This account has been set up to help Melissa and Joseph with medical and travel expenses during this difficult time of having a sick baby.

Jase has severe reflux. When he refluxes/throws up his airway is immature/irritated/floppy so instead of his milk/stomach contents all coming out or going back down to his stomach a small (or sometimes large) amount gets sucked into his lungs. When he’s in the hospital he has an NG (nasogastric) tube that goes from his nose down to his stomach bypassing all of the immature areas of his throat. That is why he does fine getting fed this way.

An NG tube cannot be used long term. Therefore he needs a G-tube (gastric/stomach) tube. It’s a opening in his stomach for us to feed him through. We will hang my breast milk in a bag and feed him straight to his stomach. This gives his airways and lungs a MUCH needed break.

By the time he is 1 year old he will have grown 75% of his lung tissue. Everytime his lungs are insulted by aspiration they are damaged. That is why it is CRITICAL that we have this surgery NOW because we want to protect all of his new lung tissue as much as we can. If not, it can cause major problems for him not only now but as an adult.

He also will need a nissen fundoplication. They will wrap the top of the stomach around the lower part of his esophagus. This prevents milk from “sloshing” back up and will help with giving his airways a break.

They can do both surgeries at the same time. If we can’t get approved at UMMC our next choice is UAB or Childrens of Arkansas. We will find a place and the doctors here are not letting us go home without making it happen.

Prayers!