Re: Toddler dies of ills that halted transplants

[Guest guest]

how sad.

>

> Toddler dies of ills that halted transplants

> Wednesday, February 28, 2007

> Patriot-News - burg,PA

>

> BY BARBARA MILLER

> Of Our Palmyra Bureau

>

>

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172638

> 535192040.xml & coll=1

> Chandler Regan Spitler was a sweet, happy 2-year-old who had

> enormous odds stacked against him.

>

> Chandler, son of Darrell and Spitler of East Hanover Twp.,

> Lebanon County, died Friday in Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical

> Center because of a respiratory illness. It developed while he was

> awaiting a liver and small bowel transplant needed because of

> complications from cystic fibrosis.

>

> The community rallied in support of the Spitlers, holding fund-

> raisers to help pay for expenses anticipated with a transplant. A

> breakfast for Chandler last month at the Ono Fire Company raised

> $13,695.

>

> " The community has been wonderful. It's hard for me to fathom that

> people would care about my baby and love us like they have, "

> Spitler said. " Even in his time of death we felt an enormous amount

> of support, and that really helps because my arms are empty and I

> have to deal with that. "

>

> " I think because he was so sweet and so happy, people were really

> affected by him, " she said. " He loved the affection, he loved the

> attention. "

>

> Chandler became ill Jan. 30 with a cold that turned out to be

> respiratory aspergillus, a reaction to a common mold that doesn't

> harm healthy people. " It was the worst thing I could think of

> happening, " Spitler said.

>

> " His immune system was just too weak, " she said, and he was on a

> ventilator 15 days. He was also having problems keeping his

platelet

> levels up, and kidney failure.

>

> Even worse, with the mold disorder, he could no longer be a

> candidate for transplant, said. Transplant patients have to

go

> on immunosuppressive drugs, which would allow the mold to " go

crazy "

> in his body.

>

> Spitler said they decided to remove him from the ventilator.

>

> " It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life, " she said. Doctors

> assured them that there was nothing left to do to help Chandler,

she

> said.

>