Please keep on praying!

Dear friends,

Our precious Vitoria is stable - how I would like to say she is pretty well, but how important is to thank she is slowly overcoming huge challenges.

She had an urinary infection caused by a bacteria that began attacking her body and settled in the lungs, her body went into septic shock - she went to the ICU very serious, very, very close to death because due to shock her circulation was poor and doctors could not find a venous access for starting medication.

We lived days of extreme anxiety, panic and despair seeing her suffer, intubated, sedated and receiving many drugs. We prayed and prayed but it was impossible to have peace seeing her so bad, pale and prostrate.

The infection is already being controlled, and now her body is slowly returning to equilibrium. Her blood sugar was very decompensated, a consequence of generalized infection, and had to receive insuline. She needs to be aspirated because of pneumonia and was very agitated, so we asked that she could be kept sedated.

This morning the doctor on duty said again that her condition is extremely serious and there are still risks.
We know this very well and during all these days we have been in many tears and anxiety.

But now, on the third day of antibiotic she is much better, she is no longer sedated and is next to leave the respirator! The medications that are helping to pressure and circulation are also slowly being reduced. She is having a good answer to all treatment and now in afternoon the doctor said everything indicates next days will be much calmer and better for her.

The surgeon who put the central catheter also evaluated her today and said that she improved 500%!

Today she could take a bed bath with soap and water and was much quieter! What a relief to see her feeling better! We can only be at peace seeing that she is fine. 

We thank immensely all prayers and we keep on asking God the best for our precious beloved Vitoria.

Prayers for Vitoria

I ask all our friends around the world that have followed with caring the story of our precious little girl Vitoria that pray for her. On thursday at 5 am she woke up crying a lot and after some time we realized she was cyanotic (face and hands were getting purple). We took her to hospital and an urinary infection was seen. She was hospitalized but they could not puncture a venous access to give her medications even after several attempts.

On evening we realized she was getting really bad and so pediatricians have found that she was in a septic shock. Blood flow was focused to vital organs greatly reducing the peripheral circulation and impeding the puncture of a venous access. She went to ICU in a very serious condition and we went through hours of great anxiety and prayer that something could be done for her.

They called a surgeon to make a central catheter and finally she could then receive serum and antibiotics. They found that the bacteria also reached the lungs causing pneumonia in only a few hours.

She had to be intubated and sedated and receiving multiple medications. Thank God the pneumonia is already regressing and she had an amazing surprisingly response in just 24 hours of antibiotics - the answer usually comes only after 48 hours of treatment. Now her condition is stable, but she is still so impaired and needing all possible support until her body can fight off infection.

We talked to her saying how much we love her and would like to keep on taking care of her here on earth, and prayed God how much we love her and want so much that she can live and spend more unforgetable days with us. She belongs to Him and He is in control of her life.

She is in an very good hospital in a room were we can spend 24 hours a day with her.

It's been very painful to see her so weak since three days ago she was at home so well.

We remain in constant prayer.

Joy

When the Lord made a change in Zion's fate, we were like men in a dream. Then our mouths were full of laughing, and our tongues gave a glad cry; they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us; because of which we are glad. Let our fate be changed, O Lord, like the streams in the South. Those who put in seed with weeping will get in the grain with cries of joy. Though a man may go out weeping, taking his vessel of seed with him; he will come again in joy, with the corded stems of grain in his arms. Psalm 126

Our dear Vitoria is going well! We had a week kind of hard because of teeth but I think she's getting used to it and facing so bravely the growth of the dreaded molars.

Despite the spring, the weather here is kind of cold, when Vitoria just loves to take a nice hot bath. She gets very relaxed and smiles to us. She enjoys the moment we clean her face with a cotton and also the time to use shampoo. We massage her scalp and she smiles a lot. Well, who doesn't like a good massage and a hot bath, isn't it?

Amazing photos

 Give me, your servant, the reward of life, so that I may keep your word;
Let my eyes be open to see the wonders of your law.
I am living in a strange land: do not let your teachings be kept secret from me.
My soul is broken with desire for your decisions at all times.
Salmos 119:17-20

I was delighted with the way I found her hands

and the pacifier...

 

 

be careful, I already have six teeth!

Mom, I don't like this seat belt holding me back...

uaaaahh!!!

I want out!

Relieved after I took her and then put her back in the stroller without the belt

her occupational therapist explained that it is important to use the belt on the stroller to improve her posture through proprioception - the sense of her own body.

She is still getting used to the idea

 I put the teddy bear in her hand and she was holding it for a while!

Children´s Day

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Matthew 19:13-15

On October 12th we celebrate Children´s day in Brazil. It is a special day when children receive gifts and there are also parties with lots of toys and fun activities for them (at schools, churches, etc)

It is also a day to remember children´s rights and to fight so that all their rights may be respected. It is a basic right that every child must have safety and special care before and after birth.

We thank God for spend this Children's Day with our beloved Vitoria.

We spent a quiet day at home, but there was present and lots of fun. Check it out:

She won a strawberry-shaped house full of balls!

We also thank God for another month which was completed this week with our little girl! 21 months of life outside the womb.

Each day is a gift we do not deserve and for which we thank so much. We want to make every second worth it, loving her with all our hearts and showing everyone how precious the life of every child is, no matter how long he/she can live or how many disabilities he/she may have. It is worth loving and wait!

Congratulations beloved Victoria, you are the most precious treasure that we received from God in this life!

She was having very good days, and eating much better. But yesterday she woke up VERY upset. Three days ago a big molar began to tear the gums (the upper right), and yesterday another molar also began to appear (the upper left). As theese teeth are big, it is very painful and she is crying and complaining a lot.
We hope she feels better soon.

 

Fabio Gabriel: overcoming challenges

http://fabiogabrieldedeus.blogspot.com/

Here are some recent photos of Fabio Gabriel! As a reminder, he is a baby who received the diagnosis of acrania during pregnancy and after birth he was also diagnosed with anencephaly. But different from what medical literature and statistics say about this malformations, he was born alive, began to breathe and is almost six months old, exceeding expectations and overcoming challenges.

He and his parents live in Barbacena, Minas Gerais (a state in southeastern of Brazil, near to Sao Paulo). Fernanda recently created a blog to share Fábio Gabriel´s story (in portuguese), describing all the joy and love for her son's life. http://fabiogabrieldedeus.blogspot.com/

When Fabio Gabriel was already at home, Fernanda and Fabio learned that, after he was born, on April, 8th, 2011, at 1:30 pm, he was left in a small room of 1 meter by 1 meter, with little light without milk and without the love that his family wanted so much to give him. Doctors were wainting for his death, since he had been "scheduled" for 2 hours of life. As he was still alive, at 6 pm he received milk through a feeding tube and also received serum and antibiotics through an umbilical catheter.

Fabio Gabriel with his mother, when he was born (April, 8th, 2011)

Fabio Gabriel stayed 12 days with Fernanda in the hospital, when he received treatment with antibiotics. He was able to breastfeed for a week, but he got very tired and, for his comfort, he started to be fed by a feeding tube. After twelve days he could go home.

His parents had considered the possibility of doing his surgery (reconstruction of the skull with skin) in July, but the preoperative exams indicated a heart risk, and they decided to wait, since he was doing very well.

Fabinho started to receive a small daily dose of antibiotics to prevent infection. He also had to go to hospital to receive ferrous sulfate in the vein once a week for five weeks for treatment of anemia, because he was rejecting this medication orally. Thank God he always had a good answer to every treatment and care he received.

Recently, he began physical therapy and speech therapy at home, and was able to remove the feeding tube. Now he's nursing all the milk in a bottle! In physical therapy he is also having progress, he can sustain his head better and can lift it when in prone position. He just wants to sleep in parents' bed and during the day he wants to stay in his mother´s lap all the time. More evidences of how he feels and answers all love he receives from his family.

Like us, Fernanda and her husband Fabio have also faced challenges in search of competent, ethical and empowered dotors, that respect Fabio Gabriel´s life and give him the same treatment that every child is entitled, regardless of disability or malformation. The right to fight for life, receiving stimuli, care and dignity.

The last few weeks, Fabio Gabriel began to have an accumulation of liquor in a region of his opening in head, and his neurosurgeon said that now they can not wait more: it is necessary to do the surgery soon because he is running too many risks. But the anesthesiologists evaluated that it is too risky to submit him to general anesthesia.

Along with Fernanda and Fabio, we are praying and asking God to direct them and doctors on the better way to take care of Fabio Gabriel and operate him. May He continue protecting his life, which was received by his parents with gratitude and joy.

We also ask prayers for you all.

Seeing the huge smile on Fernanda and Fabio's face, I realize that there is no need to describe all their joy in loving and taking care of Fabio Gabriel. May God bless them and guide them to always do the best for their little angel.

two months old

http://fabiogabrieldedeus.blogspot.com/

Fabio Gabriel three months old



with his aunty Ana Luísa

Fábio Gabriel (five months old) with his speech therapist Elisa

She is very dedicated and has great affection for him