The Wonder that is Riley!

G’day everyone out there on this crazy planet we are living in right now. My name is Blake Hyland & I’m a Fire Captain in Northern California, and I’m trying to raise money for medical expenses for an amazing and incredibly tough little 2 year old girl (Riley) who is one of my Firefighter/Paramedics (Mike Baker’s) daughter.  

The Baker family consists of parents Michael & Cassie, and their 2 beautiful kids, 3 year old son Grayson & 2 year old daughter Riley. 

Both kids had a tough start in life being born prematurely and having many complications throughout the last few years. Both parents have worked as Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technicians in many towns in Northern California with combined total of 25 years helping people in need for a living. They would Never ask for a handout or help, but now it’s time to help them! 

Below is a letter from Cassie relating to the story and medical issues ahead for little Riley. 

The Wonder that is Riley! 

Our girl did not have a favorable start to life but we intend to make the rest of it full of love and hope! Hopefully this will be some kind of right order. She's had a lot happen!

- Born at 27weeks 2days weighing 2lbs 5oz with a more than necessary traumatic birth because they didn't believe I was in labor all day so they stopped my contractions and her head got stuck causing a grade 2 brain bleed resulting in multiple PVL's in her brain (pretty much cysts). 

- Was in the NICU for 2&1/2 months due to extreme prematurity as well as case #1 of meningitis... during that stay she had 100's of needle sticks for IV's, blood sugars, lab draws, 3 PICC lines (the last one caused a blood infection that got to her brain due to the bleed at birth), multiple head ultra sounds, NG tube for feeds most of the stay and many other things. She was on C-Pap for about the first month then was intubated when she got meningitis and almost died the first time. When she was discharged she got a diagnosis of acquired hydrocephalus.

- Just over a week after leaving the NICU the hydrocephalus was no longer stable and had to be rushed back to the hospital for her first shunt. She was there over a week when most shut placements it's a quick 24-48hrs and sent home. She started having more GI and feeding issues after surgery.

- About a month after going home again we rushed her back to the hospital where we found out she got meningitis AGAIN! She went in for emergency surgery to remove her shunt and put in an external drain in her head (almost died again) she was in the PICU for 8 weeks recovering. While there she had at least 20 MRI's, so many sticks couldn't keep track, they had to put in a chest port as a last resort (was told the really didn't know what they were going to do if they couldn't get that line), back to Naso-Gastric tube feeding (staff gave her oral aversion during this visit), had two separate external drains placed, so many labs, x-rays you name it. When she finally was sent home she was still struggling to eat, so she was sent home with the NG tube for a couple months. Also she had two witnessed (by me) seizures during this stay. Who knows how many they missed before I saw her. She was on keppra for a few months. 

- Months later she had a shunt failure (VP shunt in her brain got blocked so Cerebral Spinal Fluid couldn't get out of her head) got another new shunt and a few days in the hospital.

- She's been admitted a few other times as well for different infections, most recent was a blood infection around Halloween 2020 when she spent two weeks in the hospital.

With all that she had global development delay, cerebral palsy (mixed high and low tone), hydrocephalus with a VP shunt, CVI (vision impairment), genetic immune deficiency, Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), continuous feeding and GI problems. Oh and it was 5 brain surgeries in her first year of life! 

She has multiple specialists that follow her and I'm constantly fielding all of them pretty much every week and sometimes multiple a day. Talk about a full time job! haha! 

Currently she gets (will be ongoing probably forever)

- mHBOT (home hyperbaric chamber)

- Many, many supplements including CBD

- Low level laser therapy

- Cranio sacral

- ABM (neuro movement lessons) intensive lessons monthly

- Traditional Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy 

- Feeding Therapy

- Essential oil neuro protocol 

- Daily movement lessons from me (I'm training to be a movement practitioner for her)

Thing we want to do:

- Stem cells (first treatment coming up next week!!!!! $6500 plus travel costs etc.) most likely she will need a few....

- The brain institute intensive in North Carolina 

- Napa center intensive in LA

- Acupuncture

- E-stim

- MNRI

- Neuro intensive with functional neurologist in Texas

- Horse riding therapy

- Thera suit

- Music Glove

- Sound Therapy

- Neurofeedback 

- Power plate

That is my list of things I will eventually get to with our girl. Love me, or hate me for it sweet girl! I will do everything I can possibly come up with to give you your best shot! Even with all this that's happened to her she's the sweetest, happiest little thing. She deserves only the best. She hasn't deserved to be tortured the way she has... If you have any questions about anything that has to do with Riley that I left out please just ask. I have no problem explaining things about our girl. Thank you so much Blake!!! You're awesome!!! I'll send you some of the early pix too just in case you want those too. They're not all adorable baby... Well she still is just with lots of tubes!

Kindest Regards 

Cassi