When Dennis made his way into the world, he took in his first breath of air, his chest sunk in, and that is the last breath he took on his own. They tried and tried to get him breathing, they tried intubating him, and were not to get the tube through to his blockage, finally they were able to corkscrew the smallest catheter through the blockage, but he was not able to release the carbon dioxide, so he was in major trouble. He was finally transfered to Children's Hosp. about 45 min. away, while the medical personel were still breathing for him. His dad followed the ambulance down, and when they reached the hosp. I recieved a phone call from the doctor asking if he could preform a tracheotomy on Dennis, since my husband didn't want to make the decision without me having some input. We both said yes, the doctor said this is his only chance to live, if it doesn't work, then he will die. Luckily it did work, and that began the life of our little angel. Dennis had to have the trach due to severe subglottic stenosis, and tracheal malasia.The chest sinking in was due to pectus excavatum. We stayed at the hospital for 45 days, while he was in the NICU, learning how to care for the tracheostomy, and he also had a feeding tube, due to a high palete, and no sucking reflex. He was on a respirator for a little while, but by the time we were able to take him home, he was off of it for good. Dennis has what is called Goldenhar Syndrome His health issues at this time are as follows: Tracheostomy , due to Severe Subglottic Stenosis and Tracheomalacia. Feeding tube due to High palete, delayed gastric emptying, recessed lower jaw, and has GERD. Hearing deficit in left ear., cannot speak due to the tracheostomy, but uses sign language. He also has a cyst in left eye, with Duane's syndrome, and hyperopia in both eyes. Butterfly vertabrae (spine). Heart problems consist of congential heart disease, right ventricular hypertrophy, small patent foramen ovale with an atrial septal aneurysm, and is displaced to the left with compression of the right aspect of the heart, due to pectus deformity.(stable as of now, has to be rechecked to keep up with his progress) Lung problems consist of chronic respiratory problems, chronic peribronchial thickening, Asthma, COPD,frequent infections, and his lungs are being compressed due to the pectus deformity also. Liver is displaced downward, also from the pectus def. prune like belly with defect in the abdominal musculature. Allergies and Excema His pectus deformity is rated severe on the Haller index which anything greater than 3.2 and his rates 9.8, he has 19 millimeters between his sternum and spine.(Corrected July 2005) He is the happiest child that I have ever seen, he never meets a stranger, and loves everyone. Update: June 8th, 2006 11th 2005 Dennis is doing good at this time. He had his pre-surgery physical with his PCP on Tuesday June 6th (My Birthday), and he checked out good, except for his Right Eye, he cannot track anything beyond the center of his eye. They are making him an appt. with his eye doctor, which we need to go for the Cyst in his left eye anyway, to be removed. Dennis and his father leave on Sunday June 11th, for Cincinnati, Ohio for all of the pre-surgery testing, CT Scans, Swallow Study, Bronchoscopy, Larynoscopy, PH Probe, etc. I am saddened that I will not be going with them this time. I know that his daddy can handle anything that comes up, but as a Mom, that is never away from her child, this is hard. Ashley will be staying home with me for a couple of days that week, then I have a Endoscopy on Tues., so she will be going to her Father's house to stay for a little while, part of her 5 weeks out of the summer. Things have been extremly busy around here, with all of Dennis' appts. and still trying to raise money for the surgery trip, to no avail yet, but I know and have Faith, that the Lord will provide, so that we will be able to stay with Dennis during the long time he will be in the hosp. He will be in ICU for 2 weeks after the surgery, then they take him back into surgery, to remove the tube they put in to keep his airway open while he heals, that way if it collapses, they can re-trach him. My sister has been in the hospital for about a week, she is in ICU, due to her heart has not been doing well. She has had several reactions to the medications they have given her, thus the reason for her heart acting up we think. She did have surgery yesterday to remove some lesions and scar tissue from around her Liver, we will find out the results of the biopses in a few days, to make sure it was nothing but from where she had her gallbladder taken out a couple of years ago. I am on my way back up to the hospital, and will be watching my nephews (all 3 of them) while her husband goes in to see her. He has been with her everyday, and that is wonderful. I will update again soon. Sorry for the delays in updating that I have been having lately. Just been busy. But, Dennis is doing fine, so really nothing to report on him, except he does not like the idea that I cannot go with him. Each of you take care, and I will be around to visit your websites soon, and say hello. I think of each of you often, and you are in my Prayers