Morrison, Jodi Marie

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[left:3cb670995d]http://www.cherubs-cdh.org/Album/new/morrison2.jpg[/left:3cb670995d]Jodi was born March 30, 1993, with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia of Bochdalek and left lung hypoplasia. Her small bowel, colon and spleen were in the chest where her left lung should have been. The diaphragmatic defect was approx. 4 cm in diameter. Repair was done at 2 days of age. She was on mechanical ventilation for only five days and weaned completely off oxygen in 10 days. She had a fundoplication and gastrostomy done at 18 days of age because of failure to thrive due to significant reflux. She was on continuous, slow drip-feeds for a long time due to "dumping" syndrome. Jodi also has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Jodi came to live with us at the age of 2 months as a foster child. Jodi required feeding through her G-tube for about three and 1/2 years. She had a super-hyper gag reflex. She would nibble on crackers but not swallow. She started to eat around her third birthday. We continued to supplement through the G-tube for another year. The G-tube was removed at the age of 4. We were told that she would live her life with only one lung, but the rudimentary left lung has fully developed. Docs don't know everything! We have done foster care since 1974 and consider it one of the most rewarding .endeavors there is to do. We had adopted 5 children during our marriage and had assumed that at our age (over 40) we were finished adding children permanently to our family. When Jodi's birthmother's parental rights were terminated, we were asked if we would like to adopt her. Miracles do still happen! Jodi has been a true blessing to our family and to all those who know her. Jodi has Attention Deficit Disorder due to the FAS. She is in the 1st grade this year. She takes Ritalin only during school hours and is doing wonderfully in school since she started taking it last year. Another miracle...at the age of over 50, we are in the process of adopting our 4 year-old medically-fragile foster child who has lived with us since she was 7 months old. She has Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. Repair of the characteristic omphalocele, resulted in massive necrosis of the intestines that resulted in most of her intestines being removed. She is thus labeled with Short-Gut Syndrome in addition to the BWS. Julia will be number 7 and I think she will be the last of our permanent children. We will continue to keep foster children as long as we are physically able. I'd be happy to answer any questions and provide any support I can. Thank you for providing this group. I wish I had had access to this type support when Jodi was small. There were so many things I didn't understand and didn't know quite what to ask the doctors about.


Written by Jodi’s mom, Donna Morrison (Alabama)
2000