The Max Ho Story | UCSF Fetal Treatment Center/title> <meta name='date' content='2008-04-1'> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <link href="../css_js/global.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="../css_js/print.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" /> <script type="text/javascript" src="/css_js/eval_totals.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/css_js/global.js"></script> </head> <body id="bowel"> <div id="wrapper"> <div id="skipToContent"><a href="#middleColumn">Skip Navigation</a></div> <div id="ucsfBar"> <img src="/global_images/bannerblack.gif" style="border:0;" alt="UCSF navigation bar" width="625" height="30" usemap="#ucsf" /> </div> <map name="ucsf" id="ucsf"> <area shape="rect" alt="UCSF home page" coords="37,1,87,29" href="http://www.ucsf.edu/" /> <area shape="rect" alt="UCSF home page" coords="91,9,290,22" href="http://www.ucsf.edu/" /> <area shape="rect" alt="About UCSF" coords="304,9,370,22" href="http://www.ucsf.edu/about_ucsf/" /> <area shape="rect" alt="Search UCSF" coords="385,9,456,22" href="http://www.ucsf.edu/search/" /> <area shape="rect" alt="UCSF Medical Center" coords="472,9,587,22" href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/" /> </map> <div id="ucsfChBar"> <div id="ucsfChNav"><ul><li class="first"><a href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/patient_guide/">Patient Guide</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/find_a_doctor/">Find a Doctor</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/medical_services/">Medical Services</a></li> <li class="last"><a href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/health_library/">Health Library</a></li> <li class="endcap"></li> </ul></div> <a id="ucsfChLogo" href="http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/">UCSF Children's Hospital</a> </div>  <div id="ftc"> <div id="ftcBar"><a id="ftcLogo" href="http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/"><img src="/global_images/ftc_logo.gif" width="240" height="51" alt="The Fetal Treatment Center: The Birthplace of Fetal Surgery" title="The Fetal Treatment Center: The Birthplace of Fetal Surgery" /></a> <div id="pageActions"><a href="#" class="emailLink">Email to a friend</a> <a href="#" class="printLink">Print this page</a></div> </div> <div id="leftColumn"> <div id="mainNav"> <ul> <li ><a href='/bowel/'>Overview of Bowel Obstruction</a></li><li ><a href='/bowel/learn_more.asp'>Learn More About Bowel Obstruction</a></li><li ><a href='/bowel/treatment.asp'>Treatments for Bowel Obstruction</a></li><li ><a href='/bowel/research.asp'>Current News & Research</a></li><li ><a href='/bowel/support.asp'>Support Groups</a></li><li><a href='/our_team/'>Our Team of Experts</a></li><li class='backhome'><a href='http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org'> Back to: FTC Home Page</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="patientNav"> <h2>Patient Center</h2> <p>Have our expert staff review your case:</p> <ol> <li class="li1"><a href="http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/patient_center/online_patient.asp">Sign up for an <br /><span>online evaluation</span></a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="http://fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/patient_center/appointment_request.asp">Or contact us for an <br /><span>in-person appointment</span></a></li> </ol> </div><div id="birthDefectsNav"> <h2>Birth Defects We Treat</h2> <div id="evalTotals"><p>Since FTC was founded we have treated more than 15,000 birth defects, and of those less then 5% were Bowel Obstructions</p></div> <ul id="birthDefectsMenu"> <li class=""><a class="select" id="birthDefectsSelect" href="#">All Defects</a><ul id="birthDefectsSubMenu" style="display:none;"> <li><a href="/corpus_callosum/">Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum</a></li> <li><a href="/amniotic/">Amniotic Band Syndrome</a></li> <li><a href="/bowel/">Bowel Obstructions</a></li> <li><a href="/ccam/">Congenital Cystic Adnomatoid Malformation</a></li> <li><a href="/cdh/">Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)</a></li> <li><a href="/heart/">Congenital Heart Disease</a></li> <li><a href="/anemia/">Fetal Anemia</a></li> <li><a href="/gastroschisis/">Gastroschisis</a></li> <li><a href="/myelomeningocele/">Myelomeningocele (Spina Bifida)</a></li> <li><a href="/pulmonary_sequestration/">Pulmonary Sequestration</a></li> <li><a href="/omphalocele/">Omphalocele</a></li> <li><a href="/sct/">Sacrococcygeal Teratoma</a></li> <li><a href="/stem_cells/">Stem Cell Treatments</a></li> <li><a href="/twin/">Twin Pregnancy Complication</a></li> <li><a href="/urinary/">Urinary Tract Obstruction</a></li> <li><a href="/ventriculomegaly/">Ventriculomegaly</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="middleColumn"> <h1>The Max Ho Story</h1> <div class="patientMainImg"><img src="images/max_ho.jpg" alt="Analisa on a swing" width="259" height="197" /></div> <p>During a routine ultrasound in the fourth month of pregnancy, the radiologist at Peninsula Ultrasound found a cyst on our baby’s bladder where the umbilical cord attached. He told us that this was highly unusual and could indicate a genetic abnormality in the fetus. He could not provide any odds on this and recommended that we go to UCSF for further analysis. The horror of that day will remain etched in my memory forever. However, UCSF was prompt in responding to our needs and making the best of a scary situation.</p> <p><img src="images/mom_and_max.jpg" alt="Max and his Mom on Halloween" class="floatRight" />Pediatric Surgery: We first met with Pediatric Surgeon, Dr. Hanmin Lee, during my pregnancy to discuss possible surgery if the cyst was still attached to Max at birth and if he had the condition, hypospadious. Dr. Lee’s knowledge on the subject, ability to explain it to us in “laymen’s terms”, and his personable demeanor put us at ease. After our meeting, I knew that I wanted to deliver at UCSF because if there were any complications the baby would be in good hands. I am happy I made that choice because upon birth the neonatologist informed us that there was more wrong with Max than just the cyst. Max had a condition known as bladder exstrophy. I was exhausted and emotional but Dr. Lee eased our fears by visiting my husband and me several times in our hospital room to explain what tests they would undertake and what surgery they would perform. We had many questions at that time and Dr. Lee answered them all, never making us feel that he was too busy to answer them. He and his team performed the complex surgery and visited Max everyday throughout the two weeks he recovered in the ICN.</p> <p> <img src="images/dad_and_max.jpg" alt="Max and his dad at Ocean Beach" class="floatLeft" />Intensive Care Nursery (ICN): After Max’s birth, he was whisked away to the ICN for monitoring where he remained for the next two weeks. Although it was difficult not to have him near me, I knew that he was in the excellent care of the nurses in that department. Not only did they take great care of him, they taught me how to care for him – valuable information for a first time mom! I was most grateful for being allowed to stay in a small room in the ICN in order to be close to my baby. I desperately wanted to be near my son, therefore Nurses Connie Richardson and Stephanie Maisley worked hard to find a space for me to stay. I was able to breast feed Max and provide love and support to him continuously throughout his stay. In addition, the lactation consultant, Dawn Reedy, stopped by regularly to provide valuable help in getting my baby to nurse properly. By the time we went home my nursing concerns were a thing of the past.</p> <p>Three themes came from everyone that helped us: Extraordinary knowledge in their field, extreme care and diligence when working with us, and communication skills that kept us informed at all stages.</p> <p> Although our medical scare with our baby was stressful, the staff at UCSF made the best of the situation. The follow up care continues to be excellent</p> <div class="backtotop"><a href="#wrapper">Back To Top</a></div> <div class='lastUpdated'>Last Updated: <span>4/1/2008</span></div> .</div> <div id="rightColumn"> <div class='patientStory'> <img src='../global_images/angela_and_guy.jpg' alt='Angela and Guy' /><h2>Angela and Guy</h2><p>The innovative procedures at FTC saved the lives of both Angela and Guy, whom were both diagnosed with severe CCAMs.</p><p><a href='http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5310155019910502965' class='vidLink' rel='vidbox' title='Angela and Guy, a Fetal Treatment Center CCAM Patient Story'>Watch Video</a></p></div><div id='extraImage'><img title='Sam Sieber and sister' alt='Sam Sieber and sister' src='/global_images/img_patient8.jpg' /></div> </div> <div id="footer"> <a href="/kids_and_moms/" class="kidsnmomsBtn"> <img src="/global_images/kids_n_moms_donate_sml_btn.gif" alt="Donate to the Kids ‘n’ Moms Foundation"/> </a> <span> © 2008 The Regents of the Univ. of California & <a href="/kids_and_moms/">Kids ‘n’ Moms</a> | <a href="/our_team/terms.asp"> Terms of Use & Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="/patient_center/contact_us.asp">Contact Us</a> | <a href="/patient_center/directions.asp">Directions</a> </span> </div> </div> <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-565430-1"; urchinTracker(); </script> </body> </html>