Team Stella
Donation protected
We can only do this support-raising because the incoming compassion for Stella has been tremendous!!
Stella Rose Jones was named after our blessed Mother, Our Lady Star of the Sea, on June 14, 2014. More than ever now, we are asking our Mother's intercession for her Immaculate Heart to carry our prayers and Stella's heart to Jesus' Sacred Heart where He may heal her literally broken heart. We ask you to join us in prayer for her complete healing.
RSV put Stella in the hospital in February for a week. This was a blessing in disguise since it was there that it was discovered that Stella has ventricular septal defects, or holes in the partition between the two lower pumping chambers of her heart. The cardiologist called it "swiss cheese" since there are several, and while small ones commonly close on their own, two of Stella's are too big. This led her to have congestive heart failure because her heart had to beat even faster to meet the body's demand for blood and oxygen. Her heart became enlarged. Blood got backed up into the lungs placing further demand on the heart to beat faster, leading to further deterioration. She got moved to the PICU.
And her whole life I thought her fast heart beat was due to her being a small, skinny mammal. I once had a guinea pig!! With 5 girls in the family and living life in the fast lane, I figured her labored breathing was from keeping up with her 4 older sisters. This busy body does not stop. Only now we see how the symptoms complete the picture. She does not gain weight. At 21 months she weighs merely 20 pounds. Her little head sweats excessively. What we thought was asthma is really cardiac asthma.
Since one hole is too close to one of the arteries, she is not a candidate for fixing her heart simply using a catheter. Her only option is open heart surgery. Monday, March 21st, she will undergo a heart cath which will be done to determine the pressure and oxygen which is necessary before open heart surgery.
This time of recovery after RSV has allowed us to focus on preparing for Stella's surgery. On Valentine's Day, the day associated with hearts, our family went to a small church in Rockport called Stella Maris, after whom Stella is named. The priest Father Ralph Jones told us, the Jones family, about the Archangel Raphael, whose name means "Medicine of God." He also introduced us to Saint Peregrine, the patron saint for people suffering from illness.
We look at this time as a moment where we can love God more by standing steadfast in this moment of trial. We've been asking for Saint Michael's intercession to not lose hope or give in to fear or doubt about Stella's recovery. We look at this time as a stepping stone where we can gather people in prayer to witness to the power of prayer and God's Glory.
Consequently, we ask that you join "Team Stella" so that we can notify you 1) when Stella moves into her heart cath procedure and 2) when Stella moves into open heart surgery. Then prayer will be united in REAL time!!! Simply by leaving the comment "I'm in!" on this site, we will know to notify you.
In addition to Driscoll Children's Hospital's outstanding performance in Stella's first hospital stay, the hospital has been gracious in helping cover hospital bills!! One challenge aside from all the "life goes on" scheduling for this family of 7 consists of doctor bills piling up.
After Aetna insurance adjustments:
billing from doctors and labs during RSV hospital stay: $2370
doctor for $2000 heart cath procedure: (630 to complete 3000 deductible, then 20% so about ) $904
doctor for $2812 open heart surgery: (20% so ) $562
pre cath labs, pre surgery consult, anesthesiologist fees, follow ups...: $ ?
Anything will be appreciated to ease this situation so we can move her through this trying time to a bright future. I know it will be returned to you in God's economy many-times fold. We thank you for being a "Stellar" supporter!!
Love, Todd, Sonya, Ariana, Ylena, Zara, Alisse, and STELLA!!
Stella Rose Jones was named after our blessed Mother, Our Lady Star of the Sea, on June 14, 2014. More than ever now, we are asking our Mother's intercession for her Immaculate Heart to carry our prayers and Stella's heart to Jesus' Sacred Heart where He may heal her literally broken heart. We ask you to join us in prayer for her complete healing.
RSV put Stella in the hospital in February for a week. This was a blessing in disguise since it was there that it was discovered that Stella has ventricular septal defects, or holes in the partition between the two lower pumping chambers of her heart. The cardiologist called it "swiss cheese" since there are several, and while small ones commonly close on their own, two of Stella's are too big. This led her to have congestive heart failure because her heart had to beat even faster to meet the body's demand for blood and oxygen. Her heart became enlarged. Blood got backed up into the lungs placing further demand on the heart to beat faster, leading to further deterioration. She got moved to the PICU.
And her whole life I thought her fast heart beat was due to her being a small, skinny mammal. I once had a guinea pig!! With 5 girls in the family and living life in the fast lane, I figured her labored breathing was from keeping up with her 4 older sisters. This busy body does not stop. Only now we see how the symptoms complete the picture. She does not gain weight. At 21 months she weighs merely 20 pounds. Her little head sweats excessively. What we thought was asthma is really cardiac asthma.
Since one hole is too close to one of the arteries, she is not a candidate for fixing her heart simply using a catheter. Her only option is open heart surgery. Monday, March 21st, she will undergo a heart cath which will be done to determine the pressure and oxygen which is necessary before open heart surgery.
This time of recovery after RSV has allowed us to focus on preparing for Stella's surgery. On Valentine's Day, the day associated with hearts, our family went to a small church in Rockport called Stella Maris, after whom Stella is named. The priest Father Ralph Jones told us, the Jones family, about the Archangel Raphael, whose name means "Medicine of God." He also introduced us to Saint Peregrine, the patron saint for people suffering from illness.
We look at this time as a moment where we can love God more by standing steadfast in this moment of trial. We've been asking for Saint Michael's intercession to not lose hope or give in to fear or doubt about Stella's recovery. We look at this time as a stepping stone where we can gather people in prayer to witness to the power of prayer and God's Glory.
Consequently, we ask that you join "Team Stella" so that we can notify you 1) when Stella moves into her heart cath procedure and 2) when Stella moves into open heart surgery. Then prayer will be united in REAL time!!! Simply by leaving the comment "I'm in!" on this site, we will know to notify you.
In addition to Driscoll Children's Hospital's outstanding performance in Stella's first hospital stay, the hospital has been gracious in helping cover hospital bills!! One challenge aside from all the "life goes on" scheduling for this family of 7 consists of doctor bills piling up.
After Aetna insurance adjustments:
billing from doctors and labs during RSV hospital stay: $2370
doctor for $2000 heart cath procedure: (630 to complete 3000 deductible, then 20% so about ) $904
doctor for $2812 open heart surgery: (20% so ) $562
pre cath labs, pre surgery consult, anesthesiologist fees, follow ups...: $ ?
Anything will be appreciated to ease this situation so we can move her through this trying time to a bright future. I know it will be returned to you in God's economy many-times fold. We thank you for being a "Stellar" supporter!!
Love, Todd, Sonya, Ariana, Ylena, Zara, Alisse, and STELLA!!
Organizer
Sonya Jones
Organizer
Corpus Christi, TX