A Little Warrior

A Recent Letter of Thanks:

Hello. My name is Dario and I am 15 months old. I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was eleven months old. Before being diagnosed, I was a happy baby who loved to play with other kids, and eating was my passion. I live in Brownsville, Texas, but when I got sick, the Kangaroo Crew from Texas Children's Hospital brought me to Houson. I have been in the hospital since November 2006 and I'm still fighting to get well and go back home. I was given seven days of chemotherapy. Then, I got an infection in my catheter that went into every organ in my body, including my brain. I was on an oscillator, dialysis, three blood pressure medications, and nitrogen to help my lungs and heart for a month and a half. Several times my parents were asked to disconnect the machines because the doctors always told them I was not going to make it.

With the help of God, I was able to survive all of this, but the but the infection I had gotten made me get hydrocephalus. The ventricles in my brain got bigger, and my head also got bigger. The doctors decided to put a drain in my head to help it release all the liquid inside. For now, neurologists can't say what kind of damage the infection left on my brain. All I know if that I am not able to see my parents anymore and I also get seizures.

In March 2007, I was operated on to get another shunt--a drain, but this time inside my head that goes all the way to my stomach where the liquid will be released through my urine. My parents are hoping that someday I will be able to see them again. Neurologists say that babies my age, their brains continue to develop until the age of two. Hopefully, this will help every part of my brain to get better. I am still waiting to finish my hospital chemotherapy to go back home. I miss my house and friends so much, but I am going to continue fighting to the end. Thanks to all the people who help out families like mine that are in need. God bless all the people who help families like mine.

You're very welcome, Dario. What a beautiful little boy you are.