Quarvana Zohar
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Quarvana Zohar is her name. She is a unique, amazing little girl. She was born in Lithgow Hospital on 7th May 2001; she was 3 weeks early. She was a perfect, healthy little girl, she weight about 6 lbs. 10 oz. (3015kg), Length 50cm, head circumference 35cm. I had a normal delivery that took 14 hours to get her out. By then I was fine and went home to my own place at Terrigal (Central Coast).
About 4 weeks after she was born I've notice some wheezing, I was concerned so I took her to the doctor at Gosford and said that she had bronchitis, which is a chest infection so he advised us to give her moist air by running the shower and steam the bathroom and stay there for 5 minutes. So, we did that every time she wheezed, which sounded like Terry snoring at night. We went to Lithgow to visit my mum and dad in Lidsdale and stayed there. The next day I have notice that Quarvana wasn't sucking for milk as much as she use to, so I was worried and took her temp to see if she had a fever which she did. I ask mum what I should do and she gave me Panadol to give her. I told Terry that Q is not well, and there is something wrong, Terry said to wait and see and don't panic, we'll see if the panadol work, but her wheezing was bad and loud and she was constantly crying, I knew deep down in my heart that there is something wrong with my baby and immediately we took her to the her doctor at Lithgow and immediately he said that she needed to be in hospital in the monitor to make sure that she will be OK and so you won't infect the other children. (I thought to myself that why didn't the doctor in Gosford say anything about that, I was so furious!) So, we stayed in Lithgow Hospital for 2 days, Terry had to have the day off the next day. We were back home after 3 days and Q was fine but had a little wheezing. Believe it or not we then rush her back to Gosford Hospital after 2 days because she wasn't drinking and always crying and her wheezing was getting worst. We went to casualty and waited for almost 3 hours. I was frustrated and angry I couldn't believe that! We got inside and further waited for a doctor when finally a nurse assist us and ask what's the matter with her, so I told them, then she put her on the saturation monitor and man I have never seen them move so quickly, they gave her 1 lt of oxygen and Pulmocort to help her breath, her sat was 55/65, which was bad for a baby.
Anyway we were in and out of the hospital every week and for the last 4 weeks and still no answer why and what causing her to wheeze so much and so hard. All they gave her was a pulmocort and prednisolone to help her breath. Two days after she was diagnosed with laryngomalacia, which is a floppy larynx.
By then I was getting so tired and angry, so I went looking for help. One of the Community Pediatric Nurses to came to visit us. One week later after coming out from Gosford Hospital the nurse saw Quarvana and check why she hasn't been well, so I told her my story and she gave me a plastic squeeze bottle to use. Yes, I was breast feeding but I was forced to use a formula because she couldn't suck my breast. Later that afternoon she was getting worst again so Terry called her and ask her to come here to check on her. An hour later she arrived and had a look and immediately she ask Terry to call the Ambulance because she needed more Oxygen. I was panicking a little but I still had no idea, Sally (the nurse) was holding her and said that this child of yours is going blue! I paused and kept packing. The ambulance came but didn't give her oxygen until we were moving, Sally the nurse was angry because she saw that the man wasn't taking us seriously. (I don't know why but I think because I look to young to have a baby, so lately I felt alone and sad because I wasn't ready to have this sick baby and I was still learning how to look after Quarvana and then this! I felt so heavy and scared!)
That night in the hospital they gave her more prednisone and oxygen to help her breath. I didn't know whether to cry, so I kept silent and tried to pray to God. The next morning we were transferred to WestMead Children Hospital. Quarvana was on a litre of oxygen for 6 days the 1/2 litre for further 3 days then nil. We waited for 2 weeks before they gave her an LBO ( laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, etc.) I was then expressing so much so she could get all the goodness out of my breast milk instead of the formula.
That day came, the surgeon saw her airway was very very narrow and that is why she had a problem breathing. They told me that she doesn't have a floppy larynx, she has a Hemangioma (blood vessel in her airway) and narrowing of the airway. She was in ICU for almost 2 weeks with a tube in her nose to breath and a litre of oxygen. Another week came and once more they had a look down and saw no further cause of her inflamed airway and asked my consent for Quarvana to have a trachy put in immediately or she will suffer. The surgeon was honest with me and I had to make a quick decision right there, so I signed the consent form and immediately they inserted her 3.5 trachy tube. I was in pain for so long and called my mum and dad to help me, I cried and cried and was very sick with high temp etc. My body felt like I could not cope, but I knew I had to be strong and be brave.
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Quarvana was in the ICU for a long time and ventilated, she was on the
Morphine and Muscle relaxants. But, then she was over and about in a matter of time and was then breathing on her own.
Terry and I were taught to change her trachy tube and suction and so on...!
Our discharge was on 28 of September, I was frightened but ok.
Now she is 14 months and doing just fine except her episode on May 23rd 2002 when I couldn't put her tube in and was then rushed to Wyong Hospital and we were flown by helicopter to the Children's Hospital. She was in the surgery the next day and they had to dilate her stoma and put the 3.5 Neo tube back in. I thought I was going to lose her when I saw her turn blue. Luckily Sally the nurse was there to assist us change her trachy. This was our first and hopefully last experience! Quarvana was in the hospital for 2 days. She was then on the antibiotic for a while because she has a bug in her trachea. Now she is fine, but still not if you know what I mean. I have nightmares sometimes from the episode we just had.
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Visit Quarvana at Babies
Online.
