Haiti
Latest News
Adriano Update 8/1/10
Adriano recovering in the hospital bed, now with no tubes!
Adriano, the 7 month old Haitian we've been reporting on can no longer be described as having a "fatally defective heart." Thanks to Tenet Health Services' St. Christopher's Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, with particular thanks to Dr. Achintya Moulick, Adriano's cardiac surgeon, Adriano now has a perfectly healthy, functioning heart. After 7 hours in surgery on July 29, Dr. Moulick reported that he had successfully repaired the hole in Adriano's heart, repaired the leaky valves, the narrowing of his pulmonary vein and reattached the malformed support structures within the heart. Dr. Moulick reported that Adriano's heart had been functioning at less than 10% of normal and would now likely reach 100% efficiency!
As of today, all his tubes have been removed, he's eating robustly, is in minimal discomfort and making outstanding progress (there are even rumors circulating of pending visits by NFL scouts). None of this would have been possible (in fact, he'd likely be dead by now) without your donations to bring him here, the love and generosity of his host family Jeff and Diane Rose in Philadelphia, and the incredible charity extended on his behalf by Tenet, its physicians, nurses and staff.
Independence Day Update
Islove is diagnosed by a doctor via Skype
It's July 4, 2010 and we have great news to report on the children we met in Haiti. Islove, the beautiful 10 year old who was diagnosed, via Skype on the internet, as suffering from Guillian Barre Syndrome has received the medication generously provided by Tenet hospital and staff members, and is again walking and receiving additional physical therapy to assure the maximum recovery. Remember, before Covenant Children, Inc. found her, the doctor who saw her advised her case was hopeless and she was doomed. That wasn't an acceptable prognosis for this young woman and, with the help of Covenant Children, Inc., Tenet Healthcare Services and their wonderful staff, that prognosis has been reversed.
Ardith cuddling with Adriano in the hospital in Philadelphia
Adriano, the 7 month old with the fatally defective heart, is in Philadelphia. He's had a cardiac catheterization to confirm his condition is operable and he'll have his surgery the second week of July, after which he's expected to make a complete recovery. Then he can enter the care of his host family, Jeff and Diane Rose. However, we're not sure he'll want to return to his mother: you see, he's being hosted here by an extraordinary family that has taken him to heart. In fact, when he was in the hospital for the initial evaluation, they took shifts so they would be with him 24 hours per day. Remember, he's in one of the best children's hospitals in the northeast, Tenet's St. Christopher's Children's Hospital and was in a room less than 10 feet from the nurses' station, but this amazing host family nonetheless would not leave his side. While waiting for his operation, which will be performed by Achintya Moulick, M.D., the cardiothoracic surgeon there, they took him home to "fatten him up" (remember, his heart problem, combined with the horrific conditions in Haiti, had left him, at 6 months old, weighing only 7 pounds). The photos below show how he is being treated here, though the word "royally" would sum it up.
Baby Marck, the boy who was born blind, has had his first surgery at Cardinal Glennan Children's Hospital in St. Louis, and can now see, and can soon be cared for by his host family of Melissa and Jeff Warrender. Sean Edelstein, M.D., Assistant Professor, Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery Department of Ophthalmology Saint Louis University School of Medicine performed the somewhat complicated surgery of transplanting a cornea and performing cataract surgery on Marck's right eye. He's now recuperating at home with this wonderful host family and in the next few weeks will have his second surgery. Imagine: blind from birth and suddenly the world is opened to you. It's an extraordinary gift to this young man.
We're grateful that your generous donations to Covenant Children, Inc. allowed us to make all the arrangements and to be an integral part of these life changing stories. Thanks to each of you and special thanks to the host families and to the physicians, hospitals and staffs that have donated so incredibly generously for the welfare of these children.
Also read about Baby Marck, who was cured of blindness.