Hi, My name is Kamalea. I am a single mother of 6 children. 11 years ago I was excited to know I was expecting a fourth son. During the pregnancy my OBGYN told me that my child would be born with a condition called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia or CDH. CDH is a birth defect where the diaphragm, (the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity), does not fully form, leaving a hole and allowing abdominal organs to migrate into the chest cavity putting pressure on the heart and other vital organs prohibiting lung growth. In Aidryel’s case, doctors said his defect was one of the most severe they have seen - only giving him a 15% chance of survival. When Aidryel was born, his stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, spleen and pancreas were all up in his chest cavity. 

My doctor offered me an abortion telling me my child might not survive this. I was frightened for my baby and had a very heavy decision to make. But how do you abort your own child? I could never and so I didn’t! I knew it was going to be a tough road for my Aidryel, my other children, and I, but I chose to continue on with my pregnancy, pray, stay hopeful, and keep the faith.

Now CDH is one medical issue I expected but he was born with many other unexpected issues. It wouldn’t have changed my plan to have him even if I had known before hand but I’ve been in over my head his entire life. I’m not complaining as he’s one of my everything’s. One of the reasons I live and breathe. He is the happiest boy you’d ever meet. He always has a big smile across his face and loves to laugh. It crushes me to know the potential to lose him is a real possibility. He deserves so much more than life has offered him. He is the brightest light I have ever seen. He has the backbone and spirit of a warrior and he gives me strength to keep going.

10 years ago Aidryel was born and the first 6 months of his tender little life he lived in Boston Children’s Hospital. Since then he has had numerous operations trying to correct his issues. He’s had so many set backs with pneumonia and seizures, and a host of medical issues none of us ever saw coming. He’s 10 and has never even eaten or drank anything by mouth. He has severe oral aversion and is g-tube dependent. Over the years Aidryel had learned to talk some although his mental status was young. He even learned to walk on his own-short paces by the time he was 7. Two years ago seizures and recurrent pneumonia increased in a big big way and he has lost those abilities and we have no idea if he’ll ever regain them again..

My Aidryel has been waiting 2 years for brain surgery for the constant seizures stealing him away from us all. He hasn’t been able to get this surgery because doctors cannot clear his lungs of whatever is ailing them.(now confirmed to be a staphylococcus aureus infection). He has had a staph infection in his lungs for 2 whole years and doctors never knew and never cared to test for anything (despite my hardest efforts).

Aidryel’s future is unknown to say the least and I’m scared to death I’ll lose him. Aidryel also had a recent CT Scan which also showed that his liver is enlarged and he has an enhanced hepatic focal lesion on his liver. (Doctors do not know if it is malignant or benign at this time. Dynamic MRI will be needed after Aidryel recovers from surgery).

He recently just underwent a 10 hour surgery 4 days ago on October. 30, 2025 to repair his diaphragm for the 4th time. In the CT Scan they saw Aidryel’s mesh patch had lifted away from his diaphragm, allowing his large intestine back into his chest cavity putting pressure on his lungs, heart and esophagus. (most children with this birth defect need this surgery ONE TIME and this was Aidryel’s FOURTH surgery just for this one issue.)

I don’t want to overwhelm you but this is reality for me and my family. Below is the list of his medical conditions in the order in which they’ve been dealt. I’m a very private person and it’s awfully difficult for me to be vulnerable showing you such intimate and sensitive information, but I can’t ask for help and not explain in full detail the undertaking this is. I have other children at home, I work, and am going back and forth to the hospital daily as Aidryel has been there a full 5 months again and I don’t know when he will get to come home. He has been hospitalized and hasn’t been home once since May 18, 2025.

As a mother I’m in anguish watching him slip away bit by bit and I’m in a place where I have to ask for help. I hate to ask for help…. you have no idea how much I hate to ask… but I’m in great need and I must humble myself. I’ll forever be grateful for your generosity. When I can one day, I will pay it forward. If you’re unable to donate, please just share Aidry’s story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Here is this list of his medical conditions:

-Atrial septal defect within oval fossa

-Autosomal chromosomal disorder

-Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (recurrent x4)

-Neonatal stroke (HCC)

-Paralytic syndrome as late effect of thalamic cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

-Gastrostomy present

-Insufficient oxygen in the blood

-Feeding problem

-Developmental health problem

-Left lung hypoplasia

-Pulmonary hypertension (HCC)

-Uncoordinated movements due to brain disorder

-Refractory epilepsy (HCC)

-Symptomatic localization-related epilepsy (HCC)

-Chest deformity

-Weakness of left side of body

-Chest x-ray abnormality

-Lack of development

-Developmental health problem

-Generalized epilepsy

-Decreased activities of daily living (ADL)

-Acute on chronic hypoxic respiratory failure (HCC)

-Generalized muscle weakness

-Pneumonia due to organism

-Influenza with pneumonia

-Acute respiratory failure with hypoxia and hypercapnia

-Microcephaly

-Other generalized epilepsy, intractable, with status epilepticus (HCC)

-Dependence on bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP) ventilation

-Gastroesophageal reflux disease

-Staphylococcus aureus present in lungs along with elevated PNM’s

-Enlarged liver with enhanced focal lesion

-Abnormal morphology of the liver, spleen and pancreas

-Hypoplastic left lung with a relatively hypoplastic left pulmonary artery. Lower lobe architectural distortion