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Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, March 7, 1990-11. Off to Fenelon Follies Heart Patient, Chera Bruce, born December 30, 1988. Little Chera Lee-Ann Bruce weighed 7 lbs. 81/2 ozs. at birth. Her development has been above average, walking at ten months, teething early, and just by spending a few minutes in ,her- company, one can see how obviously bright she is. Chera is the daughter of Dean Bruce and Sue-Ann Heming of Newtonville. But Chera's heart is flot good. ,Diagnosis: V.S.D. - Ventricular Septal Defect, andU Pulmonary Artesia to the, lungs. Both are genetic dîseases. V.S.D. is a defect in the develop- ment of the- partitions which separate the two sides of the heart. Chera's defect is located in the lower chambers; Pulmonary Artesia to the lungs mneans that there is a bloçkage in the main. artery which takes biood to the lungs. In Chera's case, thç extent of bo-th diseases is severe. Chera was flown by air amn- bulance to Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto on December 31, 1988. She -was connected up t 1. V. and seemingly miles of tubing. On January lst, 1989 at just two days old,__Chera had ekstënsiyci by-pass "Cardiac Shunt" surgery, becomiing the youngest infant in Canada to undergo such surgery. Still unable to see or hold their baby, Dean and Sue-Ann clung to a Polaroid picture Chera's grand- mother had taken earier. The surgery was filmed by the Sick Children's Hospital Research Centre, then used on Toronto television news. By this time,, Chera had lost al natural sucking instincts. Her head had been shaved. Finally, at a lesser 5 lbs. 6 ozs. baby Chera came home on Jartuary 12, 1989. Chera was weak. She had to be watched 24 hours a day. She wvas only taking about one ounce of milk every three hours. There were strict rules: no smioking near the baby, air cleaniers had to be operating arounid the dlock; the baby had to be kept indoors, out of~ wînd, cold, ramn and snow; there could be no air travel as high altitudes could pop the plastic tube in hier heart; Chera wýasn't to be ex- posed to above normal hot climate ither. . .all these factors would take away valuable oxygen, causing hier heart to become overworked. Chera is a darling little girl. She is "4old hat" at being, examined ... she knows how to calmly raise her arm, revealing the scar of surgery, and she deliberately spreads her tiny fingers to show their blue colour. She is noticeably blueish around the mouth, forehead and eyes as well. On January 20, 1989 Chera went into cardiac arrest. Ambulance rushed her to hospital. She miraculously pulled herself through and went home with her mom and dad the next day. Now, Chera's activity hias to be restricted even more, since she is otherwise an active 14 month old child. She is on a low saît, low col- esterol, low sugar and low starch diabetic diet. "We don't know what it is like having a "normal" baby..." said Chera's mom, Sue-Ann; "But Dean and 1 love her so much, t really doesn't occur to uis that she demands extra care and attention. It's all we know. 1 won't hiave any more children even though 1 am on- ly 20. We are so lucky to have our Chera... On July 27, 1989, Chera again went into cardiac arrest. She was taken by ambulance to hospital, stabilized and sent home. And again just five weeks ago Chera was given an injection of blood thinners and stabilized. This is life. This will continue to be ife for this young family. Doctors will do another by-pass only if necessary, dependîng on Chera's progress, day by day, month by month. They vould however, prefer to wait until she is about six years old. At that stage her hieart will be as large as i will get; thien miajor open heart surgery can be performied. It has been quite a test for Dean and Sue-Ann. It was very painful not being able to see or hold their newborn daughter., If there was one thing this couple could say to other parents of critically ill children, it would be to neyer lose hope; to know that they are not alone. . .and there are ex- cellent support groups for families, that really do mïake a ift'eren:e. Dean and Sue-Ann don)ated a Polaroîd camera to dt aternity ward at Memorial Hospital in Bowmanville. on Chiera's behaîf. They hope that other parents who are unable' to be wýithi their newborn, may at least be able to hiold on to a cherished photographi, right then and there. In sharing this part of a very special little gil's life, the couple wishes to extend deepest thatiks to Dr. Coles and the Cardiac Surgery Team at Sick Children's Hospital, and to the wonderful, compas- sionate staff at Memorial. Our thanks to you, Dean, Sue- Ann and Chera... Little Scoops... - - "Blarney!" AIl welcc Patrick's Day dance, M; Newtoniville Hall, 8:.30r sion is $5.00 at the dloc to be a grand evenini Keith Wood Orchestra. be provided by sponsc U. C. W. - Happy lst Wedding on March 4th to Kevin Ranik (nee Brown) fi Newtýonville. - Birthdaygreetings of t b is group of four are off to needless to say there is some excite- da Burt who was absent at tîme of Fenelon Falls on Mrach 24th to take -ment for these youngsters and Bren- taking the picture. part in the Fenelon Falls Follies and Winnersfrom Orono at, Unicorn Fair Competition is now part of their event. 3rd, Novice B; (Front row) Sarah routine as far as Figure Skating is (Back row) Michael Murphy, 3rd Dewsbury, Ist place Pre-Juvenile B concernied and this young group did ini Juvenile A Boys; Erin Wilson, and Ashley Roy, lst Pre-Juvenile participate ini the recent Unicorn 3rd Pire-Novice A;, Nicole Wilhelmi, A. Street Iîght Foster Creek On a motion by Frank Stapleton the Town's Public Works depart- ment is to report on a street light for the Foster Creek walkway into the sub-division. Mayor Hubbard said it was im- perative that this be looked after as an assault incidence happened in the area. kind are sen t out to Wally Boughen of Newtonville, March 9th. -March Break is upon us. Kids are __________ off from Friday, March 9 until they return to classes, Monday, March l9th. Well, spring' officially arrives me to a -St. March 2th. Already we are being farch l7th at teased w ith gorgeous sunshine in p.m. Admis- regular, large doses lately. r. Promises Those seeds I planted last month îg with the are up, and although we are into yet,., .Lunch wNill another cold spell, it really is just a ring hiloh matter of time before we'll be able to shed aIl those heavy winter boots Anniversary and coats. and Shelley formerly of he cheeriest Thank you for your input, and let's keepin touch. 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