Help for Baby Nolan
Donation protected
When most people find out they are pregnant with their first child, it's a time of happiness, excitement, and visions of the future. My dear friends, Frank and Sandy, were no different. They were elated. They were to have a precious baby boy. His name would be Nolan.
What happened next was every parent's worst fear. They received news that their unborn son had a serious heart defect. He would have to be delivered early so a pediatric surgeon could fix the Tricuspid Valve leak in his tiny heart.
Sadly, that wasn't the end of the bad news. Once Nolan was born on September 16th, his medical issues started to multiply and he has been too sick to receive the heart surgery that he so desperately needs. Nolan has severe swelling, pulmonary hypertension, and even more issues with his heart than originally thought. (Please check the update section at the end of this to stay current on how things are going.) His swelling remains a mystery to the multiple pediatric specialists looking after him.
Nothing can prepare you for this news. Planning for the future took on a new meaning.
For Frank and Sandy, planning for the future now means trying to figure out how they are going to pay their child's medical bills that are quickly starting to stack up. It now means being unable to go back to work full time that way they can be there for their son.... so Nolan can hear their voice, his only source of comfort right now. It means making the hospital their new home. It means days that turn in to weeks and weeks that turn in to months of constant worry.
What amazes me, is witnessing how this sweet family is coping with what is surely the hardest time of their lives. They keep smiling through the tears. They stay positive. They remain hopeful. They continue to have a delightful sense of humor. Their love for their son never waivers. You can always find Sandy singing to her baby boy, and Frank reading his school books to him (so he can bond with his son and study to become a nurse at the same time). Frank and Sandy are a ray of light during Nolan's darkest time. He is so lucky to have them for his parents.
Right now, all this new family can do is wait for the mystery behind Nolan's medical problems to be solved so they can get him healthy enough for heart surgery. But waiting in a hospital costs a fortune when your insurance is only paying 85% of the medical bills. Frank and I work together in the same operating room, and we know first hand just how astronimical the bills will be. This is why I am asking you for your help. If you can spare anything at all, it would be immensely appreciated it. No amount is too small. And please share this with your family and friends. The more people we reach the more support we can get to Nolan, Frank and Sandy.
Thank you so much for taking the time to care about this family.
#ninjanolan ... We've got your back!!
#helpforbabynolan
(Every moment of connection between parent and child makes a difference. Every touch. Every word.)
(A room for Nolan so high tech that Frank and Sandy have named it "Nolan's Batcave". Maybe Nolan will grow up to be a Medical Superhero someday!)
What happened next was every parent's worst fear. They received news that their unborn son had a serious heart defect. He would have to be delivered early so a pediatric surgeon could fix the Tricuspid Valve leak in his tiny heart.
Sadly, that wasn't the end of the bad news. Once Nolan was born on September 16th, his medical issues started to multiply and he has been too sick to receive the heart surgery that he so desperately needs. Nolan has severe swelling, pulmonary hypertension, and even more issues with his heart than originally thought. (Please check the update section at the end of this to stay current on how things are going.) His swelling remains a mystery to the multiple pediatric specialists looking after him.
Nothing can prepare you for this news. Planning for the future took on a new meaning.
For Frank and Sandy, planning for the future now means trying to figure out how they are going to pay their child's medical bills that are quickly starting to stack up. It now means being unable to go back to work full time that way they can be there for their son.... so Nolan can hear their voice, his only source of comfort right now. It means making the hospital their new home. It means days that turn in to weeks and weeks that turn in to months of constant worry.
What amazes me, is witnessing how this sweet family is coping with what is surely the hardest time of their lives. They keep smiling through the tears. They stay positive. They remain hopeful. They continue to have a delightful sense of humor. Their love for their son never waivers. You can always find Sandy singing to her baby boy, and Frank reading his school books to him (so he can bond with his son and study to become a nurse at the same time). Frank and Sandy are a ray of light during Nolan's darkest time. He is so lucky to have them for his parents.
Right now, all this new family can do is wait for the mystery behind Nolan's medical problems to be solved so they can get him healthy enough for heart surgery. But waiting in a hospital costs a fortune when your insurance is only paying 85% of the medical bills. Frank and I work together in the same operating room, and we know first hand just how astronimical the bills will be. This is why I am asking you for your help. If you can spare anything at all, it would be immensely appreciated it. No amount is too small. And please share this with your family and friends. The more people we reach the more support we can get to Nolan, Frank and Sandy.
Thank you so much for taking the time to care about this family.
#ninjanolan ... We've got your back!!
#helpforbabynolan
(Every moment of connection between parent and child makes a difference. Every touch. Every word.)
(A room for Nolan so high tech that Frank and Sandy have named it "Nolan's Batcave". Maybe Nolan will grow up to be a Medical Superhero someday!)Organizer and beneficiary
Leigh Hoerner
Organizer
Irvine, CA
Frank Phan
Beneficiary
