Sunday, March 7, 2010

Cache M, OLOL Hero 2010-4

Cache is an amazing brave child! I call him our life savor and hero. I can not begin to describe how much this child has and will endure in his life time. Cache was born at 37 weeks, 7 pounds 14 ounces, 19.5 inches long, and came out fighting. When I was 32 weeks along, his heart rate had dropped dangerously low. After many tests and a big scare, the doctors decided that he could be monitored for a few weeks until he was ready to come out. When I was 36 weeks, they decided to induce me. They knew something was wrong with his little heart, but they were not sure what.

Less then 12 hours after birth, he was being transferred to the pediatric hospital, and I was being discharged. When we arrived at the hospital, we were told that my son had a genetic heart condition called Long QT. In order for him to be on the medication to save his life, he needed a pacemaker. Three days after birth, my son was having open heart surgery. A few days later his heart began to reject his pacemaker and they had to go in again and drain the fluid building up around his heart. My superman made it though the first month of his life in the NICU and was soon able to come home. This is how his journey began.

Cache has two genetic dispositions of Long QT. Long QT1 and Jervell Lang-Nielsen syndrome. When Cache was 2.5 years old, he was diagnosed with severe to profound deafness. This is a side effect from the Jervell Lang-Nielsen syndrome. Although the ability to speak is a challenge for him, he does not let anything stop him from living his life. In July 2008, Cache had a deadly arrhythmia, but we were blessed by angels and his heart bounced back. In November 2008, another surgery was performed to place a defibrillator and have a sympathectomy performed. Cache did well and has never had another arrhythmia since.

Today, I am sitting in a hospital room because my son's defibrillator was removed due to an infection. We will be in the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) for 2-6 weeks trying to get rid of the infection. After the infection is gone, he will have his 5th heart surgery to place in a new defibrillator. When I saw this website, I knew this would be a great way to tell everyone what a brave and amazing child my son is. By him enduring so much in his short 4 years of life, he has saved his brother's, sister's, uncle's and cousin's lives, as they too all live with Long QT. Without his trials, we would have never known about this silent killer that takes so many young ones lives. It is now our mission to inform people about Long QT and try to save lives. We are truly blessed by Cache. He is our brave hero and life savor. He lives his life to the fullest and never lets all his trials get in his way. Anyone who has met him will tell you he is an inspiration and full of courage. He has made our world a better place. http://media.causes.com/706676?s=cause

Cache's slogan: Valiant Hearts with Rhythm

Submitted by: Melissa M

7 comments:

  1. I am priveledged to be Cache's Aunt. I have seen this brave child face unbelievable challenges that some adults may never have to. He ALWAYS has a smile on his face, he is brave, loving, sweet, kind, smart, happy! I wish everybody had the opportunity to have a child just like him in their family. Just to know him is to love him, just to meet him is INSPIRATION!

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  2. What an amazingly strong spirit this kid has! His mom and dad have been such troopers through it all! I can't believe what he has been through in such a short life. Rock on Cache!!

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  3. I cannot tell you how much love and laughter Caches has given this family. As his grandmother I was there the day he was born and the day he had his first surgery. He sets a daily example for all of us to follow. He understands that we need to grab on to life and take nothing for granted. Nothing will hold this child back from reaching his aspirations and so far nothing has. If only we could all understand how important it is to appreciate every day like he does. Cache your Grandmother and Grandfather love you so much and want you to know what a inspriation you are to all of us.

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  4. Cache is the cutest little boy! You would never know of his struggles just to look at him, because he is always smiling his infectious, radiant smile! Although he's only 4, he's an inspiration to me and to all those who have interacted with him.

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  5. Cache is a very cute boy.. His smile will brighten any day, and those eyes... WOW. Keep it up Cache..

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  6. Cache has gone through a lot in his little life. But in the process he has saved his cousins from finding out the hard way that they too have Long QT syndrome. Our family is so blessed to have Cache! We are grateful every day for the gift he is to this family. Thank you Cache for everything!
    XOXO

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