[tri-med] Re: Anthony Emmanuel Arritola (t13) UPDATE

So great to hear that Anthony is out of surgery and seemingly on his way to
recovery!!

Hang in there Anthony and keep up the good work!

Ruth, wife to Rudy, mom to Brendon (20), Scott (18), Joshua (14), Matthew
Rudy
(full T18, born 09/13/01, Rudy Matthew (born 08/13/04)...and new little
peanut due 08/23/06.
http://members.cox.net/t18mom

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of
trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and
success achieved. ~Helen Keller

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tri-med-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:tri-med-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Janina Arritola
> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 9:35 AM
> To: 'Janina Arritola'; tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; tri-family@xxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> requests@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: 'Stacy Simpson Assaf'; art_e@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> eveleigh4@xxxxxxxxxxx; hhadarits@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
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> placesga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; jeaton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 'Karen & Rich';
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> 'Lucia Eyzaguirre'; 'Mirel Schmidt'; Nina_Leonard@xxxxxxxx; 'Olga
> Galassi'; kpchiver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; 'Ray Gregory'; 'Richard Tyler'; 'Rick
> Aritola'; 'Shannon Erbs'; Gaubert3@xxxxxxx; saemrick@xxxxxxx; 'tarissa
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> revministrylove06@xxxxxxxxx; fisc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; zmullers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> 'Twinker Mason'
> Subject: [tri-med] Anthony Emmanuel Arritola (t13) UPDATE
>
>
> SATURDAY 6:00 AM (EST)
> May 20, 2006
> DAY 15
>
> Thank you all for your faith-filled prayers.
> Anthony's latest surgery (correction of both inguinal hernias and an
> orchiopexy for his cryptorchidism) this past Wednesday went well.
> Coming out of surgery this time, Anthony looked different.  Perhaps he
> was finally ALL fixed up, perhaps the cramping and pain had finally
> departed or perhaps it was the fact his testes were finally resting in
> his scrotum sack for the first time!!!
>
> Either way, he had a type of confidence on his face that was so peaceful
> and gently beyond perplexing.
>
> WHEW!!!  I am hopeful we are on our downward swing of this
> hospitalization.  Before we started this, our concern was him being able
> to withstand a long period of anesthesia.  Three days before his
> surgery, in our anesthesia pre-op visit, our surgeon collaborated with
> the chief of anesthesia regarding our concerns for our Trisomy 13 son
> with a heart condition to withstand anesthesia.  Her response was that
> what I was told by earlier physicians was "nothing more than folklore"!
> With a better confidence, and without trying to hold a grudge to those
> earlier physicians, we went forward with surgery and to our amazement;
> Anthony did just fine with Anesthesia and the ventilator.  He did not
> show any signs of becoming ventilator dependent.
>
> But a few surprises were hiding from us; We were not expecting to have
> to go back for emergency exploratory surgery on Day 3 and we were not
> expecting that exploration to turn into a full abdominal surgery (MAJOR
> SURGERY).  Then finally healing, Anthony still had problems.  We found
> ourselves facing possible emergent surgery again on Day 11 but it was
> withheld until this past Wednesday (Day 12).
>
> Each surgery, Anthony did well with anesthesia and the ventilator and
> was extubated without issue.  THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR BLESSINGS.
>
> Hopefully, Anthony can recover from these wounds (11 surgical incisions)
> and with prayer, love, rest and nutrition, he will recover.  His abdomen
> is very tiny and the incision going across his belly connecting his
> G-Tube to his stoma is the most inflamed and in most critical care of
> healing for now.  It gets tugged every time we pick him up or sit him up
> and this grieves him so.
>
> For now, we are trying to restart his digestive tract and this can take
> a few days to a week to get him back to working properly.  He has a
> central line for nutrition and as we get the G-tube working and his
> swallow reflex back ...he should be on the path to receiving his own
> nutrition.  Though healing can be slow - we are hopeful for a full
> recovery in the proper time.
>
> Thank you all for your support in this journey that seems to be going
> epic.  Bless you all for your love, support, laughter and prayers.
>
> With Love and endurance through Christ,
>
> Janina and Rick Arritola
> Parents and step parents to Tray Gregory (10 yrs), James-Christian
> Gregory (9 yrs), Lorenzo Arritola (9 yrs) and Anthony-Emmanuel Arritola
> (10 months) Visit us online at: http://gregoryarritola.tripod.com
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Subject: Recovery Lingers for Anthony Arritola, T13 Survivor
>
> TUESDAY 6:00 AM (EST)  May 16, 2006
>
> (WARNING: Some details are not for those with a weak stomach!)
>
> Anthony remains in the cardiac step down unit and obstacles to his
> recovery continue to impede his recovery ... I have to keep telling
> myself ... that if he hadn't come in for surgery 12 days ago ... he
> would have most likely past away at home from the incarcerated Meckel's
> Diverticulum.  All the symptoms were similar to what we had been dealing
> with on and off with his feeding difficulties.
>
> Anthony's digestive system stopped after one of his inguinal hernias
> incarcerated.  The digestive tract is still on "stop" and we are on day
> four of suctioning his tummy contents.  What does this mean?  It is
> causing all intestinal juices to backflow into his tummy and is putting
> additional pressure on the open wound from his original G-tube surgery
> site.  I can't imagine how this would have impacted him without a G-tube
> ... I suppose vomiting and aspiration (and even upper respiratory
> issues) might have been added to the list of issues but thankfully this
> icky stuff can be suctioned out through the stomach G-tube site.  The GI
> doc will probably do an upper GI to see what is causing a longer than
> normal delay to this obstacle or to see if he has a blockage.
>
> The stitches across his abdomen are finally healing well except for the
> area under the pectin on the ostomy bag for the stoma site.  Incisions
> in the area under this pectin site are now open.  The inflamed tissue
> could not hold the stitches when additional fluid built up and ripped
> causing wide holes in his incision areas.  They are ugly sites and for a
> mom who is typically strong ... this was too much for me to see.  No mom
> should have to see the inside the peritoneum cavity of their child.  My
> little Anthony looks so broken and my heart aches for him.
>
> Adding further complications his once dormant hernia popped out last
> weekend and had to be manipulated back in place (three separate times) -
> causing its own set of complications.  These inguinal hernias may be
> sending him back to the operating room this week although we are unable
> to think about this step until cardiology signs off on his arrhythmia
> and breathing issues that began occurring on Mothers Day.  They did an
> echo and I am waiting to talk to a doc regarding how well his heart
> issues are handling this additional week of stressors.
>
> In short, Anthony remains in the hospital recuperating from issues
> unrelated to the original surgeries that went well on Day 1.  It is a
> blessing that we found a lethal anomaly through exploratory surgery on
> Day 3.  It is a test of so many things to endure this healing process
> and see Anthony so broken and have so many "potentially" life
> threatening hurdles remaining on Day 12.
>
> We are so much in need of your prayers and our family thanks you for
> your continued support.  For those of you who have or are bringing our
> family meals - THANK YOU.  For those of you who have signed our guest
> book - THANK YOU.  For those of you who call - THANK YOU.  For those of
> you who pray for us - BLESSINGS AND ETERNAL PEACE TO YOU.
>
>
> With Love and endurance through Christ,
>
> Janina and Rick Arritola
> Parents and step parents to Tray Gregory - 10 years, James Christian
> Gregory - 9 years, Lorenzo Arritola - 9 year and Anthony Arritola - 10
> months.
> http://gregoryarritola.tripod.com
>  - Please visit our website for weekly updates on Anthony's situation.
> Please feel free to add your prayer to our guest book.  Your prayers,
> thoughts and love fill our hearts.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janina Arritola [mailto:JaninaArritola@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 10:01 AM
> Subject: RE: Surgical Recovery Update for Anthony Arritola, T13 Survivor
>
> SUNDAY 9:00 AM (EST) May 8, 2006
>
> Anthony's tummy remains distended, thought to be due to the handling of
> the bowel and is expected to go down in a couple of days.  They will try
> to extubate (take him off the ventilator) today and I am on my way there
> to be there when he becomes aware.  Since his eye is a few days healing,
> I am anxious to see if he will see me again :)  He will stay in the PICU
> for most of this week and we may be moved into a regular room later this
> week so we can try to start his feedings.  His bowels will probably not
> be working for at least four or so days ... but when they do ... we
> start feedings again :)
>
> God Bless you all for your faith-filled prayers,
>
> Janina Arritola
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> For those of you following the events of complications following surgery
> (after the initial 4 procedure surgery on Friday that went well):
>
> Anthony is beginning to stabilize ... fever reducing.  He had 40% of his
> large intestine removed today along with about 4+/- inches of his small
> intestine.  Apparently, the Meckel's Diverticulum had banded around the
> large intestine and cut off the circulation thus causing the right side
> of his bowel to die from lack of blood supply.
>
> The distended belly was from air being swallowed by Anthony (due to
> being on a ventilator) from the new incision made by the G-tube
> placement in Fridays surgery.  If the G-tube surgery had not occurred
> and air had not been swallowed, this would have never been found and
> Anthony would most likely have died in his sleep this weekend from an
> incarcerated bowel.
>
> I am thankful this occurred when Anthony was being monitored in the ICU.
> Meckel's Diverticulum is a congenital deformity, meaning he was born
> with it and was not caused by anything the surgeons did on Friday.
>
> I am tired, worn out and yet still full of emotions, unable to sleep!!!
> Go figure?!
>
> Thank you all for your continued prayers as recovery will be long.
>
> God Bless you all,
>
> Janina Arritola
> http://gregoryarritola.tripod.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> Surgeon just called from the middle of surgery (Sunday 1:40 PM):
>
> Anthony has "Meckel's Diverticulum", a congenital anomaly where his
> small intestine has twisted and died, thus causing his further illness.
> Here is a site to explain it:
> http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000215/1037.html
>
> He is having this portion of his right intestine removed and will have a
> temporary ileostomy (http://www.uoa.org/ostomy_facts_ileostomy.htm )
> until the tissues can heal but will require additional surgery in a few
> months to reconnect his healed tissues.  This treatment, along with his
> G-tube and Fundoplication will help significantly with Anthony's
> malnutrition issues we have been facing lately.
>
> Thank you for your continues prayers and as always, we will try to keep
> our website updated to answer more questions... Anthony is in for a long
> recovery and we appreciate your continued prayers.
>
> In peace and Love,
>
> Janina Arritola
> http://gregoryarritola.tripod.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----SUNDAY 11:00 AM (EST) May 7, 2006----------
>
> While Anthony's surgery on Friday went well, his recovery is taking a
> nosedive.  His belly is distended and continues to grow with air.  He is
> going back to surgery immediately (at about 11:00 am EST) to try to find
> the cause, potentially a perforated bowel or problem with the G-tubes
> pulling air from the ventilator.  They will try laparoscopy first but if
> the bowel is too swollen and they cannot see, he will be have 3 inch cut
> made into his abdomen so as to pull the bowel out for physical exam.
> Anthony does have a fever, continues to breathe rapidly and doing
> nothing is not an option.
>
> Please pray for ALL OF US as we are thanking God for His will yet
> longing to hold our happy son again.
>
> Go to our site for more info and updates:
> http://gregoryarritola.tripod.com
>
>
>
>                   Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                        www.trisomyonline.org
>                   Families Helping Families On-line
>

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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