This 5-lb miracle baby was born via emergency c-section with Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder, a type of Leukemia that affects children with Down Syndrome. At only six days old, he underwent heart surgery to close a hole in his heart. This was followed immediately by weeks of chemotherapy to treat his cancer.
"Manuel was in and out of the hospital for the first two months of his life. He had fluid building around his heart that wouldn't drain on its own. He got a lung infection and had to be on oxygen because his lungs weren't working properly," says Patty, Manuel's mother.
The day after the above photo was taken, his parents, Patty and Rosendo, would bring him home for the first time.
"At Family House, everyone was friendly and open, everyone was willing to help. It's nice staying there - a little home away from home." Now 8 months old, Manuel can do the things that other babies can do, like hold his own bottle, roll over, and sit up on his own. He's starting to talk, too."His heart and pulmonary counts are great. He's doing what normal babies do; we're very happy, we're very proud of him."
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http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html
