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Lil and Phil arrive!
Lil and Phil are born prematurely and have landed themselves a stay in the ICU. Each baby weighed just over 2lbs, and could be held in one hand. Both are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. -
Time to go home!
Just in time for Christmas! After 6 months in the ICU, Lil and Phil get to go home! Grandma is beyond ecstatic but she knows they still have a long road ahead of them! -
Another brother
Lil and Phil’s father Howie, has another son, leaving Lil and Phil with a little half brother. -
The toughest day of an already challenging life
Betty DeVille passes away from a sudden heart attack. At the age of 13, Lil and Phil are quite upset at the loss of their mother. Due to their father Howie not being actively involved with the twins, Grandma becomes guardian. This is no easy feat for Grandma who is in her 70’s, caring for two children with Cerebral Palsy. Grandma bravely takes on the role and does a superb job of caring for Lil and Phil. -
A new way of life
Due to the Cerebral Palsy, lil was diagnosed with a neurogenic bladder. As a result Lil underwent surgery to have an appendicovesicostomy. It surfaces at the umbilicus, where she straight catherizes herself intermittently during the day, and places an indwelling catheter during the night and during long car rides. -
A visit to the hospital
Lil is hospitalized due to renal calculi in her left kidney and abdominal distention. She endures a ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy to break up the large stones. They were unable to get all of the stones, and so they put a percussive jacket on Lil to help with the residual stone burden as it made its way to the bladder. After surgery the physician and team were concerned due to total body edema. She is placed on diuretics and the edema subsides, allowing for Lil to once again head home. -
Another trip to the hospital
Lil is admitted to Aurora for a bladder infection. She was treated with antibiotics and allowed to go home. -
A new strain
Lil is hospitalized again, however this time with urosepsis. A culture was taken and returned positive for proteus mirabilis, which was a new organism for her. A CT showed bilateral renal calculi. -
Yet more staghorns
Lil presents to have a right nephrostomy tube placement due to yet more renal calculi. The doctors diagnosed them as Staghorn Calculi. They were found bilaterally, however Lil’s pain was much greater on her right side. Grandma drove her down from Green Bay, leaving Phil at home alone with his friend. -
Longer than expected stay
They attempted but aborted a PCNL/neph tube exchange and placement of a retroperitoneal JP and ureteral stent placement. -
FINALLY time to go home!
Lil and Grandma finally get to go home! 2 surgeries and a much longer than planned stay in the hospital, and its time to head back to Green Bay to Phil and her friends! Unfortunately because the surgery was unsuccessful, Lil will have to undergo yet another surgery. Lil didn’t seem to mind, she was just happy to go home. Grandma was a trooper, many nights on the pull out couch supporting Lil through the whole process. -
A Sentimental omelette
Lil finally decides she wants to eat breakfast. She ordered an omelette with bacon, mushrooms, onions peppers and cheese. She says Grandma never makes omelettes for breakfast. Grandma and Lil share a moment reminiscing Betty’s omelettes and how she made them the best. Due to this they haven’t made omelettes since her passing. As they were talking about the delicious omelettes Betty made, Lil had a huge smile from ear to ear. Grandma said that her brother Phil does most of the cooking. -
An end in sight?
Lil and Grandma will drive back to Froedtert Hospital so Lil can undergo yet another surgery. This time Dr. Carley Davis will try and remove the renal calculi that were not taken care of during the last hospital stay.
