Baby Milani’s journey with pediatric stroke

October 8th was a very special day for our family when Milani Adriana Guiel came into the world by emergency cesarean. Sadly our joy turned to fear only an hour after our beautiful girl was born. Milani began having seizures and was quickly transferred from Langley memorial to BC children’s hospital, where they began mass amounts of testing ( blood work, spinal tap, EEG, MRI, CT etc) and hooked up to every machine possible. Her blood work showed low platelet count and very high CRP levels, they quickly started her on three types of antibiotics in fear of infections such as meningitis. On day two our world once again came crashing down when the team of doctors showed us her MRI and gave us the dreaded news, Milani had suffered a pediatric stroke. The stroke damaged a good portion of the back left side of her brain, two smaller spots of damage on the left/right middle part of her brain as well as two large clots on either side of her carotid arteries. She was placed on anti-seizure medication and heavily monitored. The next day we once again received more devastating news. Milani’s body had formed a new clot in her right arm, preventing blood flow and causing her arm to become pale and limp, after a quick scan we were informed we must make a prompt decision, one that no parent should ever be faced with , using blood thinners to save her right arm and preventing more clots with high risk of more brain bleeding/ losing her or removing her arm with high risk or losing her during surgery.  We were advised no doctor in Canada and some of the states had ever seen this before (the clotting) but agreed with our choice of using blood thinners. So far we have been blessed with improvement of blood flow to her arm, but the clots are a waiting game and we are currently waiting for testing to come back to see what is causing this clotting. Mom, dad and baby are taking it day by day, awaiting on the new MRI results to make sure there is no more brain bleeds. The part of her brain damaged controls motor skills like walking and balance, vision, speech and senses etc. We do not know what the future holds for our beautiful girl but she is a fighter and we all love her so deeply. 

On behalf of my bother and sister-in-law, we are asking for your kind donations. These donations will go towards her medications, any physio costs, speech therapy, braces, walkers or whatever comes her way. 

Help us help baby milani gain the support she needs to thrive,  Thank you so much! 

With Love, The Guiel and The/Kartindanata Family