Welcome Friends!
Ana Maria B.
Birthdate - January 14, 2004

Main Diagnosis -  Mitochondrial Disease

THEME: Religious Christian / light pink





Biography

Ana Maria was not expected to live. The doctors thought she had
brain damage from a virus I had during my pregnancy. Praise God, they were
wrong. She was born and appeared to be healthy. It wasn't until she was a couple
of weeks old that they realized she wasn't growing or eating enough to grow.
Shortly after that they diagnosed her with Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease.
Medications were started and supplemental feeds. None of their efforts were
successful and at 16 months they decided to place a g-tube and perform a surgery
to treat the reflux. With g-tube feeding she continued to loose weight and not
grow. At 2 years old she was sent to a 2 month inpatient feeding program that
caused even more gastric problems including allergic reactions and complete
stomach shut down. This feeding resulted in the need for a j-tube, which
bypasses the stomach altogether, and a special formula that is completely broken
down. Finally at almost 3 years of age Ana started growing
  and gaining weight!
  Once the feeds were successful, the bowels started having problems, the pain
started getting worse in her limbs, and the seizures started. She had a muscle
biopsy done in August of 2007 and in November 2007 the results arrived.
Mitochondrial Disease.And the pain?... peripheral neuropathy and autonomic
neuropathy do to the disease... no cure. In 2008 Ana had a special surgery
performed to allow integrated enemas through her belly button. In 2009 she had a
central line placed and it was successfully removed in July 2010! She continues
to have severe pain in her arms and legs, but for now she is doing very well.
  Currently Ana takes several medications and gets tube feeds 24 hours a day
EVERY day. She wears AFO's (leg braces) and depends on a wheelchair for long
walks (like the mall, grocery store, etc...). Ana Maria is a very happy little
girl! She depends on Jesus Christ for strength... her testimony is amazing. She
is so intrigued by biblical things... and is very fascinated with Egypt.

When you sign up to stitch for Love Quilts you will get a confirmation of your sign up.  If your pattern is a duplicate you will be asked to pick another pattern. 
We encourage you to join the LoveQuiltsUSA Yahoo group to check the pattern listing for duplications yourself before you sign up. 
The lists of patterns already being stitched are posted on the database.  LoveQuiltsUSA is an open group so you can sign up easily and view the patterns right away.  Please follow this link to sign into the Love Quilts Yahoo Group...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveQuiltsUSA/

Once there click on the link "database" on the right to view the children and their patterns.  Once you find a pattern  that you want to stitch and have confirmed it is not already being stitched  you may return to the sign up form, fill it in and submit it.  If you have any questions about they yahoo groups please email Cyberfogie@aol.com, Vicki, for further instructions (yahoo groups email only!)  Thanks!