Chedner is Up and Running...Literally!!

It has been a long summer for Chedner, but he is doing great. In fact, he is vertical and highly mobile! We have watched him struggle with his pelvis and hips as he tried to sit, crawl, stand and now walk. All the way he has been determined and focused. About two weeks ago, after he seemed to be feeling better from the last surgery, he just decided to let go and give it a try. He is so proud of himself and we are certainly proud of him!

Disclaimer: For any squeamish folks, Chedner's colostomy bag is visible in this video. He had just gotten out of the bath and was running around in just a diaper. You can't see much, but just so you know.



We don't know what whether or not the doctors will have to fix his pelvis with the next surgery he has coming this winter. You may notice as he is walking that his feet are actually pointed out, in other words, they are externally rotated. That is their natural resting position and if we don't do anything to change that, they will stay that way. If the docs do decide that it is in his best interests to close his pelvis and rotate his hips, then it will mean at least a month to six weeks in traction. We've decided to get another opinion before making any final decisions and starting on the bladder revisions. For now, though, he will just enjoy chasing his brothers and the dogs all over the house. I do have to admit that I have forgotten how busy toddlers can be at times and now that this boy feels better, he is into everything! Chedner is a joy to watch and we are blessed to have him in our lives.

A Fundraiser for

Angel Missions Haiti

Vanessa and Tom Carpenter have been raising Maltese dogs for many years. They have had many litters of these sweet little dogs. One of the ways Vanessa raises money for Angel Missions Haiti is by selling the adorable puppies of her two Maltese, Crystal and Haiti. The Maltese breed are lovable, loyal lap dogs. They are small dogs and range in weight between 5 and 8 pounds. All of Vanessa's dogs have been raised in her home and enjoy being with the children.

From Crystal's last litter, they have two pups still available for sale:

Max is the male pup and weighs just a little over 3 pounds. He is very playful and cute. His asking price is $700 and all proceeds will go to pay for airfare and medical care for the children in our program.

Sweet Pea is the smallest dog Vanessa has ever raised. She is just adorable and weighs just over 2 pounds. Her asking price is $1000.

The puppies come with a vet guarantee, first shots, wormed, dew claws removed, and registration papers. While the prices may seem high, they are actually below what you would pay for Maltese at a pet store or other breeder. All proceeds do go to Angel Missions Haiti to help cover expenses to provide the children with much needed medical care.

To inquire about the puppies or if you have questions about our mission, you can reach Vanessa at 540-380-4588.

Berny is trying to walk!!

Vanessa sent me an email and pictures today of little Berny trying to walk. He has been doing okay since he was released from the hospital after his bout with Guillan-Barre Syndrome. He had been making slow progress and the doctors have said they are unsure of how the recovery will go. Not many children as young as Berny have had this particular illness. Heather and her family have been taking great care of him and he is getting help from the early intervention therapists in her area.

Apparently all the prayers, loving attention and hard work is paying off. Berny has been trying to crawl in the last few days and managed to do an army crawl yesterday. After working on some physical therapy using a large ball, he wanted to be helped into a standing position and was doing his best to move his little legs as hard as he possibly could. Hooray for Berny!! We are so proud of him!

Please keep this little guy and Bernard & Susie along with all the folks here in Virginia that are doing their best to get Berny back to his former busy self.

Sometimes, a bag is better....

Chedner is once again recovering from surgery. After our beach week, I brought him to the doctor for his post-op visit to get the hernia sites looked over. That all was great and he hasn't had any more troubles with the hernias. However, we reviewed the tests with the surgeon who believes that Chedner's intestinal problems would continue and there wasn't any way he could make it better for him. The sphincter muscles just aren't working. To help with his pain and on-going elimination struggles, the surgeon again recommended a colostomy. Although we have been very hestitant to go down this road so soon, we have decided that Chedner definitely deserves a rest from the daily pain he was having. So, on July 23rd, we again checked into the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center and the next day they performed an end colostomy. The first 36 hours were rough and he was knocked out thanks to morphine. He was in a great deal of pain, but by the third day, he seemed more comforable and we bungled through our first bag change. Now a week later, Ched is crawling around and playing with his toys. He is eating better and is no longer crying and fighting me when I empty his bag several times a day.

Thanks to everyone who has kept Chedner is their prayers. He is a sweet boy with a strong spirit. We are blessed to have him in our lives.

Belated Photos - Family Reunions!

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to give you all a few pictures that Vanessa had sent me from Haiti. She brought several children back with her in June when she traveled. Nelson, Christy and Skyline are now all back with the families and doing wonderfully. Nelson and Christy have so much energy and look so healthy, their families were just overwhelmed. Christy's dad told Vanessa to tell everyone who helped his daughter here in the US that, "He thanks all of us for helping to save his daughter. He said there are no words to describe how he fells or how much he loves all of us for helping him. He said he will pray for us everyday till he dies."

Here are some of the pictures we have of the happy reunions (Haitians often don't smile in pictures, but be assured they are all very happy!)

Christy with her older sister and her proud Papa

Nelson with his Dad before leaving for the countryside and a reunion with the rest of his family.

Skyline has an even more beautiful smile now that her cleft lip has been repaired!

Skyline and her Papa (her Mom was working).

Chedner's on the mend again.

Chedner has just had his third surgery, this last one in Virginia. He has multiple congenital anomalies seemingly caused by Caudal Regression Syndrome, a rare birth disorder. He needs a number of major repairs still, but this surgery was small by that scale. Ched had three hernias, one of which was getting stuck and causing problems. Last Thursday, the doctors fixed two of them and completed a few tests which attempted to map his anatomy more clearly. The good news is he is recovering quickly and is back to his smiley self this morning. The hernias were complicated, but the docs feel they have a good fix in place. Without significant stomach muscles (he didn't grow many in utero), they had to figure out how to keep the hernias closed. Ched will eventually have bladder revisions and the surgeons will attempt to reinforce the muscles that he has there. The tests showed he has a bladder of sorts and we are chosing to be optimistic in hoping that it will function correctly. Surgeries to revise his urinary system will begin in next fall. Not so good news....his sphincter muscles are not working well and the strongest one isn't in the correct location. Basically, this means he is incontinent and will most likely remain so. We meet with the surgeons in a few weeks for a post-op check and discuss surgery for the colostomy before the end of the summer.

Thankfully, Chedner remains a happy, easy-going boy most of the time and we are enjoying watching him grow. At 16 months, he has a sense of humor and a temper, is talking a bit and can crawl all over. He does know how to stand up, but due to a malformation of his pelvis and bilateral hip dysplasia, he isn't walking. We don't know when or if he will walk unassisted, but a visit to the ortho doc will hopefully give us some guidance on in this area. We are hoping to get him a walker sometime soon so he can get up and chase the other boys around.

Please keep him in your prayers as we go through the summer and into the fall. It is often hard to believe that one small body can have so many problems, but at this point, it appears I care and worry more about that than Chedner does. He is just enjoying life!!

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.