Hello,
My name is Thelma Lopez.
I had my son in October 2020. His name is Michael. When I was 25 weeks pregnant my OBGYN told me she needed me to go to maternal fetal medicine to see what was wrong with my baby. As a mother you can imagine the fear going through my head and heart at the time. Waiting for that appointment felt like an eternity. My son got diagnosed with coffin sirus-syndrome. It’s such a rare condition, their have only been 200 cases since the 80’s.
The doctors asked me if I wanted to “cancel” the pregnancy. I have had two kids prior to having Michael, so I immediately said No. I couldn’t even imagine life without my other children, why would I live without knowing who my son was? Even if it was just for an hour, a week, a month. I was going to be his mother no matter what came my way.
Michael was born and he spent 48 days in the NICU. At 21 days old, he had spine surgery and at 40 days old, he had a g-tube placed due to him silently aspirating his bottle feeds.
When I was able to bring him home, thr week of, I caught Covid and I had to wait another two weeks to bring him home due to me having to quarantine. I was devastated.
When I finally was able to bring him home, his Journey had started.
Michael is now 4 about to be 5 in October 2025.
He has had 6 surgeries in total, has PT, OT, Speech, Feeding, and visual therapy, weekly, He still feeds through a g-tube due to his aspirating, but, can eat food as thick as pudding, so we’re getting there.
Michael is wheel chair bound due to him having extreme sensory scoliosis. Which he uses AFO’s and a back brace for his feet as well as his back curvature. He has an 80 degree back curvature and currently awaiting the OK for Magic rods in his back.
He had a Claustitoma in his left ear and they removed some of it and went deaf in his left ear. I took him to go see a Neurotologist and they are going to input cochlear implants in his ears to save his hearing. He has had 3 surgeries to input tubes in his ears because he kept having ear infections due to his Claustitoma.
Michael is a rare little boy and I love him dearly. I have to take him to Shriners and Primary Childrens atleast 3-4 times a month for check ups, evaluations, hospital admitions due to him getting sick so often, therapies, you name it. My life revolves around my son.
I currently have a job working $14 an hour and it’s only Part-time with no benefits. This job understands I need time off so much due to me having to take care of Michael 24/7. I have tried to getting better paying jobs, but I have had to leave during work hours in different jobs because Michael gets sick, or Michael is throwing up, Michael’s g-tube malfunctioned and now I have to go change it. So companies don’t like that sometimes and I get let go due to me not being an asset and having to deal with “too many family problems.”
I bought a van the beginning of 2021 because right away doctors at Primarys told me about Michael’s scoliosis and that he was going to be in a wheelchair due to it. I had a car and traded it in for a van so I could be able to transport my son and his wheelchair to his appointments. This van gets used every single day for Michael.
At $14 an hour, plus rent, utilities, and monthly bills. Its a lot for me. It takes a lot of the money I need for Michael’s medicines, equipment, even food to put on the table.
I am trying to reach $20,000 so I can pay off the van and be able to save the monthly payment for whatever other needs Michael has or will have in the future. I have other kids as well and it’s taken a toll on us and I need help. I pray some of you reading this understand my situation and all the money will go to paying off the van. Paying it off will help me focus more and not worried it’s going to be taken if I miss a payment. I need this van for my son, desperately and I’m reaching out to the world for help. Thank you so much if you donate and God be with you all.
