Kajsiab Yang

My niece, Kajsiab Yang, was born at 35 weeks weighing 4 pounds 4 ounces on May 11, 2020 with a medical condition call Trisomy 18 also known as Edward's syndrome. About 1 in 5,000 babies is born with this condition and normally don’t survive past the second or third trimester of pregnancy. It's a condition that causes severe developmental delays and other health conditions due to an extra pair of chromosomes. As soon as she was born, she spent her days and nights in the NICU at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Within the next few days and after several test, Doctors diagnosed her with VSD (a heart defect that involves a hole in the wall between the heart’s lower chamber) and apnea (slowed or stopped breathing while sleeping causing heart and brain problems due to lack of oxygen). Because of all her health conditions she had to be put on the highest level of oxygen and fed through tubes.
 
When things couldn’t get worse, about a week after she was born, Doctors approached the parent with heartbreaking news that their child can pass any hour, day, or week and for them to consider all their options:
1.     Bringing her home and letting her pass peaceful with family
2.     Occupying a private room for the parent and child to be together before the child pass
3.     Performing surgery for her heart but her body might not tolerate and if successful, it will only prolong her life by a month.
 
My sister, who refuses to give up on her child, wanted them to continue giving her oxygen and request that they do what they can to save my niece. To our surprised she fought bravely and survived the next couple of weeks allowing time to spent with her parent. And again, when things couldn’t get worse, my sister received news from her employer that she is getting laid off.
To her it was like a blessing in disguise because that meant more time with her child regardless of the financial burden not knowing when the last time will be.
 
On Monday June 15th, my niece had 3 episodes where her apnea was affecting her health and taking a toll on her body. Apnea can increase and become more difficult on the body as the baby grows bigger. The next morning, Doctors advised them to let her go because her body can’t handle the pain anymore. She has become pale, they stop feeding her, and drugs have been increased to reduce her pain. My sister held her daughter in her arms and can tell her body has become limp and couldn’t continue the battle any longer. Not wishing to see her child in pain anymore, on June 17th both parents gave doctors the consent to remove the oxygen mask. Around 11:00 PM the Doctors prepared everything and removed her mask. Because of Covid, we never made it to the hospital to visit her, so we could only see her via video chat. We waited and waited to show our support but once again my niece did not seem like she was ready to. She continued to fight with all the strength she had left EVEN AFTER they removed the oxygen, she eventually turned blue at 2 in the morning, but she continued to fight for the will to live.
 
Today at 11:40 AM, my sister called and without a saying a word, her cried and sorrow was felt piercing through my heart and we knew this was it. As we sat outside in our backyard on video chat, my niece was peacefully lifeless in her Mother’s embrace. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, I didn’t know what to tell her as I entered motherhood just 2 years ago and nothing, I mean absolutely NOTHING anyone can say or do can bring the life of that child back to ease the pain in her or any mother’s heart. So I ask for your donation today to maybe, possibly, lift some of that burden off her shoulder whether it be financial or emotional support, we will never forget your grace today.
 
Kajsiab Yang
Born May 11, 2020-06/18/2020
“May the winds of Heaven blow softly and whisper in your ear how much we love and miss you and wish that you were here”