Baby Shower for Tina and Baby Tommy

This private GoGetFunding page was created for friends who have expressed their wish to help the Rodriguez family raise funds for Baby Tommy and Tina's hospital stay. We are sure that Anthony, Tina, Baby Tommy, and his four siblings will appreciate this "baby shower" gift from their friends.

Please read the background of their story below:

Baby Thomas Anthony or Baby Tommy is like most other babies... in that his parents consider him a blessing -- a gift from the Lord. He is the fifth child of Anthony and Tina Rodriguez, and right from the start, they knew that he is a child given to them through Our Lady's intercession.

While Baby Tommy was still 6 weeks old in Tina's womb, the doctor saw that there was bleeding inside the womb (subchorionic hemorrhage). Tina was given meds but when she was around 12 weeks along, she started bleeding externally which led her to being on bedrest for more than 2 months. She underwent many costly tests to determine the cause of her bleeding and subchorionic hemorrhage but the exact cause was not determined. As early as then, Tina's OB called Baby Tommy a "fighter" several times because despite the bleeding, he was growing well in her womb.

Fast forward to the early morning of August 6 when Tina discovered that her water bag (or amniotic sac) was leaking. Anthony rushed her to the hospital where she was checked and an ultrasound was done. She was given meds, and sent home on bedrest.

The leaking continued till the evening though, so Tina's OB instructed them to go back to the hospital. She was admitted to the High Risk Pregnancy Unit where meds were given to delay labor until steroids could be given to help Baby Tommy's lungs mature. He was only 34 weeks old at the time (term babies are 37 weeks old and up).

Once the steroids had taken effect, labor was induced and Baby Tommy was born on Aug 9. The prayers of Anthony and Tina's family and friends were answered because Tommy came out crying -- a good sign that his lungs were ok!

However, being born prematurely, Tommy still had to be taken to the Neonatal Care Unit for observation and treatment. He was given antibiotics to treat possible infections that he could have acquired due to being in the womb with a leaking water bag, and started phototherapy treatment to treat his hyperbilirubinemia caused by blood incompatibility. He was also placed in an isolette or incubator because his body was still unable to regulate his temperature.

Baby Tommy stayed in the Neonatal Care Unit for almost two weeks, with Tina visiting him every 2 hours or so to feed him and practice Kangaroo Mother Care, a method of helping premature and low birth weight infants conserve energy and increase weight gain. He had a rocky start to breastfeeding but is now feeding better, much to his parents' relief (and thanks to all his prayer warriors -- it was another answered prayer!).

As of this writing, Baby Tommy and Tina are finally home (more answered prayers!). However, it was discovered at Tommy's follow-up checkup that he has not been gaining weight as expected, so Tina and the rest of the family are now doing their best to help him get back into the pink of health.

Needless to say, their extended hospital stay starting with Tina's admission to the High Risk Pregnancy Unit plus Baby Tommy's admission post-birth and treatment have left the Rodriguezes drained physically, emotionally, and even financially. They had actually set aside money for Baby Tommy's birth (which was expected to be in September but God had other plans)... but the amount was not enough for the hospital bills that quickly piled up.

It is for this reason that we would like to invite you to help the Rodriguez family in any way that you can. Your prayers are already a big blessing, and any financial help would also go a long way. We know that the Lord will provide for all our needs, including those of the Rodriguezes.

Should you feel moved to help them with Baby Tommy's hospital bills, you may send your offering of love via the following channels:

* Contributions through this GoGetFunding page

* Bank deposit to BPI S/A 3109-0942-76 Ma. Kristina S. Rodriguez

* Bank deposit to BDO S/A 2460098045 Ma. Kristina S. Rodriguez

* Paypal transfer to: [email protected]

For bank deposits, please send the deposit slip/transaction details to Tina so that they may be properly accounted for.

Kindly share privately with other friends who may also want to help. Thank you and God bless you!