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Vol.2, 8, Tuesday, No. 16 Tuesday, March 2013 Vol. 7, No. November 8, 5, 2011
Lamont baby defies the odds and survives risky surgery to prove miracles can happen Michelle Pinon Editor
Liam Shiah is proof that miracles happen. The five-month-old Lamont resident has beaten overwhelming odds to survive surgery for a rare disorder called hyperinsulinism. “It’s extremely rare,” says mom Melissa. Only 1 in 50,000 infants are diagnosed with hyperinsulinism; a disorder in which there is an overproduction of insulin by the pancreas resulting in low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and is the most common cause of hypoglycemia in infancy. “That’s why he wasn’t tested at birth,” adds Melissa. But infants and children affected with hyperinsulinism are at risk for seizures and permanent brain damage resulting from the hypoglycemia. There were complications during delivery, and Liam did have a seizure. He was not waking up and not eating like normal either, and two days after he was born, they rushed him hospital in Fort Saskatchewan. Because his blood sugar level was 0.6, (normal is between four and eight), he was transferred to the Grey Nuns Hospital. While there are some treatments that can be administered, Melissa
MIRACLE BABY MICHELLE PINON PHOTO
Five-month-old Liam Shiah is happy to be back home with his parents Melissa and Kalvin and big brother Jacob after a long hospital stay and life saving surgery.
said none of them worked effectively for Liam which led to him having another seizure a couple of days after Christmas. He then was admitted to the Stollery Childrens Hospital. Melissa, who spent most of the time in hospital with Liam started writing a journal. One of the eye catching entries stated: “It’s been 19 days since we got here now. Just writing that number makes me exhausted. I don’t know when this hospital stay will end yet.” A friend of hers started a Facebook page. The posts proved to be a constant source of hope in addition to many prayers sent from family, friends, and members of Melissa and her husband Kalvin’s faith community at the Lamont Alliance Church. So inspite of the dark days, there were many bright spots to lift the family’s spirits. “We had lots of visitors, financial support, texts, prayers, meals and magazines... “It’s been so amazing. Living in a small community the support from work, the school, church and the hockey team has been phenominal!” Liam was officially diagnosed and underwent a battery of tests before having to travel via Medavac to Vancouver on Jan. 17. While multiple spots
(tumours) showed up on the PET scan, only one was detected and removed during surgery on Jan. 31. Doctors predicted Liam would lose between 95 and 98 per cent of his pancreas, in fact, he only lost one per cent. Only one spot the size of a toonie was located and removed during the three hour procedure. “It was a miracle.” After the surgery, there was a flood of doctors and nurses who came to visit the miracle baby. Liam is doing fine, and they are now all together as a family - Liam, older brother Jacob, Melissa and Kalvin. “One thing we feel fortunate about is having a glucometer to test his blood sugars,” So far, the readings have been within acceptable limits, and he is happy and healthy again. “We are loving being able to be a family again... We are truly blessed to have great friends and supporters,” posted Kalvin on Facebook on Feb. 21st. “God has used so many people to be a blessing in our life,” adds Melissa, who pulls her little bundle in tight for a hug and kisses him on the forehead before looking up and smiling. So its true; every cloud has a silver lining.