"I am doing fine!" (2007)

...with his sister Flora (2007)

Gui playing soccer (2006)

10 months after Complete Repair

Guilherme (return home-one week after complete repair)

Guilherme and his sister Flora on his return home!

Guilherme (5-months-old) - after B-T shunt surgery

Guilherme and Family / Dec 2005

Guilherme and his Father

Guilherme and his sister Flora / Jan 2005

Gui during Easter lunch at Grandma's House

Our second child Guilherme, was born in 27 October, 2003 and he was perfect. We were so happy and full of love for him. A few hours after his birth, the doctors told me they heard a murmur in his heart and they would take him to PICU for further exams. He was then diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot! We were so lost and terrified and we still remember that day with joy and sadness at the same time. We did not know what to expect. That discovery would change our live forever.

The paediatric cardiologist (Dr. Celia Maria Camelo Silva) then explained to us that he would need a surgery to repair his heart in about 7 months. She was very kind and calm, which was of a great help to us in that moment. We could be more positive and knew that there was help out there.

Guilherme stayed in the PICU for 5 days just for monitoring his sat and we could finally go home with him. He did very well until three months old.

As his sats started to go down, Dr Celia decided to perform a catheterization and try an angioplasty and then wait until Guilherme was able to go to the open-heart surgery. Unfortunately, the angioplasty was not possible as the pulmonary stenosis was pretty severe and it was then decided to operate on 9 February 2004.

The surgeon wanted to try the complete repair but only the Blalock-Taussig surgery was possible as the pulmonary arteries were too small. I had a great confidence in the surgeon (Dr. Marcelo Jatene), and, deep in my heart, I knew Guilherme would succeed. He had been such a brave boy so far. However, taking him to the surgical centre, and delivering him to the nurse that morning, was the worst moment in my life...

After three hours the surgery was over and it was a success. He stayed 3 days in the PICU . When he came to the floor, I could not believe how perfect he was. No one could tell he has had a heart surgery! We stayed 6 more days in the hospital and were sent back home!!!!

He is scheduled to have the complete repair surgery in September 2005. He is doing very well since the first surgery despite some delays in walking and working his left arm. The doctors believe this is due to his low O2 saturations before the first surgery. However, with the wonderful work of his physiotherapists (Andrea and Paula) Guilherme is incredibly improving.... I want to thank Dr. Celia Maria who has been so positive all this time as well as Dr. Miriam, his paediatrician, for all her patience with us.

We thank God everyday for our wonderful children. Having Guilherme with us has been of such a living experience and that is why I wrote... this disease would change our lives forever. It is incredible how strong we become and how much love we are able to give. Thanks to all friends and specially to our families which have been of extraordinary support.

I am sure Guilherme will succeed in his second surgery and, no matter how many other medical issues he needs in future, we will always be there for him.

His disease only makes him more and more special and his smile just explains everything!!!!

October 2005 Update

Guilherme had his complete repair on October 5, 2005. The surgery was a success. He stayed 2 days in the PICU and 4 in the floor. On October 12 (Children's Day in Brazil) we were sent back home. What a happiness, my dream came true!!!!!

He is incredibly well. The recovery was fantastic.

We are very, very happy with the results and I am sure Guilherme will live a healthy and happy life.

We know his heart will need special attention during his life but this was the most important part of the treatment and he did it !!!

We would like to thank all the people at the Hospital do Coracao in Sao Paulo, specially to Dr. Marcelo Jatene (our hero) and all his staff. Thanks to all doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, etc... who have helped Guilherme to recover so fast.

Special thanks to our families and friends for all the prayers and support.

We were so blessed, thank God for everything!

August 2006 Update

More than ten months after the complete repair, Guilherme is doing very well. His last Echo, done in March, has shown important pulmonary insufficiency, which we were already expecting. He will need to change his pulmonary valve in the future but we hope he can enjoy many years until the next intervention.

For now, as per his cardiologist, everything is ok and she wants him to have a normal life.

He never looks to be tired…actually, he looks great, loves to dance and to play soccer all day long. He will start school in September and I am sure he is going to love it as well.

He will also have swim classes once a week which I believe will help his development. He is still a little small for his age.

It is not difficult to find myself crying of happiness when I see him and Flora, my older girl, running all over the house, laughing and having lots of fun… they love each-other so much! It is such a great relief to know that his heart has been "fixed" and that he is no longer at risk.

For me and my family, and for all those who love him, he looks fantastic!!!

Yeah…Guilherme is almost 3 years-old and we are planning a big Spider-Man party for him!

June 2007 Update

Guilherme is now 3 years, 7 months old, and he is doing great.

We visited his cardiologist this week (after 6 months) and she thinks he is really fine. 

She asked us to return in 6 months with the x-ray exam and with the new echocardiogram only in one year.

We were very happy and so was she to see him. He is still taking phonoaudiology and occupational therapy sessions every week.

He is now speaking almost everything. His left hand and leg are working much better and we can't even notice that there was a problem with them.

He is at school since last September and has lots of friends.

He loves soccer, surf, basketball and to dance High School Musical with his sister the whole day long !!!