Its another blessed day of GJ's recovery

Video of Gerald today 2-26-09

Today , I would say the best day ever after the emergency surgery of Gerald that happened last 12th of February. His appearance has a dramatic improvement since Sunday . His face looks normal now and less swollen, but his stomach is still bigger than normal. He only have one major IV on his left thigh ( this IV will stay for quite sometime because he needs to have the full dose of antibiotics and its deliver through intravenously). Also, he is on the high dose of O2, I think 7liters 100 % /hour. I can't really remember how exactly the dosage of oxygen is given. He is back on his feeds. As the amount of milk per ml goes up, the nurses will turn down the amount of nutrition that Gerald getting through his IV. He's still on the low dose of pain meds, but I think they are going to wean him off with that by tomorrow. Therefore, he might just have the oral medicine afterwards and he can be walking anything soon.

Another, since he was really awake today, we was able to watch the television. But he kept me on my toes, I have to always reposition him because he always lying vertically on his bed. They want him on in upright position so that he can have a normal function of his lungs. He sound congested so far, but if he can just cough all the white plem in his throat he would be sound a whole lot better.
Anyway, it was a pleasant day for all of us here. Thank God for keeping my son in HIS powerful healing hand.
And to all my friends that offered prayers for him. God bless you and I hope you will continue to pray for him. I appreciated your help very much!
God Bless us all!

Good day today after 14th day in bed

Gerald was watching TV and his big brother came to visit.

♥ I don’t want to say things ahead of time, but I think today is one of those wonderful days that happened to Gerald after the major surgery and after they removed his breathing tube. He looks happier and more comfortable. This morning, I woke almost 8am, and Gerald’s nurse Tiffany told me that they are going to removed GJ’s chest tube. I was barely awake but at the same time I answered “okay” to her. I was gonna go back to bed but the nurse practitioner put on a gown and gloves and ready to remove GJ’s chest tube. The nurse gave Gerald a pain meds so that he cannot feel anything. I was watching them pulled the tube and for Gerald it was nothing because he slept through it. Anyway, we started a beautiful morning and until the end of the day. The only problem that Gerald had was congestion. The Respiratory therapist kept suctioned his nose and mouth to get raid of the flame (can’t spell) in his throat. Also, Gerald was feeling well today I saw him smiled again for few seconds only. The reason why he smiled is because I turned on the TV and it was a cartoon program sponge boob. He like sponge boob. Anyway, it was a wonderful day today and Gerald looks really good. I hope this is the beginning of the beautiful week of recovery. It was a huge improvement since last couple days past. Praise God that He keeps Gerald in his powerful healing hand.

My husband and I are very happy to see him getting much better everyday.

Gerald has been extubated today

I would say that today is a good day for Gerald. He has been on the breathing tube for two weeks and doctors were really concerned that he is not improving. Yesterday, they put a new folly catheter on him to help him urinate. Guess what? It did works , he was urinating like crazy within the twenty four hours. I was really trilled. He was not urinating normally for quite a while, and that is why he was so swollen. After Gerald urinated a few liters of fluid, the doctors decided to removed his breathing tube. I took a video of him calling me, and he was trying to wiggle around. I hope he'll keep breathing by himself, so that he will not need a breathing tube again.
I offered a prayer to God right and after they took the tube out.
Please Lord Jesus, keep him in your powerful healing hands.

Gerald's day 13 of being intubated

"Mary would you please help me!" GJ's nurse calling out for help to her co-worker . That is how I woke up this morning. I was in the corner of Gerald's room fast asleep ( even though few nurses I heard coming in and out in this room) when I heard nurse Nicole asking for help from her co- worker. I was suddenly jump out of the small bed and put a gown and gloves to helped her comforting GJ. He was not so happy. He wiggles and trying to get up; however, he should not be getting up yet because he still intubated. The nurse couldn't leave him to get his medication, because GJ was so strong and very persistent to do his own plans...getting up. Anyway, a good nurse came to rescue us and brought a prn medication for GJ to calm him down. After he had a dose of meds he fall asleep until 7:30 am.

He was gonna have a catheter on his abdomen to drain some of his excess fluid (due to the surgery he was susceptible of gaining fluid in his tissue). However, the doctor ordered to put a new folly catheter on him to help him urinate. I think this folly catheter really works because last night alone he pee more than 600 ml. If he continued to urinate and less swollen, he might not need to have the abdominal catheter done.

The plans for today is to extubate (remove the breathing tube) him. I hope he can manage not have the breathing tube although he is swollen. I just pray to God that all will be in his hands, and according to his will. Today is day 13 since GJ on his back. I hope that he can be more movable in few days.

Bed Bath for GJ

I was just helping of giving him a bath.

Nurse Nicole was the expert of giving him a bed bath. She took care of GJ since he was a baby, and also she was the one who gave him his first bath.

I was just helping the nurse to give him a bed bath last night. Although GJ was awake, he was fine with it. He always want to be cleaned up anyways.
Anyway, as far as his recovery is concern, he is slowly improving. I just spoke to the on call cardiologist few minutes ago, and he said that GJ is slowly progressing. Heart wise is looks good, and GJ's heart function well as they expected. I crossed my fingers for all the good recovery for him.
GJ still swollen and ventilated. This is day 11th of having that breathing tube. I could imagine how it feels like to have a tube in his throat. I bet it is very uncomfortable and painful, i would guess.

Also, I went home yesterday and do some house cleaning in the morning, and I attend a baby shower in the afternoon. When I was cleaning at home, I run across GJ's little shoes. I couldn't help to cry. I remembered how he use to give me his blue plastic shoes every morning, because he want to go out in the backyard and play with the chicken. He has been here for 3 weeks and my house usually emptied with his voice and his laughter. I missed all of those. I hope to see him moving around and smiling again soon.

I pray to our God to heal my son.

Gerald is doing a little better

Gerald so far is doing a little better than in the past few days. He drained some of those excess fluids in his body and now his weight is getting better. I would say that he gained almost 5 pound in a week. It was not fat in his body but more on fluids in his tissue. That is the reason why he was very puffy.
The infection wise is still there in the wound and his mucus. They did the blood culture yesterday morning and still came back negative, which is very good. I hope it will keep it that way.
Today the plan is to extubate him (remove the breathing tube). They said that he is ready for it. He keeps fighting that breathing tube since yesterday. My husband and I were really doubted that if they remove the breathing tube in his situation right now, he might need it because he is still swollen. We had this situation before that after they extubated him, he could hardly breath and when they tried to put the tube back in they have to call the specialist after the fourth attempt of those doctors. Gerald's air passage way was not clearly seen at that time due to his swelling throat. He has been unconscious for 7 days and hopefully he'll be able to totally breath of his own so that they can remove the breathing tube today.

So far so good and I praised God for taking care of him!

Swollen Gerald

Lord Jesus Christ the son of our Almighty God. Please touch my son with your powerful healing hand, so that he may have a fast recovery from his surgery.


We been here at the hospital for couple weeks and thing are going so slow. Sometime I feel like losing my energy just to look at my son's situation. I couldn't image how he feel now. Gerald's body might have fight the infection for the short period of time with the help of the antibiotics, but it doesn't mean that the infection is totally cleared up. The doctors told us that they are very positive now. The result of the blood culture for 3 consecutive days came back negative for infection in his blood stream.That is a good news in my book. I just couldn't help my self to think and feel very hopeless. Sometimes, I feel nervous and weak, but I have to be strong for my baby. If he is strong to fight all of these thing why can't I right?
O God, please help me!

Arterial and Central line Procedure

I did not leave the room so I have to wear a mask and surgical cup in the corner:).

Nurse Maryrose taking care of GJ. GJ was very much sedated so he didn't feel anything when they put the ART and CTR line.

Today, we finally received the result of the specimen culture. We were very surprised that Gerald have MRSA (Methicillin-resistance Stap Aureus). No wonder why Gerald was very irritable after the surgery. I know that this kind of infection is very common in the hospital: however, how did he get it? if they are all practicing antiseptic procedure in the Hospital.

Anyway, as Gerald continue to fight with the MRSA infection, they need to put arterial and Central line to deliver the IV medications. His nurse tried many times to find viens that will handle the antibiotics meds when infusion, but she failed after 3 pokes. Therefore, nurse Maryrose decided to asked the doctors that he needs more access to give the IV medications. The only way is to put arterial line and central that will last longer than the regular IV. Gerald's veins were all shot. He probably had 20 pokes in his whole body not to mention the other art line and central line when they put before the FONTAN surgery.

Gerald has gone through a lot, and I am very proud of him that he is very strong to fight all of these things on him. There is truly one GOD that keeps him more tougher and tougher everyday, and I praise the Lord Almighty for keeping us stronger.


More info about MRSA from the cdc.gov website

"MRSA occurs most frequently among patients who undergo invasive medical procedures or who have weakened immune systems and are being treated in hospitals and healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. MRSA in healthcare settings commonly causes serious and potentially life threatening infections, such as bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, or pneumonia."

The Journey of my Life: Another day at the Hospital

The Journey of my Life: Another day at the Hospital

Another day at the Hospital

Video of Gerald and nurse Maryrose while changing the dressing on his chest.

Happy Valentines day to all and to my family!

Today is just another day of us here at PCTICU -Pediatrics Cardiothoracic ICU. Gerald still intubated and very swollen. He is swelling due to the infection that prefuse or leaks out the blood vessels.
Also, they used staples on his skin to put his chest together. I was really surprised when the nurse said the used staple gun ( and you know what I mean) but staple gun for skin not for wood.
Anyway, he still swollen and sometime he wakes up crying. But they keep sedated. They increased the dose of his meds so that they can feed him and he won't wiggle a lot. So far his is not ready to remove his breathing tube. It may take few days before they do that, and when GJ is ready for sure.

Also, I would like to thank Maryrose for taking care of my baby, and Nicole King (night nurse) for taking such a good care of him last night and for letting me slept through the whole night. I felt very good today, because I got enough sleep. Thanks a lot to all our nurses here at ST. Joseph's Hospital.

Rough day

Gerald with nurse Laurel
I promised her the night before she took care of Gerald that he won't give her a hard time if she takes care of him. I apologized that it turned out this way. To nurse LAUREL Thank you very much for your hard work, and for taking such a good care of my boy.

Gerald from the OR with breathing tube.

Gerald had a rough night last Wednesday night. He was irritable and seems he was in pain. I'm always asking his nurses that he might need some more pain medicine, and they always grant my request. Then finally yesterday (Thursday , Feb 12, 2009) he was not feeling well than I expected too. He was still grunting and couldn’t find a comfortable position in his crib. My nurse was very concerned about him. Although she had another patient to take care of, she make sure that Gerald meets his needs. Around 11am yesterday, I gave him water through the syringe. He sucked it very fast and asked for more. I gave him water probably about 60 ml which is not very much that he used to drink. But anyway, the last 10ml that he drunk he coughed really hard, and he could hardly breath for few seconds. His saturation when down below 60’s. Then I laid him down on his back and few minutes later his nurse changed the dressing on his chest ( he had a chest tube days before yesterday and also the suture opened quite a bit). While the couple nurses cleaning his wound, I heard Gerald harsh breathing. I told the nurse that he doesn’t sound good to me. So his nurse Laurel decided to suction him, my husband Ralph assisted her. After they had finished suctioning we saw blood oozing from his wound. In less than a minute the gauze that was covering GJ’s wound soaked in blood. It was really scary and his nurse was scared too. She said she never seen this things happened before. The nurse called the on call doctor here in PCTICU. Dr. Lisa Grimalde checked GJ’s wound and her opinion was to suture the open wound again. GJ’s primary surgeon Dr. David Cleveland came up too his room and checked GJ’s wound, and he decided to bring him back in the operating room to see what is going on inside his chest and also to suture his wound again. The procedure took probably 2 hours plus the anesthesia range from 11/2 hours. After the procedure was done I spoke to the surgeon and he said that Gerald’s suture in his sternum came apart from top to bottom. Also, they took a sample from the sternum and send to the laboratory for culture, and there is a bacteria (unknown yet) found. Right now he is on the antibiotic and still intubated through the night, which gives me the opportunity to get enough sleep. Right now he is currently lying on his bed sedated. Doctor’s order to remove his breathing tube sometime today.

We will be here in the hospital for a while. So I am just glad that I didn’t take any classes this semester.

Gerald will be alright, its just it take him a while to get heal.

Feeding Tube Issue

Gerald woke up this morning and his feeding tube was not in placed. So, I literally took it off see if he can manage to drink milk in a straw through out the day. Fortunately, he did well drinking fluids through a straw. Then later tonight, he refused to drink milk. His father cleaned up his tube and showed it to him or more accurate to say is that Ralph gave Garald choices . If he want the tube placed in or drink milk. For the first attempt it works. He picked the milk rather than the feeding tube. When the time came to put Gerald in bed, I told Ralph to feed him before bed so that he wont be hungry later and my plans was to wake him up tomorrow morning to give meds and feed him again, but he refused to drink. Therefore, he got the tube back in his nose. It was not a big deal to put the tube back in his nose, but the uncomfortable sensation when it pass through his throat was his complain. He cried a little bit but that was about it. He did well the whole day anyway. Big improvement every day. Thanks to the Almighty Father in heaven.

Rose, inspiring woman with good advise

This was a forwarded email to my husband. I read it and I said it is worth sharing. Have a wonderful day!

On the first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesme rized listening to thi s "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Hypo plastic Left Herat Syndrome

Gerald at two years old

Hi Everybody, Everyone probably wondered why my son have a feeding tube in his nose, and some are afraid to ask. well, I can tell you why... here's the story........... I was five to six months pregnant when my baby in my womb diagnose with the heart defect. I've gone through a lot of test just to figure out what was going on with him . I've been in the hospital almost every week when I was pregnant, and some doctors predicted that he's not gonna make it. I was not happy to heard those kind of news; however, I just lift it all to the Almighty God. My OBGYNE referred me to the the specialist. I met a lot of doctors and specialist before I had the baby. I was also referred to the cardiologist, Neonatologist, and surgeon. March of 2006 after my ECHO cardiogram exam they told me the name of the heart defect and its called HYPOPLASTIC LEFT HEART SYNDROME. I never heard that kind of heart defect before. It means that the left ventricle did not develop properly. And in order for the baby to live he have to have the three stages of surgery or a heart transplant. My husband and I was really worried about our unborn child he even go to the Church with me to pray for him. Before I was due everything were set. I went to the best hospital in town at St. Joseph Hospital here in Phoenix. My angel born in June 6th, 2006 w/c they said the evil number because of 666. He was born th ru CS and put right away in the Neonatal ICU. The next day he was transferred to Pediatric ICU. Seven days later he had his first surgery called Nor wood Procedure. It was a major open heart surgery. After 49 days of hospitalization Gerald came home. We were very excited about him being home. In the hospital they work him about his feeding because he cannot drink the whole 90cc of milk which is just 3 oz of fluid. When he was home before the second surgery, he did very well. He had doctors appointment every week, but he conquers everything that are very susceptible to his immune system. He is on his feeding tube all the time because he can't drink milk by his mouth. After three months of recovery from the first surgery, he was back to the hospital again for his second surgery. He had his second surgery(Glenn procedure) in October 25th, 2006. The surgery itself went well. However, the surgery had complications and put him to stay in the hospital much longer than we expected. He have fluid built in between his chest cavity and the lining of his lungs. He had 5 chest tubes ( one of them he pulled it out by his foot). He didn't recover from that very well , so they did the heart catheterization to see what is the problem in his heart of why creating this problem in his body. Still did not helped him at all. The last procedure that they did is what they called pleural de sis. which means that a surgical procedure to drain fluid from the chest cavity. Gerald went back to ICU five times within 49 days in the hospital. We were blessed that we came home before Christmas of 2006. In this particular event in my life I can say that the healing power of God is really work in saving my son's life. He's still going have one more surgery in about two years. Please help us to pray for him. Right now he is very active and adorable. He have some late developments, but I hope he will catch up pretty soon. The photos above was taken in the hospital while we are waiting for him to bring in the operating room. The surgery lasted 6 hours. Thanks and hope I don't bore your day, and you have a wonderful day.

Neurologist good visit

My son playing with his new toy.

Today, Gerald Jay had a follow up check to Neurologist at Children's Rehabilitative Services (CRS) clinic. It was one of the good visit with the doctor, because we finally got a result from his MRI that took months ago. The doctor was really please to inform us that Gerald has only a slight differences between his left and right hemisphere of his brain compared to the previous diagnosis. I even saw the picture of his brain(aw yaks). He explained to me what went wrong and he assured that he will be alright as he grow up. As he grow up his brain also will get bigger and the slight problem in his brain will be filled and he'll be fine and grow normal. So, that was a good thing:)

Afterwards, we went to Target store and bought him a toy that he can use to write on. Picture above was the evidence:) I hope he can use that for long time and not to get bored:) I hope.

Summer I is finally over

Today was my last day for my summer class. I took Math 142 college mathematics. I thought it was a hard class to take during summer , because it has tons of chapters to finish each week. However, it was an alright class I don't have to take the finals because I have more points than I needed, so that was very exciting. Anyway, life seems work that way.

Poster

A year a ago my reading teacher asked me if they can take a photo of me and my son for a poster in reading department. I said , "yes why not". Gerald was just six months old or maybe 8 months olds I can't really remember the exact date this picture was taken. But anyway, we did and last semester as I was visiting my former teacher in H building at Phoenix College I was so surprised that they already made the posters along with some other posters taken at the same day. I was just there waiting for her in the lobby when I spotted this poster of me and Gerald. It was a while before I took a picture of this because I always forgot my camera. The best thing that they like of this picture is Gerald was holding the book. They encourage student to read books to build up their vocabularies and reading comprehension. as for me...I don't like reading everyday...I am not a reader at all. But I tried :-). I should do more reading everyday.