Elijah's Miracle Road to Recovery
Donation protected
Hello Everyone,
My name is Coryn Epps and God has put it on my heart to start a GoFundMe for my sister Chrystina Champion and her family who is going through the toughest challenge of their life with my nephew Elijah.
On November 15th 2016, Chrystina had to be induced early due to high blood pressure and because Elijah was measuring 35 weeks when he was actually 38 weeks. They had to induce immediately because essentially her placenta had stopped doing its job and was no longer producing enough blood to him. He was born 5 lbs 3 oz and was taken immediately to the NICU because he had hypoglycemia. After two days in the NICU Elijah began to throw up and after having x rays done the doctors noticed a perforation in his transverse intestine. He was rushed to emergency surgery where they performed a colostomy. He had a piece of his intestine removed and had to be cut open across his entire belly and now has a stoma on the side of his belly while his intestines heal and can be repaired and sealed back together.
Since surgery he began to slowly eat again, starting at 3mL and working his way up to 60mL. In the two and a half weeks he was in the NICU he endured so much pain. He was poked multiple times a day for blood, his ivys wouldn't last, and he ended up having to have a picc line put in. He progressively got better and the doctors felt he was fine to go home, the only issue he still had was that he had a high direct bilirubin. He went home and after two days had begun taking phenobarbital for a procedure he had to have done the following week (a hida scan) to see why his direct bilirubin was still high.
However the day after beginning the medication he was rushed back to the emergency room because the medication shut his body down. He seemed lifeless, was extremely dehydrated, had been skipping meals, wasn't at all interested in eating, he had been vomiting, very jaundice, and became apneic (stopped breathing). He was taken to the PICU , and the Pediatric ward and spent 5 days there where he continued to get worse. He had lost weight, still wasn't eating, vomiting green bile, very dehydrated and distended belly. They believed it could be cystic fibrosis and are treating it as if it was, however he is showing signs that there is something else that is wrong.
God heard their prayers and the doctors made an exception to readmit him back into the NICU, after he was treated poorly in the other departments. He turned one month today, just had another surgically procedure to have a broviach put in and is now in the care of his original Nurses (his NiCU Mommies) . They are being very proactive and doing labs, Ct scans, ultrasounds, and everything in their power to get answers. But as of now they still have no definitive answer as to why or what is causing him to be so sick.
Since the birth of Elijah, his parents have been by his side every single day. Derrick, my brother-in-law has been off work since, but will soon have to go back to work and they may have to pay someone to stay with their daughter or to take her to and from school. Other expenses that I know have quickly added up for them is food as my sister has not been in a place to prapare meals and sometimes even forgets to eat, and every single time they drive to and from the hospital there is a toll bridge that charges them a fee both ways.
We are not sure when Elijah will get to come home, but until then and for a few months, maybe years to come I am sure there will be lots of expenses to cover. For his medical check-ups, medications, tests, recovery and transportation to and from the hospital I am asking that we give from our heart to this amazing family that is doing all they possibly can to help baby Elijah to a miraculous recovery! I pray and declare that we will all see Elijah get stronger, healthier, and grow up to run around!
My sisters only wish was to have a baby boy and for him to be healthy, and his little sisters only wish for Christmas is to go to the beach with her parents and her baby brother. We know this won't happen by this Christmas unfortunately, but hopefully soon they will be able to with our help!
It breaks my heart to see my sister and her family going through this and not being able to bring her baby home, to dress him up in Christmas outfits and take their first family portraits by the Christmas tree and to completely miss out on the holidays with Elijah. I know nothing could fill their hearts with joy this Holiday season like seeing their baby boy get healthy, but giving them some financial security to fall back on and relieve stress during this hard time, I believe will give them a little peace of mind. I can't do this for them on my own, but together we can make a HUGE difference in their lives. It would mean the world to me this Christmas if you'd find it your heart to give anything you can to them.
To All Who Will Read & Take Part,
Thank you...in advance. We appreciate your help & prayers!
With Love & Gratefullness,
Coryn Epps
My name is Coryn Epps and God has put it on my heart to start a GoFundMe for my sister Chrystina Champion and her family who is going through the toughest challenge of their life with my nephew Elijah.
On November 15th 2016, Chrystina had to be induced early due to high blood pressure and because Elijah was measuring 35 weeks when he was actually 38 weeks. They had to induce immediately because essentially her placenta had stopped doing its job and was no longer producing enough blood to him. He was born 5 lbs 3 oz and was taken immediately to the NICU because he had hypoglycemia. After two days in the NICU Elijah began to throw up and after having x rays done the doctors noticed a perforation in his transverse intestine. He was rushed to emergency surgery where they performed a colostomy. He had a piece of his intestine removed and had to be cut open across his entire belly and now has a stoma on the side of his belly while his intestines heal and can be repaired and sealed back together.
Since surgery he began to slowly eat again, starting at 3mL and working his way up to 60mL. In the two and a half weeks he was in the NICU he endured so much pain. He was poked multiple times a day for blood, his ivys wouldn't last, and he ended up having to have a picc line put in. He progressively got better and the doctors felt he was fine to go home, the only issue he still had was that he had a high direct bilirubin. He went home and after two days had begun taking phenobarbital for a procedure he had to have done the following week (a hida scan) to see why his direct bilirubin was still high.
However the day after beginning the medication he was rushed back to the emergency room because the medication shut his body down. He seemed lifeless, was extremely dehydrated, had been skipping meals, wasn't at all interested in eating, he had been vomiting, very jaundice, and became apneic (stopped breathing). He was taken to the PICU , and the Pediatric ward and spent 5 days there where he continued to get worse. He had lost weight, still wasn't eating, vomiting green bile, very dehydrated and distended belly. They believed it could be cystic fibrosis and are treating it as if it was, however he is showing signs that there is something else that is wrong.
God heard their prayers and the doctors made an exception to readmit him back into the NICU, after he was treated poorly in the other departments. He turned one month today, just had another surgically procedure to have a broviach put in and is now in the care of his original Nurses (his NiCU Mommies) . They are being very proactive and doing labs, Ct scans, ultrasounds, and everything in their power to get answers. But as of now they still have no definitive answer as to why or what is causing him to be so sick.
Since the birth of Elijah, his parents have been by his side every single day. Derrick, my brother-in-law has been off work since, but will soon have to go back to work and they may have to pay someone to stay with their daughter or to take her to and from school. Other expenses that I know have quickly added up for them is food as my sister has not been in a place to prapare meals and sometimes even forgets to eat, and every single time they drive to and from the hospital there is a toll bridge that charges them a fee both ways.
We are not sure when Elijah will get to come home, but until then and for a few months, maybe years to come I am sure there will be lots of expenses to cover. For his medical check-ups, medications, tests, recovery and transportation to and from the hospital I am asking that we give from our heart to this amazing family that is doing all they possibly can to help baby Elijah to a miraculous recovery! I pray and declare that we will all see Elijah get stronger, healthier, and grow up to run around!
My sisters only wish was to have a baby boy and for him to be healthy, and his little sisters only wish for Christmas is to go to the beach with her parents and her baby brother. We know this won't happen by this Christmas unfortunately, but hopefully soon they will be able to with our help!
It breaks my heart to see my sister and her family going through this and not being able to bring her baby home, to dress him up in Christmas outfits and take their first family portraits by the Christmas tree and to completely miss out on the holidays with Elijah. I know nothing could fill their hearts with joy this Holiday season like seeing their baby boy get healthy, but giving them some financial security to fall back on and relieve stress during this hard time, I believe will give them a little peace of mind. I can't do this for them on my own, but together we can make a HUGE difference in their lives. It would mean the world to me this Christmas if you'd find it your heart to give anything you can to them.
To All Who Will Read & Take Part,
Thank you...in advance. We appreciate your help & prayers!
With Love & Gratefullness,
Coryn Epps
Organiser and beneficiary
Coryn Epps
Organiser
Chesapeake, VA
Chrystina Champion
Beneficiary