Please a prayer for baby Kaylee

molsongirl

One of my brother's closest and dearest friends we all grew up together! is going through a very traumatic time right now, they are faced with losing their baby girl, and in hopes donating her heart to another terminally ill baby, I wouldn't want to walk a mile in their shoes, but these two families need prayers.

Baby transplant in doubt
VIDEO: An update from baby Lillian's parents
RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR
Dr Jim Wright, chief of surgery at Sick Kids Hospital, talks to the media about Kaylee, the baby who has started breathing on her own and is no longer a suitable heart donor. (April 8, 2009) Email story
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Heartbreak for parents Pain deepens for Kaylee's parents Can one baby save another? Trillium Gift of Life Network The Hospital for Sick Children Actor's death shines light on organ donation Chain of living donors results in 10 kidney swaps MD laid transplant groundwork Apr 08, 2009 11:24 AM
Comments on this story (12)
Emily Mathieu, Nick Aveling
Staff Reporters

Plans to transplant the heart of a terminally ill infant into another dying baby remain on hold today after the potential donor continued to breathe after being taken off a respirator.

The fact that baby Kaylee was still breathing on her own the morning after she was taken off life support surprised everyone, including the Hospital for Sick Children's top surgeon. But as a result, 2-month-old Kaylee is no longer considered a viable donor for 1-month-old Lillian O'Connor.

While it is still possible that Kaylee's condition could worsen, Dr. Jim Wright said he was doubtful the transplant would go ahead.

"We assess the situation on a moment-by-moment, day-by-day basis," Wright told reporters outside the hospital at about 8 a.m., "but given that she's breathed on her own overnight, it doesn't appear as if she'll be a candidate for transplantation."

Wright said children with Kaylee's condition are sometimes able to breathe on their own, but doctors aren't able to predict that before the child is taken off life support.

"That was not our expectation [with Kaylee], but that's what we've come to find," he said.

Wright said both infants remain in stable condition, and that "the potential recipient" is at the top of the list for the next available heart. With a team of surgeons waiting to transplant her heart into Lillian, Kaylee was unhooked at about 6:30 p.m. last night from the respirator that doctors believed had been keeping her alive.

She stayed awake for an hour, at which point the operating team decided to call off a transplant. This morning, Lillian's parents said they remain hopeful that a heart will be found for their daughter.

"We still have faith," a visibly upset Kevin O'Connor said outside the hospital. "It just has to be in the right circumstances."

Accompanied by Lillian's mother, Melanie Bernard, O'Connor said their baby did not suffer any ill effects from the preoperative procedures she underwent last night before the surgery was called off.

"Nothing happened to her," he said, adding that Lillian "got lots of sugar water and she went back to her room."

The couple also expressed gratitude to Kaylee's parents, calling the circumstances of the two families meeting a "Cinderella" story.


"We are right back to were we were Saturday," O'Connor said. "We're just really glad we met [Kaylee's father] Jason and his family and I hope it works out for them."

Kaylee was born with Joubert Syndrome, a malformation of the brain and brain stem that can prevent her from breathing. There is no hope for recovery. She also has severe problems with her kidneys.

The nature of her condition means she breathes when she is awake, but once sleeping her brain does not instruct her body to breathe.

The complicating factor is no one can predict how long it might take Kaylee to die. The longer she stays alive after being taken off a respirator, the more her heart could be damaged and the less viable it would be as a donor organ.

Lillian has truncus arteriosus, which means her heart can't get enough oxygen to her body.

molsongirl

One of my brother's closest and dearest friends we all grew up together! is going through a very traumatic time right now, they are faced with losing their baby girl, and in hopes donating her heart to another terminally ill baby, I wouldn't want to walk a mile in their shoes, but these two families need prayers.

Baby transplant in doubt
VIDEO: An update from baby Lillian's parents
RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR
Dr Jim Wright, chief of surgery at Sick Kids Hospital, talks to the media about Kaylee, the baby who has started breathing on her own and is no longer a suitable heart donor. (April 8, 2009) Email story
Print
Choose text size
Report typo or correction
License this article


Heartbreak for parents Pain deepens for Kaylee's parents Can one baby save another? Trillium Gift of Life Network The Hospital for Sick Children Actor's death shines light on organ donation Chain of living donors results in 10 kidney swaps MD laid transplant groundwork Apr 08, 2009 11:24 AM
Comments on this story (12)
Emily Mathieu, Nick Aveling
Staff Reporters

Plans to transplant the heart of a terminally ill infant into another dying baby remain on hold today after the potential donor continued to breathe after being taken off a respirator.

The fact that baby Kaylee was still breathing on her own the morning after she was taken off life support surprised everyone, including the Hospital for Sick Children's top surgeon. But as a result, 2-month-old Kaylee is no longer considered a viable donor for 1-month-old Lillian O'Connor.

While it is still possible that Kaylee's condition could worsen, Dr. Jim Wright said he was doubtful the transplant would go ahead.

"We assess the situation on a moment-by-moment, day-by-day basis," Wright told reporters outside the hospital at about 8 a.m., "but given that she's breathed on her own overnight, it doesn't appear as if she'll be a candidate for transplantation."

Wright said children with Kaylee's condition are sometimes able to breathe on their own, but doctors aren't able to predict that before the child is taken off life support.

"That was not our expectation [with Kaylee], but that's what we've come to find," he said.

Wright said both infants remain in stable condition, and that "the potential recipient" is at the top of the list for the next available heart. With a team of surgeons waiting to transplant her heart into Lillian, Kaylee was unhooked at about 6:30 p.m. last night from the respirator that doctors believed had been keeping her alive.

She stayed awake for an hour, at which point the operating team decided to call off a transplant. This morning, Lillian's parents said they remain hopeful that a heart will be found for their daughter.

"We still have faith," a visibly upset Kevin O'Connor said outside the hospital. "It just has to be in the right circumstances."

Accompanied by Lillian's mother, Melanie Bernard, O'Connor said their baby did not suffer any ill effects from the preoperative procedures she underwent last night before the surgery was called off.

"Nothing happened to her," he said, adding that Lillian "got lots of sugar water and she went back to her room."

The couple also expressed gratitude to Kaylee's parents, calling the circumstances of the two families meeting a "Cinderella" story.


"We are right back to were we were Saturday," O'Connor said. "We're just really glad we met [Kaylee's father] Jason and his family and I hope it works out for them."

Kaylee was born with Joubert Syndrome, a malformation of the brain and brain stem that can prevent her from breathing. There is no hope for recovery. She also has severe problems with her kidneys.

The nature of her condition means she breathes when she is awake, but once sleeping her brain does not instruct her body to breathe.

The complicating factor is no one can predict how long it might take Kaylee to die. The longer she stays alive after being taken off a respirator, the more her heart could be damaged and the less viable it would be as a donor organ.

Lillian has truncus arteriosus, which means her heart can't get enough oxygen to her body.

BIGGRAMMA

I saw them on the news last evening....It is a very sad thing for Kaylee's family....I did send a prayer up last evening....for both babies and both families......

Shannon023

What a horrible situation! :brokenheart:

Prayers for the family!

TamTastic

Done!! :frown: How horrible!

Higurl

i just saw this on the news...im so sorry..May God bless both of the families and keep them strong and God give them strength to get thru whatever happens! May God keep them in his hands!

kimber607

So sad
I'll be thinking of both families
A story like this really puts things into perspective....
Though my kids are driving me batty today and are, by far, no angels...I am HUGELY grateful that they are at home and are healthy

Kim

Phoenix_Rising

:sad:

Mom_To_5

I saw this on CHMoring news this morning, so sad i will keep them in my thoughts.

Mom_To_5

A story like this really puts things into perspective....
Though my kids are driving me batty today and are, by far, no angels...I am HUGELY grateful that they are at home and are healthy

Kim

I am so with you on that!!!

Paula

Blossom01

I was not aware of this but I am going to put it on my prayer list. I will pray for God's direction and for a peace that surpasses all understanding to both these families.

Mireille

They are in my prayers. :flowerforyou:

1Corinthians13

That is so sad. I can't imagine being in any of the family's situations. To hope and pray for a heart, knowing some other baby will die so that theirs can live...to pray that your baby will live but knowing if she doesn't, at least she can help another...wow. I will definitely be praying.

Falcon

That is really sad :sad: My thoughts are the two families

Mom_To_5

I am watching this story again right now, they have Kaylee's Dad talking right now, so sad. They are still in my thoughts and prayers.

magichatter06

:brokenheart:


:flowerforyou:


So sad...:ohwell: