that is my theory. So far he is eating well at home and his belly is responding well to the antibiotics. Eventually, he will see the gastro guys at UVa for a full eval, but neither Chedner nor I have any desire to go anywhere near a hospital for a while. Our plan is to relax, go to lots of soccer games and enjoy the sunshine!

Catching Up...

It has been a very busy month. God has provided for 9 more children to have life saving surgery. We give all the Glory to him, as these are his children and he continues to open doors all over the United States to help. Vanessa has just returned from Philly where she spent the most wonderful time with all 4 host families. She was able to see Brenda, Pharah, Joinise and Naphtalie. All 4 girls are doing so well it brought her to tears. They are all bonded with their host parents, smiling gaining weight. Vanessa said that Pharah has made the most obvious progress. Her head has went down 5 inches. Yes I said 5 inches! She has the most wonderful personality. She is trying to do new things every day. Brenda and Joinise have also had their heads go down a little. What we've seen in all 3 girls is that their personalities are coming out. Without the continual pain, they are smiling and interaction with others. It is wonderful to see. During her visit there, at least 3 different Church 's into our lives where there are wonderful, Christian folks who all want to help the Haitian children in our program in one way or another.

Little Skyline had her surgery yesterday morning to repair her palate and all went well. She was released this morning and is on her way home with Vanessa. Please be in prayer for this little one. She is a little pistol, on the go all the time.

We want to take a moment and thank the wonderful women at Hands that Heal. You can check out their blog at: http://handsthatheal-mk1618b.blogspot.com/ This organization has a mission similiar to ours and has been generous enough to share their energy, time and resources with one of our children. Little Widline will have surgery in Ohio thanks to the work of this group. Rebekah (co-founder) was relentless in working to find care for this girl before it was too late. Widline arrived a week or so ago and Rebekah flew to Virginia to meet Vanessa and pick up the baby. She then flew to IN to meet the host family and hand off her sweet bundle. I have to say I love the photos she took and shared with us. I have included a few here. The baby is doing wonderfully and is now over 8 lbs! A special thanks to her host family for all the TLC they are lavishing on Widline. The photo is a photo taken by Rebekah of Widline after she picked her up in Virginia. Such a sweet, serious face for such a little girl! I think her eyes are compelling...like she doesn't miss anything and knows lots more than we ever will.

Happy Birthday Chedner!

Our big guy turned 2 years old today and as a special gift, the docs and nurses at Johns Hopkins set us free last night! Wohoo!

We are still in Baltimore at the Children's House beside the hospital for a day or so to be sure Chedner is handling the weaning off the medications that were used to sedate him during traction. He is doing wonderfully and we hope to be cleared tomorrow to leave and get home. We had a small celebration just Ched, me and my daughter Kelly as we passed the time today just hanging out and playing. The wonderful nurses and child life specialist that helped us on CMSC 6 asked us to come back and visit for a minute so they could wish him a happy birthday. There were some fun presents to open and a cake to enjoy as well. The funniest gift he got was a small wagon with a sock monkey inside. It was sort of an inside joke from Mary Devon (child life specialist, see photo below) as Chedner loved to roam the halls of JJH propped up in a red wagon, holding onto his blankie and watching others as he passed by. For our own sanity...well mostly mine...we luckily were able to get out and walk a bit the last 7 days and that helped pass the time for both him and me.

A big thanks to everyone who has helped us these last seven weeks!

Little Widline

Here is a small story to hold in your heart:

On our flight to GSO a female AA pilot was sitting one row up and across from me. She said, "If you need a break, I'm happy to help." After a while, I needed to get something out of the overhead bin, so I handed the sleeping Widline to her. They were both so happy--the pilot and the baby. So, I went to the front and started yakking with the Flight Attendant, a girl I know and work with--then came back and started taking Widline out of the pilot's arms. Just as I leaned down for the baby, the pilot blurted, "My husband was just diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor--holding her has been a religious experience for me." That stopped me right in my tracks and I placed the barely picked up baby back in her arms and said "You let me know when you are ready to give her back." And I sat down in my seat across from her, one row back.I watched as the woman kept dabbing at her eyes, wiping away her tears, while holding the little Widline. I can't profess to know how she was feeling or what she was thinking, but I know that this little baby was a catalyst for good--some how, some way--for the lady. It was touching. Just before landing, I took the baby back, and as we deplaned, the pilot hugged my neck. I told her I would pray that she and her family found the strength they needed for the journey ahead, and she just shook her head up and down, tears once again forming....These children gave so much--just by being. I doubt they will ever be aware of the lives they have affected. Love comes in tiny doses, and packs a big wallop!

This email that I got from the flight attendent shows just how much these children help show God's love everywhere. Please pray for this pilot's husband. All my love in His service, Vanessa

Oh What A Beautiful Morning...

Neyessa is one happy girl! This little one is full of life and I know her mom is excited to be getting her home very soon! Thanks to Children's Medical Missions for their help in getting Neyessa's care and a special thank you to her host family for taking such great care of her these past few months.

Ched's Top 10 Activities to Enjoy While Stuck on Your Back...

Hi,

Its me...Chedner. Mom has been too preoccupied to post anything on the blog in a week, so I told her I would make some time in my busy social schedule to write. I thought I would share my list of interesting activities I have found that can be enjoyed when adults strap you down on a bed and tell you that you are not allowed to sit up, roll over or run down hallways. Let me first say that I do not understand why these people insist I have to stay on this bed...I'm feeling fine...really...

Okay, here is my top ten list:

#10 - I have decided that one of the best toys in this place is a stethescope. They are lots of fun and I have gotten my hands on almost every nurse's stethoscope at some point in the last 5 weeks.

#9 - I spent a lot of time staring at my photo collage and pretending to yell at my older brothers for all past incidents in which they treated me unfairly....this is the one time I get to win all arguments and always get to have the last word!

#8 - Watch "Open Season" at least twice a day and giggle hysterically everytime the bear gets a porcupine stuck to his butt.

#7 - Tatoo my face, head and arms with small smiley face stickers...the closest my mother will ever let me get to body art.

#6 - Swat at hordes of bubbles that are impossible to catch with my currently, uncoordinated hands. My mom seems to think its funny to see them stick all over the hospital room as they are Gymboree bubbles and don't pop easily. This woman seriously needs to take a break and get out more!

#5 - Squeeze and burst any and all styrofoam cups within grasp. This is especially entertaining if I can get a hold of one full of ice water while I am sitting on mom's lap. Always guaranteed to create a flurry of quick action! Mom was too busy cleaning up the floods to take any photos of this activity...

#4 - This is really a treat now that I have unlimited access to my ostomy bag! I have discovered that if I flick open the clip in just the right way, the nurses think that the bag has gotten caught on my external fixator (the pins in my hips) and accidently popped open. This is a fun way to get not only lots of attention, but also I get to be lifted out of my bed for a few minutes by at least three pretty nurses while getting a sponge bath. However, Mom has caught on to the trick and has not been pleased the last few times I tried this one.

#3 - I have a really cool Wiggles videos and a music toy with lots of buttons. Since I personally think that Greg, Anthony, Jeff and Murray are a few of the only truly gifted muscians and entertainers on the planet, I could listen to their work all day long. As an added benefit, I get to see the grown-ups' eyes cross in their head after hearing the first 5 songs.

#2 - Throw your pappy as far and as often as you can possibly manage. I have to say this is one of the most pleasurable activities I have these days. If I am really lucky, I sometimes hit a nurse or even Mom as they walk by my bed. You know the funny thing is...no matter how often I toss these things, everyone always just laughs and picks it up for me. I am rather insistent however on them washing the pappy thoroughly between tosses. You wouldn't believe all the germs floating around a hospital. It is a great place to get sick!

#1 - My favorite game this week has been making laps around the children's unit in a wagon. I have done my best to convince anyone who will listen for six weeks that I want to get out of this place. Mom has tried her best to placate me...she has failed. But, thanks to some incredibly inventive folks at JHH, I have been allowed to lie on my back in a wagon and now get to watch an incredible array of lights flash by as I zoom down the halls. It's not exactly escaping, but I can always pretend. Also, I am determined to do my utmost to make up for my mother's serious lack of exercise these past 5 weeks. Towards that end, I have heard that 17 laps equals one mile, so I have set her goal at 10 miles before we leave. I am cautiously optimistic...

For the serious bored and brave...While this last one isn't in my top ten, it is an option for desperate times. If you are feeling particularly bored and are really daring, you could try pulling any and all wires, tubes or patches that I can get my hands on. Most are taped down to thwart the best of my efforts, but I have managed to get a number of them loose. The best part of it is the crazy noises that start going off all around me. It is like hitting the jackpot in Vegas! Lights flashing, sirens and buzzers blaring and normally sane people dancing around frantically. Unfortunately, I have must post a disclaimer with this one. As my mom has been trying to teach me since I started getting into things I shouldn't....all actions have consequences and some can be quite miserable. I found out the hard way that pulling an NG tube is a very, very bad idea! Sadly, I also learned that what comes out, must go back in...

When all of this fails to entertain me or beat the boredom that often sets in around 4:00 pm every afternoon, I just demand to get up and sit with mom in the green chair. Now that she convinced the docs to let me out of traction, I can get up for short times. Even with my legs in an immobilizer wrap, I have found that nothing beats snuggling and sleeping to escape from the craziness.

Peace Out!

Ched

Enjoying the Snow...

Cyndie has recovered well from her cardiac procedure and has been enjoying the beautiful snow in PA. Her host mom, Colleen, sent us some great pictures! Cyndie will have one more follow-up appointment with her doctor before returning soon to her family in Haiti. We want to thank the doctors at Hershey Medical Center and her awesome host family for taking such great care of this sweet girl.

Status Report and Photos

Pharah has done wonderfully since her surgery. She is back home with her host family recuperating and have a great time with her host siblings. These two definitely look like fast friends!

This is Pharah at the hospital. Look at that sweet face! Thank you Julie for all the pictures you sent us!

Brenda and her host brother Lubens are also having a great time together. Brenda has done well since her surgery, but we are hoping she will begin to eat a bit better. She is still not eating as much as the doctors and her host mom, Kim would like.

Brenda is definitely enjoying all the snuggling and attention from Lubens.


The update on Chedner is a bit better. We struggled most of last week to keep him calm and in bed. He has been fighting all the meds he is being given to sedate him. We switched one on Thursday and upped two that we hoped might help him lay still. The first day or so after the switch, we saw marked improvement. Now, he is beginning to be awake again for very long stretches and is struggling a bit. Time will tell. He still has 2 1/2 weeks of traction before he gets the pins out and we can pick him up. I knew standing beside him and not just picking him up to comfort him was going to be difficult, but I will say I underestimated how difficult it really would be. He is often frustrated and angry at me as I am suppose to be his rescuer and I won't just take him away from all of this. He points to the window and the door and yells, "up, up, up!" or "go, go, go!" and all I can say is not yet. He is definitely at the hardest age for this as he is used to be being very busy and his language is just not good enough yet to explain this whole ordeal to him. He often lays and just watches TV if I am not beside him, but he won't eat anything for anyone but me. To be honest, he isn't eating much for me either. We are now feeding him by an NG tube throughout the day and night. He has definitely lost some weight.

In the end, there truly was no choice about having this procedure and it will be worth the tears and frustrations for both of us when it is done. This surgery is just one of a staged process, but thankfully the others are not as extensive and the hospital stays are shorter. We are blessed that we have been able to be here at Johns Hopkins as they are truly the world's best at this repairing this condition. Dr. Gearhart, his staff and the nurses here are incredible. The support of the folks at the Children's House and Child Life have definitely made the stay easier on all of us.

That's the status report today. Sorry no photos of Chedner as I was too busy dodging the crackers he was throwing at me to snap the picture! Maybe this later this week.....

Message from Vanessa

I am very happy to send this email. It was a hard trip home, but I am so thankful for the detour. My detour took me through PA and this is where Joanise needed to go. We wereable to contact the host parents and see if they wanted to meet us at the airport. Unfortunately, we were very late getting in, so I was invited to spend the night with Greg, Georganne and Gwen. They took me back to the airport the very next morning. Where I found out I had to fly to Charolette before I would then get to Roanoke. (I was not to happy) But went with it. Got to Charlotte fine had my 3 hour layover got on our plane and were taxing to take off when the engine caught fire. Yep that is what I said. So with a sudden stop door thrown open I helped the elderly lady behind me out and away from the plane. We all made it out ok and the Staff got the fire under control very quickly.
The whole time I kept saying thank you lord I did not have Joinise with me. It would have been impossible to get her off the plane with out jarring her head. God was watching out for us.

Joanise arrived in PA has been with her host family since last Friday and they have fallen in love with her. We want to thank the airline personal of American Airlines and US Airways. Joinise was able to make her trips with no problems. She will go for her pre surgery appointment next week and have surgery the week after that.

Cyndie who arrived with Ben and Jen on Jan. 26 had her heart surgery today. She came though the two hour procedure great. I am told she will be able to return home within the next 6 weeks. It is so wonderful that God has opened so many doors for these precious children. Please keep them and all of the children who are waiting for surgery in your prayers. .
Thanks for the prayers
love V

Pharah's Surgery

Pharah had her surgery on Thursday and all went very well. In fact, her host mom reports that she did not even need to spend any time in intensive care, but was able to go directly to a regular room. She was beginning to drink some and seems well on the road to recovery. Pharah had a massive head before surgery and thankfully that seems to be shrinking down some already. The message today was that they are headed home and rest and recuperate!