Please help me pay my son's medical expenses.

Hi everyone, I would like to ask some help for my youngest son as i am a single mom and it's really hard for me to take care of his medical expenses since i don't have work and I need to take care of my kids especially my youngest son who has a medical condition that needs my full attention and I have no one who can help me aside with my grandmother who is in 70's. My husband cheated on me and left us without explaining or saying anything. It was very painful because, it was the girl who sent me a message to let me know about what he did. We are living with my grandmother who took care of us and all the expenses. We are just trying to survive with her small pension and even used her pension to loan so that i have money to use for the medical treatment and expenses of my son.

August 2020, the time that i have found out about my husband, and just the next month, i have found out also about my son CJ that was diagnosed of having a kidney problem and Arachnoid Cyst. It was very hard, very painful and difficult for me to handle everything because of the situation of my son and what my husband did. He didn't contact us for almost 2 years and just ignored my messages and calls. He didn't even think even though he knows the health condition of his son and didn't give any support. That's why, i decided to file a VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children) case since he didn't give any support to our child.

My son is Chris Joseph C. Mapa (CJ). He is 4 years old now. He was only 1 year old when he was admitted in the hospital 4 times last 2020 before we found out about his kidney problem. First, he has a high blood pressure of 140/100 that's why his Pediatrician decided to do an ultrasound and we have found out that his right kidney was enlarged. From that, his doctor advised us to take him to a Pediatric Nephrologist, specialist for kidney for further tests. Please see attached result.

I took my son to Cebu City last September 2020 to see a Pediatric Nephrologist who was referred to us by his Pediatrician. He had a lot of laboratory and imaging tests. During the ultrasound, we saw that his urinary bladder is empty or doesn't have enough urine inside. He had repeat whole abdomen ultrasound 3 times on that day just to make sure that it has the same result. The explaination is that his urine is not going to the right way going to the urinary bladder. It went up instead of going down to the urinary bladder. We have seen also that his liver is mildly enlarged but, thank God both of his kidney are within in normal size. Please see attached result. From that, he was advised to undergo a VCUG procedure. It is an exam that takes images of the urinary system. It was a very hard for me seeing my son because, i can see and feel the pain he has during the procedure but, he is very brave and strong child which i am very thankful of. After that procedure, he had another whole abdomen ultrasound and thank God, it really helped. It shows that his urinary bladder has urine already but, it was very difficult procedure for a 1 year old son but, he made it. Thanks God!

After that, he was advised to see a Cardiologist Pedia because of his high blood pressure. Usually it's 140/100 or 130/90 or 120/100 which is high for his age. He had a 2DEcho test and good thing that the result is ok and normal though, his heart rate if low. He was given Captopril medicine to help lower his blood pressure and it helped him and it's considered as his maintenance already.

He was advised to see a Pediatric Gastroenterologist since it shows from his whole abdomen ultrasound that his liver is mildly enlarged. It was explained to us that he has a fatty liver that's why we need to monitor it and was referred to also to a Pediatric Endocrinologist for further test. After some series of tests, he was diagnosed of having a Metabolic syndrome that's why it shows that he has a fatty liver and some results are not ok so he was given a medicine for it and to lessen his food.

And also, he was referred to see a Pediatric Neurologist since we are worried about his head as he always bang it on the floor and or in the wall. We want to know the reason why coz he always cry every time he will bang his head which is not normal. He was advised to have a Cranial MRI. Unfortunately, it shows from the result that he has an Arachnoid Cyst that is connected on top of his brain (right side of his brain, please find attched). It really hurt me when i found out about the cyst because my son is in danger. Because of his Arachnoid cyst, he was referred to a Neurosurgeon for further tests. I was advised that the size of the cyst is not to big but yet but, i really need to take good care of him and monitor him so that the cyst will not grow. If ever the size of the cyst will get bigger then, he needs to undergo a surgery to remove the cyst and i am very scared because it is connected in his brain. If the cyst will grow and will not be removed then, it's not safe for him and the rest of his organs will be affected like his eyes and ears, he won't be able to see or hear anymore and most especially his brain will be more affected that's why i am afraid and hoping and praying that the cyst will not grow and will remain as the same size. I was advised by the Neurosugeon that i should look after him all the time and not to leave him alone because if he will feel the pain, he might bang his head again just like what he did and it's not safe because it will trigger the cyst to grow so, i really need to be with my son all the time. That's why we really need to monitor his cyst and will do MRI every 6 months to 1 year to see the status of his Arachnoid cyst. It's inborn so if the cyst would be the same size still then, no need to worry. They don't need to remove it but, i just need to make sure that he will be monitored all the time.

Being a mother especially if you are a single mom, it would be very hard on your part knowing that your son is sick and he has a medical condition. On my part, it's very hard and difficult especially that my husband left us knowing that we really need him especially our son. And also, i don't have a work or income to shoulder the medical expenses of my son even his medicines. I have work before but after we get married, my husband decided that i will just stay at home and look after the kids. And now that he left us, i don't know what to do because i can't leave our son and can't work again. Our son really needs me and nobody can take care and look after him because my grandma is old already and she can't take care of my son alone. And also, my son always want me to be with him and he cries if he won't see me and it's not good for him if he will cry because he will have a high blood pressure and at the same time, he will bang his head and it's not safe for him to do that that's why it's very hard for me because of his medical condition. I am a housewife and it was my husband who supported us before but, now that he cheated on me and left us, he never support us anymore. For almost 2 years, he never tried to contact us even though i kept sending him text messages and even called him many times but, no answer. He never think and asked about our son's condition even though he knows about his medical condition. Even my husband's family, they didn't even asked about my son's condition. It's just they don't like me for my husband and they include my son. It really breaks my heart as a mother. Last year October 2022, Cj was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) by a Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrician. I know, this would a big challenge for me, but I will do my best to take care of my kids especially Cj because of his medical condition. He was advised to undergo a therapy with an OT (Occupational Therapist) since 2020 however, we haven't started it yet because we don't have money to pay for the therapy.

That's why i am here to ask some help for my son because i really don't know what to do anymore especially if he is sick and been admitted in the hospital. Every year we usually go to Cebu city around April because that's the schedule for him to see all his doctors and will have his laboratory tests and MRI as well. April last year, we received a good news. His Kidney is normal already and his Arachnoid Cyst decreased in size, however his Neurosurgeon said that, it's still not safe for Cj since he is very active kid and there's still a chance that the size of the cyst will get bigger if ever he keeps on bangging or accidentally hit his head because it will cause damage and the size of the cyst will increase. And now, he has another appointment again to see all his doctors in Cebu City this coming April and will do laboratory and imaging tests again as well as Cranial MRI. It's been a year already this coming April 2023. The last time we were there was April 2022 and he really needs to see his doctors again especially his Neurosurgeon to check the status of his Arachnoid cyst as it needs to be monitored. I am knocking your hearts and asking for your help for my son for his medical expenses as i really don't have any money that's why i am so stressed out because i don't know where to get money to shoulder all the expenses. Cj was scheduled to go back to Cebu this April 2023 to see all his doctors and will do laboratory tests as well as MRI. He already have the requests from his doctors that's why I am asking for your help to pay for his medical expenses. I am also asking for your prayers for my son's complete healing. Thank you very much and God bless you all.