We received this from Othello's Mom. It's Great news.
 

Jim,

 

    I am glad to have come across your site. I would like to share my sons story with you and every one else.

 

    Othello was diagnosed with gastroschisis when I was 16 weeks pregnant. We were told this happens in about one in 30,000 children, it is usually the first born and the mothers are usually under 20!! Well, Othello was baby #2 and I was a couple of years past 20..(maybe I should have played the lottery). The doctors said that 95% of the time the children have their guts placed back inside and everything works out just fine.

    Little Othello had to be different though. On June 23 2002, just 30 minutes after he was born by emergency c-section at 33 weeks, Othello was in surgery. The surgeons placed his bowels back in him and sutured him up. They explained to us that all the intestines had been strangled and were dead. But, to give Othello some sort of chance, they put them inside to see if any would rejuvenate. Five days later, they went back in. Othello came out of surgery with no large intestine, almost no small intestine, and a central line. We were told to expect him not to get out of the hospital for 6 months or so, if he even got out at all. During the course of his stay in the NICU, Othello had a few more surgeries to replace his central line. (Which had become infected once and pulled out another.) We also found out a few weeks into this whole situation that he has hydronephrosis. We were not aware that he has a problem with his kidney, they did not tell us at first. But now we know and have to keep that under careful watch too.

    At about 2 months, Othello was moved out of the nicu into the Children's hospital. We could finally stay with him and not leave every time the nurses had to do a procedure on him or another child. While in the children's hospital, we had a few scares. One that stands out was when a nurse neglected to Hep-lock his central line after a procedure. Othello developed a clot in his line, that with some medicines should dissolve in a couple of hours. about  16 hours later it finally unclotted. (The doctors and nurses actually cheered and danced around.) Othello then had to undergo yet another surgery. This time he was given a G-tube (since he liked to pull out his ng tube so much.) and his central line was replaced (yes again.)

    On September 6, 2002, Othello came home!!! (Not nearly the 6 months anticipated). Now he is on TPN 17 hours a day and continuous feeds at 8ccs an hour for 20 hours a day. This makes for long hours at home. But, better here than at the hospital. When we do go out to doctors appointments and such, we get to lug around a couple of pumps, many changes of clothing and diapers, dressing change kits, etc....(since Othello likes to projectile vomit and has constant diarrhea.)

    Othello has been jaundiced since he was born, and now he is starting to turn a lovely shade of green (note sarcasm.) The GI doctors say his liver enzymes and bilyrubin are WAY up. We are in the process of setting up evaluations with the children's hospital in Miami. Hopefully he will be able to receive an intestine transplant before his liver gets too bad. We are hoping he doesn't have to get a liver transplant in addition. We are hopeful.

    Luckily for Othello, his brother Sebastian, his daddy and myself, we have an amazing emotional support system with out families. They are helping to keep us "sane". But, it is always comforting that others know exactly what you are experiencing and can offer a little advice, support & understanding.

    Othello is pretty well known amongst the staff at the Nemours clinic and Wolfson's hospital here. He has even been referred to as a little zebra. He is a little tough guy! We will keep you updated and let you all know how things are going!!!!