Baby Mia's Medical Fund
Donation protected
My name is Nat Balicha and I am pleading for your help in raising funds for my daughter Mia's medical expenses.
A year ago, my husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer. I was already four months pregnant then. Despite our best efforts to save his life, my husband passed away three months after his diagnosis, leaving me a young widow and a single mom.
After my husband's death, I had to be confined to bed rest because of high blood pressure at 31 weeks. My doctor planned to do a checkup two weeks later to check my baby's progress as her weight is now under the 10th percentile, making her severely underweight.
However, my blood pressure shot up to 200/130 so my doctor decided to perform an emergency C-section to save my life and my baby's. And so my daughter Mia came into this world at 33 weeks, weighing only 1140 grams or 2lbs 3oz.
Because of her weight, she was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Due to preeclampsia, my placenta was not able to transfer properly the nutrients that Mia needed, thus she was not able to grow at a normal rate.
Aside from IUGR, Mia was also diagnosed with jejunal atresia. Jejunal atresia is a malformation where there is a narrowing or absence of a portion in the jejenum, the upper segment of the small intestine. Three days after her birth, Mia had surgery to correct the atresia.
Her doctors began feeding her small quantities of milk to see whether the operation was successful and if she'll gain weight, but after a month, her weight remained the same at 1.1Kgs and her stomach was getting larger. After doing an xray, the doctors saw that Mia suffered from abdominal adhesions and operated on her for the second time.
She has been recuperating at the Pediatric ICU for three weeks now, and yet her weight has not improved. At 2 months, her weight remains at 1.1kgs. Her body could not absorb the needed nutrients to grow. The doctors are planning to do another operation on her, where they will connect her jejunum directly to her stomach to improve the motility and digestion of food.
We have exhausted our life savings for Mia's operations and medical expenses. We have also received donations from family and friends to help pay the medical bills. But sadly, this is no longer enough as we now have to include the third operation, her stay at the Pediatric ICU during her recovery and her doctors' fees to our bill.
And so I am pleading for your prayers and support through this fundraising campaign to help save my daughter. This operation can be the only way for her to gain weight properly.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
A year ago, my husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer. I was already four months pregnant then. Despite our best efforts to save his life, my husband passed away three months after his diagnosis, leaving me a young widow and a single mom.
After my husband's death, I had to be confined to bed rest because of high blood pressure at 31 weeks. My doctor planned to do a checkup two weeks later to check my baby's progress as her weight is now under the 10th percentile, making her severely underweight.
However, my blood pressure shot up to 200/130 so my doctor decided to perform an emergency C-section to save my life and my baby's. And so my daughter Mia came into this world at 33 weeks, weighing only 1140 grams or 2lbs 3oz.
Because of her weight, she was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Due to preeclampsia, my placenta was not able to transfer properly the nutrients that Mia needed, thus she was not able to grow at a normal rate.
Aside from IUGR, Mia was also diagnosed with jejunal atresia. Jejunal atresia is a malformation where there is a narrowing or absence of a portion in the jejenum, the upper segment of the small intestine. Three days after her birth, Mia had surgery to correct the atresia.
Her doctors began feeding her small quantities of milk to see whether the operation was successful and if she'll gain weight, but after a month, her weight remained the same at 1.1Kgs and her stomach was getting larger. After doing an xray, the doctors saw that Mia suffered from abdominal adhesions and operated on her for the second time.
She has been recuperating at the Pediatric ICU for three weeks now, and yet her weight has not improved. At 2 months, her weight remains at 1.1kgs. Her body could not absorb the needed nutrients to grow. The doctors are planning to do another operation on her, where they will connect her jejunum directly to her stomach to improve the motility and digestion of food.
We have exhausted our life savings for Mia's operations and medical expenses. We have also received donations from family and friends to help pay the medical bills. But sadly, this is no longer enough as we now have to include the third operation, her stay at the Pediatric ICU during her recovery and her doctors' fees to our bill.
And so I am pleading for your prayers and support through this fundraising campaign to help save my daughter. This operation can be the only way for her to gain weight properly.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
Organizer
Natassia Balicha
Organizer
Daly City, CA
