ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> <html><!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/vogtemplate.dwt" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" --> <head> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" --> <title>Zachery VandeKuyt</title> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- body { margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 25px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; } --> </style> <link href="../../../vog.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="head" --> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/JavaScript"> <!-- function MM_openBrWindow(theURL,winName,features) { //v2.0 window.open(theURL,winName,features); } //--> </script> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </head> <body> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="pagetitle"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="toptext" --><span class="subtitle">Zachery Liam VandeKuyt</span><!-- InstanceEndEditable --></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#0000CC"><img src="../../../gfx/spacers/1x1.gif" width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="mainbody" --> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td height="19" class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td width="231" rowspan="17" align="center" valign="top"><br> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Your Story </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">You may have read other peoples stories and experiences and would you like to have your story published on www.veinofgalen.co.uk</span></p> <p><a href="../../../forms/familystoryform.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Tell Your Story</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Forum</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">The Vein Of Galen forum is there for you to leave messages and contact other people who have been affected by<br> Vein Of Galen</span></p> <p><a href="http://pub17.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1447524782&cpv=1" target="_self" class="boxlink">Enter Forum</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Gallery</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p class="boxtext">Many of our readers have sent in photgraphs of themselves or their children </p> <p><a href="../../../gallery.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Enter Gallery</a> </p></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" class="maintext"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="50%" height="149" align="center"><img src="zacheryvandekuyt1small.jpg" width="144" height="115"></td> <td width="50%"><p class="faqheader" align="center"> Zachery Liam VandeKuyt</p> <p class="faqheader" align="center"> July 23rd, 2009</p> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader"> Zachery`s Story </td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">After a fairly uneventful pregnancy, the long awaited day had finally come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I was in labour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>As I was induced with our firstborn, Ethan, I was excited as the first wave of contractions began naturally on Wednesday evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span>Our second child  a boy was born early Thursday morning by caesarean  At 9lbs 5oz, my pelvic structure would not allow vaginal delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He let out a small squawk but no loud wail succeeded it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Immediately, the respiratory therapy team was called in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Our son was soon transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span>We had two names picked out but we both agreed that this name had to be Zachery, which means  God remembers me .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We asked if my husband Rob could go to the NICU, but they advised him to wait until Zachery was stabilized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> They assured us that the doctor would come to speak with us as soon as Zachery was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Rob and I were brought into the recovery room and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I m not sure how much time passed  it could have only been an hour, but it felt like a lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Finally the neo-natal pediatrician came to speak with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The fear that had been building since his delivery was now reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They suspected a congenital heart defect and had called Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto to arrange a transfer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp;&nbsp; </span> <?xml namespace="" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" prefix="o" ?><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Six hours after Zachery s birth, I was finally allowed out of bed and wheeled into the NICU to meet my son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span>Nothing could have prepared me for the pain and joy that enveloped me those first few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I was so happy to see and touch Zachery, overwhelmed by wondrous love that rushes in when one first lays eyes on their child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But at the same time, I was not prepared that the heart-wrenching pain one experiences when seeing their precious child hooked up to so many tubes and wires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Zachery was sedated  they explained to me that he was such a feisty boy that they needed to keep him in this state or he would pull all his tubes out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I didn t know whether I should laugh or cry, so I did both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span>We chose  Liam as Zachery s middle name because it means  Strong Willed Fighter and  Helmet of Protection .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span> We felt completely helpless so giving him a strong name seemed like the only thing we could do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">There were so many questions that we wouldn t have answers to until Zachery was at Sick Kids Hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Not having answers was difficult, but God gave us the patience and knowledge that Zachery was getting the best care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> A transfer team with their  portable hospital soon arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They ran several tests, trying to determine whether or not his heart was the source of the problem or a symptom of a different problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Further tests identified pulmonary hypotension as another symptom or problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Zachery was transferred that evening by ambulance and he remained stable throughout the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>By Friday morning, they identified that Zachery suffered from Vein of Galen Malformation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span>He underwent extensive tests  echo cardiograms, head ultrasounds and MRIs to determine the extent of his condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The physicians at Sick Kids explained that they hoped to keep Zachery stable so that they could better assess his condition and that surgery could be delayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">On Saturday, Zachery s sedation was reduced  we had a great afternoon with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He squeezed our fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He opened his eyes and looked at us, following our voices with his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He responded to our voices and singing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>For the first time since his birth, I felt a little less helpless: His mother was right there to hold his hand, stroke his face and soothe him with lullabies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>That night, he took a turn for the worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His condition was deteriorating rapidly and emergency surgery was the only option to stabilize him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>On Sunday afternoon, he underwent a procedure using interventional radiology (embolization) in attempts to eliminate the arteriovenous shunting of blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>During the procedure, one part of the shunt was eliminated successfully, but another part of the vessel burst creating a massive bleed into the brain. The extent of damage in Zachery s brain was too great and there was nothing that they could do to save him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">We were brought to Zachery s bedside and the tubes and machines that had separated us those past few days were taken away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I was able to change his diaper and we both held our son for the first and last times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He died very peacefully in my arms two hours after surgery while we were singing the song  Jesus Loves Me .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">We are so thankful for those at Toronto Sick Kids and Toronto Western Hospitals who were a part of Zachery s short life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They were attentive, accommodating, empathetic, and passionate about providing the best care possible for Zachery and for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They showed us with their own tears that although they are very professional, they are not hardened by their daily exposure to very sick children and to the heartbreak of losing a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Three months have passed since the birth and death of our dear son Zachery Liam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We have learned through his autopsy that even if the shunting could have been eliminated, Zachery would have had little to no quality of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We are thankful that God chose to take Zachery home with him rather than let him suffer with no connection to this earth and those who love him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Coming to terms with the fragility of life, accepting our loss, and mending our broken hearts are processes we know will take time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Although we don t feel the same happiness and zeal for life right now, we hold tight to the promise and hope that our grief will turn to joy and the promise that one day we will all be together again in Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp;&nbsp; </span> <o:p></o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> &nbsp; </span> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader">Pictures Of Zachery</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext"><div align="center">Please click on the image to enlarge it in another window </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="80%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center"><a href="#" onMouseDown="MM_openBrWindow('zvandekuyt1.htm','','width=450,height=450')"><img src="zacheryvandekuyt1small.jpg" name="zvandekuyt1" width="144" height="115" border="0" id="zvandekuyt1"></a></td> <td align="center"><a href="#" onMouseDown="MM_openBrWindow('zvandekuyt2.htm','','width=450,height=450')"><img src="zacheryvandekuyt2small.jpg" name="zvandekuyt2" width="144" height="115" border="0" id="zvandekuyt2"></a></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext"><div align="right"><a href="../../familystories.htm" target="_self" class="faqlink">Return to the Main Page</a> </div></td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">FAQ</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">To help answer many of your questions, we have created a FAQ with the help of<br> Dr Wendy Taylor and Professor Karel Ter Brugge </span></p> <p><a href="../../../faq.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Read FAQ</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#0000CC"><img src="../../../gfx/spacers/1x1.gif" width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><a href="../../../welcomegfx/credits.htm" target="_self"><br> <span class="boxlink">Credits</span></a> | <a href="../../../welcomegfx/disclaimer.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Disclaimer </a>| <a href="../../../contactus.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Contact Us </a> | <a href="../../../updates2005.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Site Updates </a><a href="../../../contactus.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink"> </a> | <a href="http://my.statcounter.com/project/standard/stats.php?project_id=599770&guest=1" target="_blank" class="boxlink">Site Statistics </a> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp; 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