Article in the Queens Courier : Peruvian girl gets life-saving surgery

Article in the Queens Courier about Yhoalibeth and the work of VOSH-NY!

http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2010/11/09/news/top_stories/doc4cd80e3ce7855495106818.txt

"Hola Tio y Tia"

Nice to be back!

Was away for a few days, and sure happy to be back to see Yhoalibeth doing so well. So much has happened since, first her discharge from Mt. Sinai Hospital, and then her moving into the Ronald McDonald House. Grateful for all the people who took great medical and surgical care for her, then the support people that had and are are helping Yhoalibeth and her mom Evelyn during this recuperation period, especially our sons Andrew and Jonathan, and Ana Maria, Pedro and Christian, and the countless friends and patients (of mine) that have visited....gracias.

Today we went to visit them, and so glad to report she was her normal self, yelling "Hola tio y tia" when she saw us after the elevator door opened at the Ronald McDonald House. Last week she was still at her hospital bed, with her head bandaged, and a puffy face. But today she was jumping, laughing, running and talking, without much of a trace of a very complicated surgery. We had a quick lunch, and then bundled up to go outside...to where the NYC Marathon was being held. More than 40,000 runners going by First Avenue, at 73rd St. What a sight and incredible experience for all of us.

These last few weeks have been indeed a roller coaster of emotions. Hard to believe Yhoalibeth's outlook in life was so different even two weeks ago, but now she just started a marathon of her new life thanks to God and the skilled hands of so many great surgeons at Mt. Sinai Hospital. This tuesday, exactly 2 weeks after her surgery, we will take her for her post-op follow up with Dr. Bederson, and we will then know if Yhoalibeth will need further surgery or treatment, or will be completely discharged and be able to travel back to Peru, to continue with her new marathon.

Que bueno estar de vuelta!

Estuvimos fuera de la ciudad por varios dias, y lindo estar de vuelta y ver que Yhoalibeth se esta recuperando tan bien. Tanto ha ocurrido desde entonces, primero cuando le dieron de alta del Hospital Mt. Sinai, y despues cuando se mudaron al Ronald McDonald House. Estamos tan agradecidos por el cuidado quirurgico y medico que recibio ella en el Hospital, y despues de la ayuda moral que tantos ofrecieron durante su recuperacion, especialmente nuestros hijos Andrew y Jonathan, y de amigos como Ana Maria, Pedro y Christian, e innumerables amigos y pacientes mios que fueron a visitar, gracias.

Hoy fuimos a visitarlas, y tengo el agrado de contarles de que la encontramos tan normal, gritando "Hola tia y tio" al vernos cuando se abre la puerta del ascensor. La semana pasada todavia estaba en una cama en el hospital, con la cabeza vendada y la cara hinchada. Peo hoy la encontramos saltando, riendose, corriendo and hablando, casi sin alguna huella de la complicada cirugia que tuvo. Almorzamos y nos abrigamos para salir...para presenciar la maraton. Mas de 40,000 corredores pasando por la Primera Avenida, por the Calle 73. Que tal experiencia increible para todos nosotros.

Estas ultimas semanas si que han sido un sube y baja de emociones. Dificil de creer que la realidad y futuro de Yhoalibeth era tan diferente tan solo dos semanas atras, pero gracias a Dios y a las manos expertas de tantos buenos cirujanos del Hospital Mt. Sinai, ella ya empezo esta maraton de su nueva vida Este martes, exactamente dos semanas de su cirugia, estaremos llevandola a ver al Dr. Bederson quien seguro nos informara si Yhoalibeth todavia necesitaria mas tratamiento o cirugia, o le daran de alta total para que pueda viajar de vuelta al Peru, para que continue con su nueva maraton.

Dr. Won

Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes ICE CREAM

Yesterday was Yhoalibeths first full day at the Ronald Mcdonald House. It is really a great place, very homey and filled with activities specifically targeted to entertain and cheer-up the kids. Everything is going very very well in regard to her post surgery recovery. Its almost as if she is completely back to normal, as if nothing had even happened.

When I went to visit her during the afternoon we spent some quality time with some tea, crumpets, and of course nail painting. She went for the autumn look with orange nail polish and of course green stripes. Afterward we took alittle walk to get some fresh air and we stopped for some ICE CREAM. Let me tell you, I have never seen a lil one eat ice cream they way she did. All said and done, we were eating ice cream for a good 35-40mins as Yhoalibeth took her sweet time in indulging in her delicious chocolate ice cream cone, although I must add a good portion of the ice cream ended up in the vicinity of her cheeks, neck, and clothes...haha


Walking home in the rain carefully not allowing her incison area to get wet, after a Dessert Well Executed!

Ronald McDonald House here we come....

Now, if only I could get Yhoalibeth to wake up. I can't tell who seems to be more relaxed in this picture. I don't know, Mr. Dalton seems pretty content, haha. Yesterday the doctors were able to successfully remove all the staples that held together the incision point along her head. It was no easy feat but they were able to get it done. She is scheduled to be discharged this afternoon and we she will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House up on 73rd st, between 1st and York Aves while she gets outpatient treatment. The place is really nice, she's going to love it!

Yhoalibeth meet Dalton......

Arrived at Mt. sinai before lunch yesterday, and found Yhiolabeth playing with several other children in the playroom of the 5th floor. She seemed to be having a blast fingerpainting and fooling around in a fisher-price kitchen. I had brought along a stuffed teddy bear that my roomates and i had picked up a few weeks prior to Yhiolabeth coming to NY. As soon as she saw the bear she came over and gave it a big hug! she then took me back to her room and removed all the pillows that the hospital had given, and used the teddy bear as a makeshift pillow. she seems to be recovering rather quickly, as was out and about talking to doctors and fellow patients, askng for "caramelos" y "papas fritas". Jonathan

Saw Yhoalibeth yesterday morning. She's doing great, but as expected can't wait to go home. I think she spent a good 3-4 hrs in the playroom playing . It so nice to see she's been getting alot of visitors. Pedro and Ana Maria having been stopping by frequently. My Cousin Mike, Peggy, and lil Preston came by Sat night and gave her a huge good bag filled with all kinds of good stuff including gummi bears..hehe. And she was even getting visitors all the way from Washington D.C. as my friend Mary was in town and was able to stop by for alil while. I'll be back to check in on her later tonight. There have been a slight change of plans as she was not able to get all the staples on her head taken out just yet so she will actually be staying a few more night at the hospital.

SO PLEASE continue visiting and also donating to make possible her post surgicial treatment back in Peru @ http://vosh-ny.org/donate.html .... I'm sure everybody would like to meet her new best friend, Dalton the life size Bear ...haha

Andrew

She's a Real TROOPER!

This morning when I arrived to the Children's Hospital @ Mt. Sinai Yhoalibeth had already been moved from the ICU to the Pediatric floor. I'm glad to report shes doing amazing! Although she is still very swollen, she is getting stronger and improving everyday.



Its funny, because although she still can't open her little eyes her other senses are to the nines. If you give her your pointer finger she will hold on to it and squeeze it hard, and that coupled with the sound of your distinct voice she can immediately identify who you are. I tried to play a little game with her, but she was to smart, she knew immediately knew when I passed off my hand to her mother Evelyn or to my MOM. Another good sign was that she began eating solid food again today. She finished a whole bag of grapes. She"s also a big fan of the gummi worms. Specifically, her routine with her eyes closed mind you, is to decapitate their little heads eat them first, and then stuff the remaining gummy bodies whole into her mouth.

Also great news on the housing front. Thanks to the Ronald McDonald house on the UES Evelyn and will have an affordable place to live for her post-surgical recuperation. She is scheduled to be released sometime next week from the Hospital and visitors will be more then welcome to stop by and say hi or just share some companionship during Yhoalibeth's recovery @ the RONALD MCDONALD house at 73rd St between 1st and York Aves. I will let everybody know once she is discharged from the Hospital. It's absolutely amazing how in only 3 full days she has shown so much improvement and progress after a 8+ hr surgery. What an incredibly resilient little fighter!

Andrew

P.S.: Make sure you bring some grapes and gummi bears with you if you visit her next week, cause she loves them. That and Dora the Explorer...haha


Hoy fue un buen dia, encontramos a Yhoalibeth ya en el piso regular Pediatrico, fuera de Cuidados Intensivos, bien alerta, hablaba, hacia preguntas, queria ver Dora la Exploradora y a Jorge el Curioso aunque sus ojitos siguen hinchaditos. Paso el Dr. Bederson quien estuvo muy satisfecho con las resonancias de ayer, y estimo que quizas podria darle de alta la semana que viene. Se le quito el cateter, y ya se podia sentar. Eli se quedo con ella, mientras que Pedro, Andrew y yo nos llevamos a Evelyn para registrarse en el Ronald McDonald House. Es un edificio imponente en la 73 St., entre York and 1st Ave. de once pisos con 82 habitaciones. Tienen cocinas comunales super modernas, y lo mejor es que habran otros chicos con quienes podra jugar y relacionarse mientras se recupere y siga su tratamiento. Ellas estan en el 1102, habitacion con 2 camas y banho privado, parece un hotel de 3 estrellas. Creo que todo va viento en popa....estamos ya mas tranquilos, tanto asi que me siento comodo como para no cancelar la asistencia a una conferencia que habia programado desde casi un anho atras . Estare fuera de NY unos dias, y se que la recuperacuion de Yhoalibeth sera normal, y en caso de cualquier eventualidad ya tenemos al Dr. Shulman, Andrew, Ana Maria y Pedro listos para resolverlos. Y Andrew les seguira contando de la saga de esta ninha brava y campeona...... Jorge

La Valiente Sigue en Cuidados Intensivos!!!

Hoy es el tercer dia despues de la cirugia, y todo marcha bien, sin fiebre ni infecciones. Eso si, la pobre Yhoalibeth tiene la carita hinchada (parecido a Donato cuando llega tarda a casa, je-je) con la retencion de fluidos, y los ojitos cerrados. Pero lo bueno es que mis amigos y pacientes ya han visitado desde ayer, y asi estamos velando por la salud emocional, psicologica y mental de Evelyn. Hoy tambien le repitieron el MRI y CAT scan, para ver lo que quedaba del tumor, pero todavia no tienen los resultados. Mi cunhada y Eli fueron esta tarde para acompanharlas, y se encontraron con Ana Maria, Pedro y Christian. Yo fui despues del trabajo, y justo Yhoalibeth regresaba de todos los tests, y cuando la vi me impresiono lo hinchada que estaba, aunque todo esto es normal al tercer dia. Me fui un poco preocupado, pero ya se me paso...porque acabo de llamar a Evelyn para desearle la buena noche, y preguntarle como va Yhoalibeth, y escuho que la ninha esta riendose y hablando, y queria hablar con sus tios. Nos dijo que ya tomo un poco de Coca cola y gelatina, esta mas lucida, y sonaba mas como la traviesa Yhoalibeth que conociamos...claro que se le paso la anestesia de hoy. Manhana sera un dia importante porque iremos temprano al Ronald McDonald House para que le den su cuarto con dos camas y banho privado.....yeah! Solo $35 al dia, una ganga en Manhattan! Bueno, esoy trapo asi que me voy a dormir, over and out.