Thank you

Yes, everyone knows that our sweet son Mert passed away on July 14, 2006, Friday evening. We have been waiting him for 6 years but he was here for only 3 days. Everything was so quick. I can’t tell certainly, this is such sorrowful, devastating... Especially, Emel’s situation hurts my heart. You know, everything was hopeful. But our baby’s lungs couldn’t work. God took our precious baby, we don’t have any right to complain. Because he is the Creator, and we believe, this life is examination only. But we don’t know yet how we can deal with that. Sorry, I can’t write more.

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed, called and wrote messages, comments. You are wonderful people who remember us on the worst days of our lives.

Aytekin.

Ahmet Mert is in the Heaven

Tears,only tears...No words to tell now, sorry.

After the surgery

Thanks to everyone. So far, we have benefited from your prayers so much. We need them really. We’re sure, Mert thanks to all of you too. Surgery is over. It has taken about one hour. I talked to Dr. Arda, when he went out from the operation room. He said that surgery was good. Intestines, stomach and spleen were up. But the lobe of liver was in its proper place. There wasn’t any lack of tissue in his diaphragma, therefore patch was not being used. Because of rigidity on belly, he will have some discomforts following days. Dr. Arda also said that the first 72 hours are critical for him.

Prayers for all CDH babies and their families.

P.S. Mert says, he loves his aunt Esra in Germany and says he will play with his cousin who will come on February, 2007!

Love,
Emel and Aytekin.

Surgery has just started!

It's 03:15 pm and we learned that surgery started. Now, we are praying for Mert, our precious baby boy. Please pray for him.

Love,
Emel and Aytekin.

Surgery is today

Everthing goes quickly. We talked to Dr. Arda, he said that he planned surgery today. Then we have seen Mert again. We are waiting, praying and looking at following pictures. Please pray for him.

Love,
Aytekin.

Quick update

Hi. I slept only 2 hours at previous night. Sorry for late update. As you estimated, we are very happy. Because finally our first child was born after the waiting time of nearly 6 years. He was born at Baskent Hospital on Tuesday, July 11th, 2006 at 10:30am (GMT+2). He weighed about 6 pounds, 13 ounces (about 3 kg.) But they didn’t say his lenght! He was born at the term of 39 weeks (before 7 days from EDD) with normal birth. Emel got Epidural and she said it was not too hard.

After delivery, they announced my name and we went to Emel’s room and there was a crib but it was empty. In a short time, I saw Dr. Eroglu in corridor, she said that delivery and mother was good. Nurses said that the baby had been taken to the intensive care unit because he was not breathing so well! We had empty arms and had no news about him. We just waited even without speaking. It was 13:00, I begged again for seeing our baby. I was at NICU, for only 1-2 minutes and I took two pictures. Then a doctor came, he said that the values dropped down. During rushed seconds, I found myself outside. Emel saw him about 8 hours later.

NICU’s rules are so hard! I don’t think, we can see our precious baby so much. Emel is going out from hospital today.

Pediatric Surgeon, Dr. Arda said that Mert’s condition was good, all things are expectant nothing extra for now. He is on High Frequency Oscillation Ventilator and carbondioxide value is some high. Dr. Arda also said surgery can be within 1 or 2 days!

I had to go out now. Thanks for all prayers, messages, thoughts, feeling and all positive things for our baby. Please go on. Journey has just started for us. Please keep your prayers for Mert and all CDH babies.

Prayers, love.
Aytekin.

Here is the first picture!

Baby Mert is here! It's the first picture of him. I am home for only few minutes. I will write the happenings later.Thanks for all prayers.

Love,
Aytekin.

Only hours away

It's 10:15 pm here. Emel and her mother are at the hospital now. I made formal papers and they have settled in the special room. I and my sister have just come home. We will go to there around at 05:00 am. My sister will take mother-in-law's place. It is just chance that Dr. Eroglu is on-duty at this night. When we were going out, she said to me "don't worry, everything will be ok!"

It's strange and unbelievable! We are only hours away from meeting our first baby. As if I have forgotten that after these hours, his fight for life will start as well. I just feel, we need more prayers.

Love,
Aytekin.

The countdown ends

We have gone through standard medical examination at the hospital for the last, before the birth. Dr. Eroglu reserved a hospital room for us. She wanted us to come to hospital and to make formal procedures at about 6:00 pm, on Monday. They will give medicine to Emel at around 05:00 am on Tuesday and they’re planning labour on Tuesday morning or noon. (For the time difference, I think, it will be night or early morning in the USA.) Please keep us in your prayers that day.

Love,
Aytekin.

New Plan: This Tuesday

We have just come home from the hospital. I drove Emel to hospital at the morning, Dr. Eroglu took us NST room. After 15-20 minute, I suspected something was wrong because of nurse and doctor’s flurried behaviours. I learned, Baby Mert was sleeping and not moving. They gave an awful voice and woke him up, then he started move and didn’t stop anymore. I think, he started to be bored of hospital adventures but unfortunately it is not even time to kick off the game yet.

We came home and went to hospital afternoon again! Because there was Breast-Feeding Program, I surprised that Emel wanted to join the lesson. She had given up joining the same course when they arranged before.

As doctor informed us, Emel will be admitted to hospital for a stay at Monday evening and then they will give medicine to her for inducing labour. And it is most likely Baby Mert is coming on Tuesday, July 11th, morning or around noon!

Congratulations to Baby Audrey’s family. Because she is home. Two months after her birth, she has come home like a real princess. We share happiness of Miller Family and they gave us big hope.

Baby Jackson lived reherniation, but after second surgery he continued his good way and hopefully he will soon finish hospital days. He is such a sweet baby!

We follow precious baby Sofia’s progress at home. She is doing very well, but her mom, Catherine has some health issues. We wish her speedy recovery.

We’re praying for all CDH babies, Angels and their wonderful families. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Aytekin.

Only one week

At the weekend, my mom, Aytekin’s sister and her two cute children (8 and 11 aged) have come from Kayseri. Aytekin’s mother and father are just here. Our home is a crowded waiting room nowadays. We all are excited and anxious.

Previous day, we took two e-mails from far away. One was from Carole, mom of Baby Joseph and the other was from a Turkish doctor in USA who is one of Carole’s doctors. We have learned from this so kind doctor that there were ECMO in Istanbul American Hospital. In his mail, doctor wanted us to ask for ECMO there and he also said it has been used for aim of treatment cardiac patients. We searched and learned that there is no ECMO which is used for CDH babies in Turkey.

We went to hospital for appointment in this morning and after NST, we talked about delivery time again. Next control is on Thursday. We strongly think, the last decision is that induction will be on Monday, July 10 (8 days before EDD).

Millions thanks to you for prayers, thoughts, comments and we're praying for all of you.

Love,
Emel.

A bit early yet. Good Surgeon!

We had great chance to talk to pediatric surgeon on the previous day. That was second conversation from the diagnosis. The first talk was good and that was the better. He really impressed us. I sure he is a good surgeon, doing the best he could and researcher for developments about CDH. He was ready to answering our all questions whatever they were.

We asked first about early labour planned on Monday. He said there was a demand coming from principal of NICU but after my e-mail, no one was persistant anymore. Previous week, We had taken some e-mails about remaining babies with CDH in the womb close to estimated date of delivery. He said that he printed my e-mail and sent to principal of NICU. We talked about especially warnings in the Sheri’s posting. Baby Jaxtyn’s mom, Sheri is a very strong woman had 3 CDH babies, despite the less than 2% chance of re-occuring. Pediatric Surgeon, Dr. I. Serdar Arda agree with the opinion that the longer stay in the womb would may be better. But anyway, planned induction will be clearly good for our baby. Our home is far from hospital about 20 km. and travel time may extend to 1 hour sometimes because of heavy traffic at rush hours.

Then he talked about Baby Kaya who previously passed away on 20th day of his life. He said that Baby Kaya had been transferred from another hospital to Baskent Hospital lately and a lot of time lasted for diagnosis until coming to surgery section. The baby had very severe, right sided CDH. Despite all negativeness, Dr. Arda said he could overcome his pulmonary hypertension! As well as, he said the baby was a candidate for ECMO in a certain. And the other CDH baby from Konya is now at 25 or 26 weeks pregnancy. We have most greatly wished that Baskent Hospital would have an ECMO immediately.

Our OB/JYN Dr. F. Yanik will be on vacation this week. We have an appointment with Dr. D. Eroglu on this monday morning early. We will talk about delivery date again with her but as far as we're concerned, it will be good that planned delivery should be at the 40th week of the gestation. This time is between July 11 and July 15 (EDD is July 18). And sorry for not showing Baby Mert’s photos, yet! But we promise, we will take a lot of pictures for you soon, if everything goes well.

We asked about C-section or normal delivery. Dr. Arda told us differences of them and said that we may prefer Caesarean but if we want to normal delivery, we must consent to being transferred to C–section in case of any abnormality when necessary at that time. He notified that, for now, normal delivery was being preferred in CDH but according to last some research pulmonary hypertension might be triggered as a result of stress during normal delivery, which is just fresh in the lots of studies.

As result, Dr. Arda said, doctors and us depend on Baby Mert! They will be ready for coming Mert whenever he will. And he let us feel our decisions were important. We relieved so much when we heard these sayings. He also said we can call him 24/7.

We thank for your prayers, supportive thoughts and all postings. Especially, to “Breath of Hope” yahoo group members, to Sheri and to Lisa (mom of Baby Owain). Our prayer list is full of your names everyday. Please keep us and all CDH babies in your prayers.

Aytekin and Emel.