The Ventura County Star lately interviewed David Bliss, MD, a pediatric normal surgeon, about one in every of his sufferers, Janessa Torres, who has spent the primary six months of her life within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Cedars-Sinai.
The newborn woman was born at 34 weeks with a situation referred to as gastroschisis, a situation during which a child’s intestines sprout outdoors of the physique whereas in utero by way of a gap close to the bellybutton. The situation occurs for unknown causes and impacts 1 in each four,000 births.
Janessa was additionally born with dextrocardia, that means her coronary heart factors to the suitable aspect of her chest as an alternative of the left. She has undergone numerous surgical procedures – too many for her mom Marlen to depend – and isn’t but prepared to go to her dwelling for the primary time in Ventura, Calif.
At the very least as soon as a week, Marlen makes the two-hour journey from Ventura to Cedars-Sinai to go to her daughter and obtain updates on her care. She stays in a single day in a close-by Ronald McDonald Home, then leaves earlier than the solar rises so she will be able to make it to work on time.
“She decided out of necessity,” mentioned Bliss, referring to Torres’ weekday marathons. “It speaks to the type of individual she is. Most individuals would crumble, simply collapse. She is fabricated from harder stuff than I’m.”
Janessa has confronted so many well being challenges throughout her quick life that the NICU nurses nicknamed her “Marvel Girl.” When first born, Janessa weighed solely 5 kilos, however at the moment, she ideas the scales at 15 kilos, making her the most important resident within the NICU. If she continues gaining weight and is ready to eat with out tubes, Bliss says her possibilities of a full restoration are good.
“There’s form of a pot of gold on the finish of this rainbow, which is the potential for a completely regular little one,” mentioned Bliss.
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Learn extra on the Cedars-Sinai Weblog: Faces of Cedars-Sinai: Social Worker Randie Cloutier Chaine
