Nine-year-old boy’s liver transplant a miracle
Published: July 3, 2007
His parents used to tell him he was a gift from God.
But after almost losing their cherished gift, they do more than that.
Now Antonio and Maria Medina consider their energetic and chatty 9-year-old their miracle.
“We know we have a miracle on our hands,” Antonio Medina said. “But it’s hard to explain the feeling. We were very afraid to lose him.”
On a family trip to Mexico, Alex Medina, a fourth-grader at Brodnicki School in Justice, became seriously ill. Doctors in Mexico thought he had hepatitis A and gave him a prescription.
The boy wasn’t eating or drinking and wasn’t getting any better, his family said.
When the family returned home, Antonio Medina took his son directly from the airport to the emergency room.
Doctors sent him home that night, but on Jan. 7, Alex was admitted for more tests. It took another two weeks before they determined that Alex’s liver was failing rapidly, and he would need a transplant.
Alex underwent the transplant Feb. 9 at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago — just days after being put on the transplant list. The family of a 17-year-old boy killed in a crash donated his organs.
“They put him on the list on Monday or Tuesday, and they gave us the news on Friday that he had a liver — it was a miracle,” Antonio Medina said.
“I thought in the beginning it was taking out an organ and replacing it with an organ that worked,” Alex said. “I was shocked when they told me I needed a transplant.”
Back at school, his classmates were worried about the popular boy, teacher Nicole Dabros said.
“They were concerned he was sick,” she said. “But they thought about things adults wouldn’t think about.”
She said her students wanted to know if Alex’s personality would change because he received someone else’s liver.
“They also wanted to know what happened to the old liver,” Dabros said.
Teachers say that since he’s returned to school Alex seems more responsible, but he’s the same kid.
“He’s very friendly, sweet, always laughing, never in his seat,” said Carole Kuta, another teacher.
A friend from school, Oluwasanmi Oboye, 10, of Justice, said he was worried when he heard the news about Alex.
“I was sad and hoping that he would feel better,” Oluwasanmi said.
Twelve Illinois children between 6 and 10 years old still were waiting for a liver as of May 18. Nationally, 166 children in the same age bracket are waiting, according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
The Medinas asked everyone to pray for their youngest child.
Along with Brodnicki School, Antonio Medina’s employer, Owens Corning, and Maria Medina’s employer, Bayer, offered their support.
“Everything was good news,” Antonio Medina said. “We needed that. We were sad and scared. It seemed like nothing was right. Ever since the transplant, it’s turning around.”
Dabros and Kuta visited Alex in the hospital and brought him cards and other items from his classmates.
But the staff at Brodnicki wondered what else they could do.
The proceeds from the school’s annual walkathon usually went toward a school initiative, Principal Leah Wakefield said.
“With Alex’s health issues, we thought it’d be a nice gesture for children to raise money for Alex,” Wakefield said.
Fourth-grader Andrea Aguilar, 10, of Hickory Hills, said she was more motivated to raise money because it was for her friend.
“I was really very happy, so I raised lots of money,” she said. “He’s pretty nice. He’s funny. He tells lots of jokes.”
This year’s walkathon raised $6,000 — double the usual amount.
“There was an outpouring of generosity,” Wakefield said.
And Alex even returned to school in time for the April walkathon — just two months after his transplant.
“I missed my friends,” he said. “But not the homework.”
The Medinas are grateful for the school’s help.
“I think it’s a good way to help us,” Alex said. “Some medicines cost a lot of money.”
His father said the money will be used for Alex’s medical needs. He will have to undergo regular blood work and take medicine his entire life.
There are other restrictions, too, Alex said.
“No reptiles, no grapefruit juice and easy on the sports,” he said. “I have to worry about gym. At recess, I can walk around with my friends.”
His parents say the worry that started during their December trip never will subside.
“We are learning every day,” Antonio Medina said. “We are more aware we need to keep an extra eye on him.”
But the easygoing boy says he feels great.
“I tell my parents I’m OK,” he said.
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