Gemma Belle Mack….

This little beauty belongs to the sweetest couple I’ve ever met, Randi & Jason Mack! Here is a recap of the last 2 months for them:

From Randi:

We are utterly exhausted, stressed, and more confused than ever. We are reaching out because at this point we are open to any suggestions, advice, or shared experiences.

Gemma is still not any better - she’s once again sick with wheezing, congestion, and coughing. She isn’t gaining weight. She’s spitting up/vomiting and having watery stools. She has air in her stomach, she’s restless and uncomfortable, and her heart rates have been running high.

Here’s what the last two months have looked like:

• 10/15 – Admitted for a BRUE episode and rhinovirus. This is the day her heart murmur was discovered. She was later diagnosed with a PDA and PFO.

• 10/28 – Admitted again for difficulty breathing. Diagnosed with rhinovirus, bronchiolitis, and we learned her PDA had gotten slightly bigger. They also found that her left heart is enlarged.

• 11/7 – Transferred to Houston Children’s where we saw more doctors than we can count. Cardiology said they would fix the PDA once she’s over her current sickness. Pulmonology/ENT planned a bronchoscopy, but they couldn’t do it because she was sick. It’s now scheduled in 9 days - but at this point, we’re expecting it may be postponed again.

• Current stay (11/28) – She has now lost weight. She’s wheezing, congested, coughing, having watery stools, and spitting up/vomiting. She’s had two more BRUE episodes.

We’ve been told different things by different specialties - pulmonology thinks it’s all her heart, cardiology says her heart contributes but there may also be lung issues, ENT planned a barium swallow to check for aspiration but can’t do it while she’s sick, and now we’re being told she may need GI on board as well.

While we love the nurses here at LCMH and Dr. Saqer has been good to us, our baby has now been in and out of the hospital for over 45 days. We are drained. We are scared. We just want our little girl healthy and home!

They are currently in New Orleans at the children’s hospital there! This amazing couple has 2 other beautiful children, and would never do this themselves! However, no one should have to go through this stress at all, let alone at the holidays. So, me and many other friends and family are asking for your help! As all the medical bills, funds traveling back and forth from LC to NOLA, is draining on them, and it’s a way to help and give back!

$1 even helps... it adds up, and I know they are extremely grateful for all the prayers and continued outreach of love!!

Let's come together and take a little stress off this beautiful family!