Baby Aiden's Journey

Aiden Lee is due in February! Just like many new parents, Lisa and Cory are feeling excited, nervous, and anxious to meet their baby boy.  On top of the normal first time parent concerns, Lisa and Cory are now feeling worried.  During a typical 20 week ultrasound, doctors discovered a birth defect called Omphalocele.  


Omphalocele is a rare birth defect which causes the babies intestines, liver, and sometimes other organs to remain outside of the abdomen because of a defect in the development of the muscles of the abdominal wall.  

The severity of the defect will not be known until the baby arrives. As seen on ultra sounds, the doctors believe that Baby Aiden has a Giant Omphalocele defect. His organs, including liver, intestine, and bowel, are currently growing outside of his body, in a sac.  He may need multiple surgeries and a lengthly process called “Paint and Wait” is  likely.  Aiden's body will need time to accomodate the organs and allow new skin to grow before doctors can perform surgery.  This process can take anywhere from a few months to an entire year. 


Lisa, Cory and Aiden need your help! The baby will be delivered and cared for at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Il.  Baby Aiden will live in the NICU until he is healthy enough to come home. This could be weeks, months, or even a year.

Your support will help Lisa and Cory with:

*Ongoing hospital bills, including surgery and a long term stay in the NICU.

*Travel expences to and from the hospital.  They currently live about an hour away from the hospital. 

*Accomodations near the hospital when Lisa and Cory are unable to travel home (it will be in the dead of a Chicago Winter!)

*Supplemental income while Lisa and Cory take time off work to be with Aiden at the NICU. 

*Home health care once the baby is living at home.

The journey ahead of them will be long and scary but the outcome is positive! Complete recovery can be expected after surgery for an omphalocele defect.  Lisa and Cory are amazingly strong and have a very positive attitude. They do however need your financial support and ongoing thoughts and prayers. Any amount donated will go towards Baby Aiden and the long term care he is in need of. For more information, and to keep up to date information about Lisa, Cory, and Aiden, please check back soon!

Thank you all for welcoming Aiden and for helping him have a healthy start! Please check back soon for updates!  

Lisa and Cory have started a blog, you can see it here:

http://aidenleesjourney.weebly.com/

For more information about Omphaloceles, please visit the following links:

http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/omphalocele

http://omphalocele.net/wordpress/