Goal:
USD $25,000
Raised:
USD $26,530
Campaign funds will be received by Manuel Marquez
On September 21st, 2024 at 6:39pm, my nephew Kastl Tarkovsky Marquez entered the world. His parents, my brother Manny and his wife Leigh, loved him from the moment they met him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long after his birth that the midwives noticed Kastl wasn’t receiving enough oxygen in his blood. It was then that Manny & Leigh rushed him to St. Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa. The amazing doctors and staff there determined that Kastl’s heart and lungs weren’t working the way they needed to. After various tests and experts being called in early Sunday morning, it was discovered that Kastl has 6 anomalies on his heart. Manny and Leigh were devastated and immediately had an emergency Baptism done for Kastl that night. Needless to say, he was a baby in need of serious help.
The staff at St. Francis decided he needed to be moved to Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City where their NICU Heart Specialist were more equipped to tackle the problem. Kastl is now safe in the care of the Children’s Hospital staff, but is looking at several impending surgeries to get to the root of his ailments. My brother and sister-in-law are being told this is going to be at least a month in NICU, possibly more. As you may imagine, this was not something that Manny and Leigh had envisioned or planned for. Manny is a freelance filmmaker and was about to begin a month long film project that was to help pay a big portion of his family’s yearly income. Leigh is a homemaker, and had to leave the other 5 Marquez children back in Tulsa to attend school and try to live a semblance of a normal life.
Manny doesn’t like asking for help, but I am reaching out for him to ask if any of you feel like helping the Marquez Family, please donate here. Manny is going to continue to work as much as he can once the baby gets stable enough that he can drive back to Tulsa several times a week. He will also be working on projects from the room that the Ronald McDonald House in OKC is providing for he and Leigh. Any money donated will go to supplement the work he is missing out on, it will help pay for fuel for travel back to Tulsa from time to time, and provide groceries for the other kids they had to leave at home with family.
Manny, Leigh and their six children have received so much support from clergy, family members, and their parish & friend community. We ask you to keep those prayers coming, and if you feel like doing a little more, this is a way. Manny has asked that we invoke Blessed Stanley Rother in our prayers for Kastl, so - Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
Glad you son is home for Christmas! God bless Kastl and your whole family.
Praying for baby Kastl, his family and his medical team.
Love and prayers for baby and family
Sending love and prayers
Prayers for the Marquez Family.
Please be ensured of my prayers!
Praying for you and your family.
We love you and everyone is sending you love and good vibes!
Dear God, please help Baby Kastl with his upcoming surgeries and bring him and his family through this time of need. Be with them and God Bless them all.
Love you guys -
Your family has been, and will remain, in our prayers each night.
Manny and Leigh, your family has been heavy on our hearts lately and hope this small contribution helps. With love from Sherry, Avery, and Henry.
You and your family are in my prayers. May God bless and keep you in this trying time.
Keeping baby Kastl in our prayers.
Prayers for your precious new baby boy. Love in Christ, Rick & Suzanne Pate (Anthony’s parents)
October 17th, 2024
Day 26:
God is good. Leigh & I give thanks to the Almighty! Our baby son Kastl endured open heart surgery today, and he has come out the other side headed down the path to healing.
So much of the anxiety we carried last week evaporated overnight, simply because we had a week to really let it go. We arrived around 6:30am this morning, mentally and spiritually ready to get him to the operating table. The sun had not even arisen out the window, but I received a message from Fr. Jerome Krug offering his prayers for us, and this Bible verse: “Cast all your cares upon the Lord for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7”
In only the light cast from the nurses bullpen, Leigh stood over Kastl’s bed, silently whispering prayers for her child. There is nothing like watching a mother hurt, many of you know this feeling. Despite that pain, I know she put our son in the Lord’s hands. This was a hill we’ve climbed together, it was time to look over the horizon, to see what the day break would bring.
We had been told he’d be taken to pre-op around 7:15am. Quickly, that changed. In a repeat of last week, we were informed that there was a baby that had to be moved to the first slot, bumping Kastl to number two again. You can imagine our consternation. Trust…trust…trust.
Finally, about 10:45am, the OR team said they were ready. Relief. Kastl was prepped for the journey, all the loose ends were tied. Leigh and I prayed over him one more time, gave him a “kiss,” with our hearts. He was rolled away from us, and on his way to the procedure we’ve anticipated for over three weeks now.
12:41pm text received from the OR team: “We have started the procedure and everything is going according to plan. Kastl continues to do well.”
2:04pm - Dr. Burkhart continues working on bypass and everything is going smoothly.
2:49pm - Kastl is safely off the bypass machine now and doing well.
Glory be! So much in awe of these wonderful people that have helped our baby. - Dr. Burkhart came and sat with us. Everything was good. The heart was beating on its own, but they may have a pacemaker on standby for a day or two to help regulate beats. His aortic arch was opened up as much as it possibly could be. He may grow into it, and all will be fine, or he possibly may require future surgeries. That is something that can only be known in time. His fistula was fixed. All other problems addressed.
Around 4:45pm, he was moved back to his room on the 8th floor CVICU. There is still a massive opening in his chest that will be there for 24 to 48 hours, depending on how things go tonight. Then, it will be closed. At that time, we truly begin the three to four week countdown to bringing him home. He’s resting now.
I know this was a long report, and I didn’t do much updates throughout the day. I just tried to be present with Leigh. Eat some food with her. Hold her hand and pray together. We thank all of you again for your constant prayers and Masses being offered. We are indebted to everyone helping us with the other kids. This has been a very trying time, but we’ve never lost hope. Our community gives us strength, and we love you all.
Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
October 11th, 2024
Day 21:
From Manny-
God is good - Big Update:
Leigh and I awoke early and went to Kastl’s bedside. Our excitement to finally make this surgery a thing of the past, to begin his healing journey, it was our mission for the day.
As we said goodbye to the all too amicable night shift, we soon were made aware by the day nurse that things weren’t quite as they seemed. Kastl had increased secretions overnight. His heart rate was very high, and he seemed to be running a near fever. The staff were whispering and scurrying, and we could tell a new plan for our day was afoot.
Then, the nurse took some cultures from Kastl, and told us it would take 48 hours for the results. Seemed a long time if we were to go into surgery in the next hour! Well, that’s when the Physician’s Assistant came and said “There will be no surgery today. With these secretions, if there’s any chance of infection, it’s too dangerous.” Shortly thereafter, the Cardio doctor informed us it would most likely be rescheduled for next Wednesday.
Surgery postponed twice - This is a roller coaster that tends to make quick stops in a thorn bush, just long enough to hurt us. We trust God’s will, but He seems to have a different schedule for this surgery. Lord, we trust in you, keep leading.
Around 12:30pm, they are saying the early results don’t tend toward infection, which is good news. He’ll be monitored all weekend and stay on the antibiotics and drugs he needs, just in case.
I think I am going to stop informing you all of the surgery days, and making a big deal of it the night before, because I feel so bad for the false starts. There will continue to be updates, but I won’t set expectations too high. When the surgery happens, we can all celebrate together, because I’ll make it known.
Thank you for continued prayers, support, and Mass intentions. Have a safe weekend. Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
October 10th, 2024
From Manny-
Big Update: Surgery postponed until tomorrow, Friday, October 11, at 8am.
God is good. Kastl was set to go in at 8am, but then we were informed another baby had to take priority in order to address an urgent need. They believed the surgery would still happen, and administered anesthesia. Leigh and I have been in the waiting room since then, getting regular updates as the prep closely approached actual surgery.
Then, about 20 minutes ago, our liaison to the operating room came in and said “I have a little of bad news, but everything is okay. Kastl will have to be rescheduled to tomorrow morning.” The baby from the first procedure needs more attention, so we get pushed.
It isn’t what we wanted. The anxiety is bursting from our chests! But, our son is safe and has one more day of rest before surgery, if that is the Lord’s will.
Please continue to pray, and let’s do this again tomorrow. - In your charity, pray for the other little baby that is experiencing trouble.
Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
October 1st, 2024
A quick update from my brother Manny:
Hello everyone! I know most of you follow me on Facebook and have seen the daily updates on Baby Kastl, but in case you don’t, I’ll give you an update here.
We’re going on Day 11 of being in the hospital. Today, he’s made a big stride. He is finally able to consume a little of his mother’s milk, and be held in Leigh’s arms. The medical team is even discussing the chance that he may go off the ventilator by tomorrow. Additionally, his doctor came in today and said we’re looking at the CT Scan happening tomorrow. This will be a long 45 minute scan in order to map and examine every corner of his heart. By doing so, they can have a complete plan before heading into the cardiac surgery. If the scans go well, surgery may be as soon as next week.
As many of you are aware, I lost 30 days of work this October because of the situation with baby Kastl. The funds you have contributed will help Leigh and I continue to pay our bills and stay on our feet for a good several months. It is more than appreciated, and I send you all my gratitude for your kindness and gift. I also thank you for all the prayers you’ve said for him. The grace of God is felt in this room, and you are an integral part of that.
Today is the Feast Day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She is often associated with evangelization, which is funny, because she was a cloistered nun. More so, she spent a lot of her life sick in a bed. Today we recall her rule of life, her “Little Way,” and as Mother Teresa reminded us from being inspired by it: “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” You all have followed that path, and have helped us in the manner you could.
In Kastl, I see a kinship to St. Thérèse. From his little bed with his tiny broken heart, he has given you all so much love. He doesn’t have a voice, but people can hear him. This little boy has inspired so many of you to charity, to prayer, and reflection on your own families. It is through your love, that you have helped in your Little Way. Here he is, tubes down his throat, but this sleeping boy has sent you the challenge to accept. Love is hard, you’ve risen to the occasion.
Thank you.
- Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.
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