Saving Baby River
Donation protected
Our Story
River is our little girl, her expected arrival date is 11-11-2020. At 22 Weeks River was diagnosed with a condition that historically has been known to be fatal, Bilateral Renal Agenesis (BRA). Until recent years, there has been no treatment available and all of these BRA babies are expected to be 1 in 4, meaning that they do not survive. Recently, Doctors have been experimenting with a treatment that has been successful for on average of 1 of 3 mothers and BRA babies survive this treatment.
With BRA, River's kidneys have failed to properly develop, as a result, she isn't able to to create her own amniotic fluid. With no amniotic fluid, it makes proper fetal growth incredibly difficult. With no fluid around the Baby River, her lungs are not able to grow or contract, her physical growth is at risk to be compromised resulting in low birth weight, physical deformities due to being in a tight area not being able to move and difficulty breathing at birth which historically is usually what results in death for these BRA babies is pulmonary failure.
Reluctantly, we have been able to find a treatment center 2 hours from our home that if successful, solves this issue for River. The treatment is a full time commitment and consists of 2 weekly outpatient procedures where Mamma goes into surgery to have amniotic infusions. The infusions are an injection of warm saline fluid into the birth cavity where River is. Injecting the fluid on a weekly/biweekly basis allowing River's lungs and entire body to grow properly. Without the injections she won't be able to survive after birth. 1 of 3 women tend to survive this treatment.
At 24 Weeks River and Mamma started this treatment. Mamma is now 32 Weeks and has had 13 successful infusions. River is now expected to make it and survive! River and Mamma have had a tremendous amount of overview looking at River's heart, lungs, chromosomes, DNA, and brain. Both River and Mamma are doing incredible, staying physically strong and getting stronger with each infusion. Nothing else seems to be wrong with little Baby River, other than the mystery of her kidneys failing.
The 13 infusions have been successful, River's lungs are developing properly, her heart looks really good and her weight is measuring properly. We will continue to do the infusions until River makes her arrival with the expectation she will survive.
However, with River having no kidneys, her medical treatment will need to continue after her birth. River will need to live in the NICU until she stabilizes on dialysis. River could be in the NICU for up to 6 months, our family is praying for less than that but whatever she needs, we will be there. After the NICU, River will need a kidney transplant around 2 years of age.
We are so blessed to have found treatment and to hopefully change history for more mother's and families in the future. We can't wait to welcome little Baby River into this world and continue to share our journey.
Why We're Asking For Help
Due to COVID, the pregnancy being High- Risk and the long term medical costs our family is needing financial assistance while we adjust to these times. COVID and bed-rest have taken Mamma out of work. River is going to need to full time care and until COVID relaxes and River stabilizes we're asking for your generosity.
River is our little girl, her expected arrival date is 11-11-2020. At 22 Weeks River was diagnosed with a condition that historically has been known to be fatal, Bilateral Renal Agenesis (BRA). Until recent years, there has been no treatment available and all of these BRA babies are expected to be 1 in 4, meaning that they do not survive. Recently, Doctors have been experimenting with a treatment that has been successful for on average of 1 of 3 mothers and BRA babies survive this treatment.
With BRA, River's kidneys have failed to properly develop, as a result, she isn't able to to create her own amniotic fluid. With no amniotic fluid, it makes proper fetal growth incredibly difficult. With no fluid around the Baby River, her lungs are not able to grow or contract, her physical growth is at risk to be compromised resulting in low birth weight, physical deformities due to being in a tight area not being able to move and difficulty breathing at birth which historically is usually what results in death for these BRA babies is pulmonary failure.
Reluctantly, we have been able to find a treatment center 2 hours from our home that if successful, solves this issue for River. The treatment is a full time commitment and consists of 2 weekly outpatient procedures where Mamma goes into surgery to have amniotic infusions. The infusions are an injection of warm saline fluid into the birth cavity where River is. Injecting the fluid on a weekly/biweekly basis allowing River's lungs and entire body to grow properly. Without the injections she won't be able to survive after birth. 1 of 3 women tend to survive this treatment.
At 24 Weeks River and Mamma started this treatment. Mamma is now 32 Weeks and has had 13 successful infusions. River is now expected to make it and survive! River and Mamma have had a tremendous amount of overview looking at River's heart, lungs, chromosomes, DNA, and brain. Both River and Mamma are doing incredible, staying physically strong and getting stronger with each infusion. Nothing else seems to be wrong with little Baby River, other than the mystery of her kidneys failing.
The 13 infusions have been successful, River's lungs are developing properly, her heart looks really good and her weight is measuring properly. We will continue to do the infusions until River makes her arrival with the expectation she will survive.
However, with River having no kidneys, her medical treatment will need to continue after her birth. River will need to live in the NICU until she stabilizes on dialysis. River could be in the NICU for up to 6 months, our family is praying for less than that but whatever she needs, we will be there. After the NICU, River will need a kidney transplant around 2 years of age.
We are so blessed to have found treatment and to hopefully change history for more mother's and families in the future. We can't wait to welcome little Baby River into this world and continue to share our journey.
Why We're Asking For Help
Due to COVID, the pregnancy being High- Risk and the long term medical costs our family is needing financial assistance while we adjust to these times. COVID and bed-rest have taken Mamma out of work. River is going to need to full time care and until COVID relaxes and River stabilizes we're asking for your generosity.
Organizer
Ivorie Nicole
Organizer
San Diego, CA