More Pre-Operation Tests at St. Luke's Medical Center

More tests prior to operation done on November 29 and 30, 2010 at St. Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City...

The Fight Will Soon Be Over

At four months, we first noticed Zayzay snores like a grown-up. Most people have said that it is just normal for babies to snore; they call them “noisy breathers”. And because it was the first time we see a baby snores loud, we were even amused to hear the sound coming out from his mouth.

For most babies, it is common to get sick. Colds, cough and fever are just common sickness that little angles get, as they grow older. Again, as most people say, this is normal for them. And of course, there is asthma.

At one year and four months, Zayzay had a terrible sickness. He had cough, fever and asthma. We have to rush him to the hospital in the middle of the night. He stopped breathing and the color of his skin already changed. Doctors said he had terrible asthma at that time. So he had to stay in the hospital for three days.

This stop breathing experience, the snoring, the hospital confinement, made me think that it is not normal or it is just asthma. I know doctors know very well because they are professionals and they should know. But parents should know better when it comes to the feelings with their children, how they feel when they are sick. They are always by their side.

It’s not that I don’t believe to the doctors, but given the benefit of the doubt, I researched the Internet why my son sleeps that way. And for over two years, I doubted my son has asthma, but has sleep apnea.

Every time my son gets sick and we consult the doctors, I always try to tell them that I doubted our son has sleep apnea. But most of them, the family doctor, the pediatrician, the neurologist, have told me that sleep apnea is something that could not be told easily. It will take a lot of time and money to diagnose our child with sleep apnea.

But we never stopped looking for the right professionals who would feel the way we feel about our son. Who will talk about sleep apnea with us deeply. And we are fortunate that we found them.

The pediatric and pulmonologist we met for the first time had a lot of experiences with children who had problems with their sleeps. So we talked a lot and she listened. She referred us to a surgeon whom she worked many times with patients, children with sleeping problems. These two doctors confirmed that our son is actually having obstructive sleep apnea.

Now comes the big problem with me as the father. The surgeon has recommended surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids. These are the part of his throat that makes our son snore and stop breathing. And this operation, he said, needs a lot of money to be done.

I seek help to raise funds. I talked a lot with my friends and relatives. I talked a lot on the Internet, on social networking sites and other online communities that I joined. It took a lot of courage and humility to do it. It took me days and nights in front of the computer, trying to reach more people, more hearts, who will feel helping us with our son.

Prayers came in and so as assistance. They came from different places of the world, different races and religions. And they came in as overwhelming but isn’t enough. Even though, I thank God for the support that we have got from those people.

But what made our hearts, as parents, feel better after a lot of sacrifices for our son is the message from a television program who got interested to help us. Hopefully, with this show, our problem with our son will come to an end.

Thanks Be To God.

Sleep Apnea Is A Very Serious Concern

This is what most of my friends from myLot believe. They are mostly common people who don't have medical background or education. But they have at least one family member that snores at sleep, so they understand the danger of apnea, what it could cause if the patient have not given proper attention.

What makes us feel sad regarding Sleep Apnea is that, not everyone is aware of this kind of health condition. Some will even have a great laugh when they see one person snoring so loudly.

The worst part of this is, even some medical professionals do not take this condition very serious. Yes, they know about apnea and even believe this will lead to some more serious health problems, like heart attack, hypertension, etc. But they don't move fast, so easy and calm to tell you, "don't be hysteric or be rattled." Won't you feel that way if you see your child suffering?

One friend also said, "A lot of people are uneducated about the condition so it's up to you to explain to them and how it's dire that your child gets the help he needs."

So I hope I can reach more people with this writing, and let them understand how serious Sleep Apnea is.

Please, Help Save This Child

We Are Just Unlucky To Be Poor

For almost a month now of trying to get help for the surgery, we have already collected almost 20% of the total estimated cost. Still too far from it. But we are very hopeful to get at least 40 to 50 percent by next week, so that we can already set the date for the procedure.

We are very thankful to the Lord that you are there, supporting us with our prayers. I even said one time, if only prayers could pay the hospital bills, then I guess the surgery have long been done. But of course not, hospital is a business. And we are just unlucky that we need their help for our child and that we are poor.

Anyway, here is the list of sites where you can also find us.

1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. Blogger
4. Youtube
5. myLot
6. Wish Upon A Hero


And here are the list of ways you can send your donations.

1. Bank of Phil. Islands
2. Land Bank of the Phils.
3. Paypal
4. Western Union


You can contact us through:

email: neildc68@yahoo.com.ph
mobile: +63.922.221.6929


Magiting: Survival Against Apnea
Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines

Everything Is Large Exempt The Air Pathways

We just got back from the Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) doctor. He's very proficient should I say, in terms of equipments and how he explained to us everything about Zayzay's problem.

He checked his throat, his tongue. He used a camera to see how it looks inside of Zayzay's throat, I think that's endoscopy? And the child was very cooperative. He never showed resistance to whatever the doctor told him to do, not even with the small thing inserted in his nose.


Now these are what the ENT saw:

1. Large tonsils
2. Large adenoids
3. Large tongue


Of course he saw the video and he really feels the suffering of the child.

Now, the good news? He can correct everything on our little angel. He can make him feel better, sleep better. He said, 80% of what he is now, will be removed. Meaning, the obstruction will be erased though he may still snore.

Now... Now... Now... The bad news?

We have to raise something about 3. Yes, three thousand US dollars.

Where and how could we get this huge amount of money?

We Should Not Wait For A Sleep Study

Our son Zayzay always have cough and colds, keep coming almost every month, just like today for almost 2 or 3 days now. We decided to see a pulmonologist so that even tuberculosis issue will be given an end to our worries.


So we found one who seems to be the perfect medical practitioner for our child, after so many doctors who checked him. And we told her everything, his health history, from he was a baby who snores loudly, and so on. And so she is convinced it is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) for all the symptoms of it are present with our child.

But this, she said, still have to be referred to her most trusted ENT doctor who will reconfirm the OSA. She said she worked with this ENT several times and had their last team-up with a patient whom they done an operation, removing the tonsils.

She also added that sleep study is not necessary at this time or we are not supposed to wait for the study be done or something more serious might happen to the child. We should not wait for a sleep study, she said.

By this time, it is not yet final that the operation will really be necessary, but the pulmo-pedia looked at it as very much necessary, although she said, the ENT doctor will have the final say about it.

Let's see what will the ENT doctor will have to say once he see Zayzay. If he will find operation is unnecessary then it's good. But if not, we have to work more harder to raise the funds for the operation.

Be Prepared With The Outcome After Six

We have just been with our family doctor. I say, family doctor because, besides she being a family medical practitioner, she is the one whom our family see, everytime we got sick or has something that we want to know about our health, before seeing other doctors. Almost everything about our health, colds, fever, internal discomfort, eyes, etc., we first seek her medical attention before she will recommend a specialist or endorse us to other doctors, for further check-up. Almost everyone in the family, from me and my wife, our kids, her mom, her dad, her sisters, their kids, my nephews and nieces.

To recall, our two year old son, Zyruz, having treated as of the moment for possible sleep apnea, is so far doing well, responding so well with the medicines. Though a little expensive, we have to face the high priced medicines and keep the taking of them in schedule, for at least four months or until six months.

Yesterday, though I am a little afraid of the would be outcome of the treatment, this family doctor told us more about tonsils. She said that we really don't have to be afraid if, worse come to worst, his tonsils should be removed. There are a lot of our body parts that if removed, we still can move well and almost nothing happened. She mentioned appendix as an example. This should be removed, because it has no more function and it not removed, will only lead to more complicated situation. And so with tonsils. If the need to remove it will not be done, more complicated situation would come to us, like heart problem, and that is not irreversible, she said.

Frankly, I am afraid of operation. I even fell down when I accompany my oldest son when I saw blood when he was circumcised. Though that happened about 10 years ago, funny, but that's true. I thought am was going down and blood goes up to my head.

We have just started

December 22, 2009. We have just started with the series of tests. The doctor recommended complete blood count, peripheral smear check and complete paranasal x-ray.

The results of the tests are already out and we are about to get back to the doctor's clinic tomorrow. The results will be interpreted to us, so within two days or so, I could go back here and tell about the findings.

Types of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. It is caused by a breathing obstruction which stops the air flow in the nose and mouth.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is a central nervous system disorder that occurs when the brain signal which tells the body to breathe is delayed. This can be caused by a disease or injury to the brain or a respiratory disorder.