CJ Smiles

CJ Smiles!!!

CJ is a handsome three-year old battling an unknown disease or condition. He was born December 28th, 2011 and seemed to be a healthy, happy newborn. At 4 months old, he was vomiting everything he ate and was hospitalized for failure to thrive at Children's Hospital LA. After staying a couple of months, it was determined that he would need a feeding tube and Nissen in order to continue to grow. Severe acid reflux was the first diagnosis and his parents had hoped they could get that under control and have a tube-free baby. It took over a year to get him eating by mouth on his own (which is pretty amazing given how long he was on a PICC line), with several therapies and a full-time home health nurse. In 2014, dreams became reality when he was finally able to eat enough and the feeding tube could be removed. That tube saved his life and he had a fresh start at life- he would need weekly weight checks and therapies to catch up. Although, he had difficulty with weight gain, he seemed healthy. In 2015, CJ was hospitalized repeatedly for bowel impactions/obstructions and after extensive motility testing, his doctors determined he had colonic dismotility-his colon does not function without medical intervention and medication going directly into his colon via cecostomy. He has endured so many horrible, excrutiating procedures. Hundreds of biopsies of his colon have been taken and studied to rule out diseases such as Hirschsprung's disease and the sweat test to rule our Cystic Fibrosis- countless exams on almost everything imaginable.
Recently , CJ underwent Endocrinology testing in hopes of getting answers and clues to what could be happening to him. CJ has now also begun a new journey of genetic testing and their family and  is anxious to find a cure. CJ has spent more than half of his short life in the hospital, at the Doctors offices, therapies, or with Nursing staff at home and his loving parents have held on to Faith in all of his trials. He is blessed to have an amazing family and military community and we are truly grateful for the outpouring of love and support.

The most important thing they are asking for is prayer. God has worked miracles in CJ and we know that without God guiding the surgeon's hands each time, he would not be here.
God Bless you for any donation you give. No amount is too small.
Donations will be made to cover capped medical charges and out of pocket expenses including his upcoming surgery, that is over 4,000 dollars, and genetic tests which will be a bare minimum of $5000. His monthly medication is only partially covered by insurance, as well as in home nursing care, along with special treatments and therapies, medical mileage- as the hospital and Doctors visits are an hour away. Ronald McDonald house fee so family can be with Julie during the upcoming surgery. (CJ's Daddy may not be there-he will be deploying again). And things like parking and eating for days at the hospital and whatever misc expenses come up due to his condition.
Thank you for being on this journey with CJ. He has endured what no child should have to. But, CJ ALWAYS SMILES!