Team Travis: We are asking for your help.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

We are asking for your help.

Hello Everyone,

It's never easy to have to ask for help...especially financial help. However, you all know about our baby's congenital heart defect. Although Roger and I are extremely blessed with a nice home, good jobs, and great insurance, there are numerous expenses we are looking at with the birth of Travis. The first, and most pressing, is the banking of Travis' cord blood (please see post below). Secondly, we are unsure how long I will have to be off work and this, combined with the fees of traveling and lodging during Travis' hospital stays are a huge financial burden for us.

Any donations will be very helpful. We know times are tough but if you wish donate to Travis' medical expenses and be part of this special little man's life, you can click on the donate button on the top right of our website or go to any Chase Bank with the information in the post below. All donations will be used for medical bills and expenses directly related to Travis health. Your donation will be kept private and no one will ever hear about it except Travis, Roger and I. Your generosity and help are greatly appreciated. Do not feel obligated to give, we love you no matter what.

Sincerely,

Nicole and Roger DiCarlo

No comments:

Post a Comment

Travis Gary DiCarlo

Travis Gary DiCarlo, first son of Roger and Nicole DiCarlo, was born at San Diego Kaiser Hospital, October 23, 2009 with a Congenital Heart Defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, or HLHS. The short explanation is that Travis was born with only half of a heart. In order for him to live, a series of three operations were planned.

Due to an infection, Travis had to have an additional open heart surgery to insert pulmonary artery bands on October 29, 2009. He had his Norwood Surgery on November 21, 2009. He was sent home on December 14, 2009 from Rady's Children Hospital of San Diego after spending his first 52 nights of life in the hospital.

After being home for several months, Travis was due to for his next surgery in the plan, the Glenn procedure. But the life of a cardiac kid can change in an instant and life doesn't always go as planned. Due to the anatomy of his heart and some rhythm issues, Travis had what the surgeons called Norwood part 2. They replaced his Sano Shunt with a bigger one, enlarged his pulmonary arteries and installed a pacemaker. This surgery was performed on May 3, 2010. Travis went home on May 17th, 2010.

Around Travis' first birthday in October his cardiologist detected some narrowing in his pulmonary artery and ordered a heart cath. The heart cath showed extensive narrowing in his aorta and his pulmonary artery. On February 17, 2011 Travis had his 4th open heart surgery. He was doing well with recovery until he suddenly went into cardiac arrest on Friday (2/18). After two hours of CPR Travis was placed on ECMO (a heart/lung bypass). Although his heart did begin to beat again on its own, his brain was damaged during the whole ordeal and he lost all brain function. We had to say goodbye to our beautiful boy on Saturday, February 19th. We miss our boy terribly.....