The pregnancy of a local woman was a joy, then shock when the Enriquez ohana discovered their future son would need major surgery.
Both parents work — Mylene as a housekeeper and Emerson as a contractor specialist with HPM Building Supplies. Their daughter Monique, 16, is preparing to graduate from high school. Son Matthew, 11, is active in sports and his studies.
The Big Island couple described the pregnancy as a “shock,” as it was completely unplanned.
“We have a schedule already,” said Mylene, with their work, school activities, sports and other events.
With their ages, and the ages of their children, everything was pretty well planned, said Emerson.
That included scouting for colleges for Monique, who graduates this year.
But adding another child to their life was a certainty, said Mylene.
“I believe babies are a blessing,” she said, and she is looking forward to having another child.
After she confirmed her pregnancy, she made an appointment for the first ultrasound.
She expected it to be routine, having gone through the procedure with her two previous children.
Her confidence included Emerson going to work instead of accompanying her to the center in Hilo.
After the ultrasound, the doctor said the fetus had a condition called dextrocardia, where the heart is on the right side.
She could hope it was one of the rare cases of dextrocardia where the change has no effect on the person’s life. But it was possible a major surgery would be needed.
The center directed her to a specialist in Honolulu to follow up.
But the stress was incredible and she drove back from Hilo.
“I have no idea how I made it home,” she said.
Emerson and Mylene visited the Honolulu-based doctor. There they discovered the fetus had a condition called transposition of the great vessels. This condition requires surgery after birth, or the baby is expected to die within months.
In a normal circulatory system, blood from the body, depleted of its oxygen, goes along the lungs, picking up oxygen, and returns to the heart. Then the blood is pumped out, nourishing the body. Finally it returns to the heart and the cycle repeats.
Transposition of the great vessels creates two independent loops, where one set is constantly going to the lungs and the other is always depleted by the body. For a time, they interact due to a natural opening in the heart, but that closes.
Upon their doctor’s advice, Mylene will give birth in San Diego in mid-January. They will have to remain there for a few weeks after the birth before the surgery is possible.
Hopefully the birth will be without complications and the single surgery will be sufficient, Mylene said.
But she’s concerned that she may be there as long as six months if follow-up surgeries are required.
If things go as planned, they can be back and Monique will have both of her brothers and her parents there when she graduates.
If they don’t, Emerson isn’t sure what to do. There are too many things that may happen between now and then to set anything up, he said.
As it is, Mylene is asking God to make the birth and surgery go as planned.
The parents said they were stunned by the amount of support they have received.
Emerson said he discovered a circle of friends he didn’t know existed.
That includes people who remember him from his involvement in soccer, people he knew from his work and others.
Mylene said a woman she never met, a mother of one of Monique’s friends, gave them $250.
Thankful for the financial support, the couple said what was more helpful was the support and the prayers.
“Everything, for me, was overwhelmed,” Emerson said, but the support made functioning possible.
There is so much to deal with and plan out it can be crushing, he said.
Friends have made the difference, they agreed.
One set up a GoFundMe account, a website allowing people to donate money for the ohana. Another contacted the newspaper, Enrique pointed out. There are plans for a bread sale.
The support is invaluable, they said.
But “it’s easier to give than receive,” Mylene said, as they are so grateful for the aid.
The spiritual support is also vital, said Mylene.
Mylene, who was raised Catholic and is slowly returning to the religion, said she believes the prayers will help God direct His attention toward their ohana.
“I forgot God, honestly,” she said.
The parents felt it was important that the family choose a name together.
Matthew, who would lose his position as the baby of the family, was especially distressed, said his father.
So they agreed he could choose the name, but his sister had to approve as well.
So all four were sitting around one day as Mylene was flipping through names and reading them off. Matthew latched on Meison, his mother said, and she thought an “e” name was appropriate to match Matthew’s initials.
So they discovered Eli, and the name was settled.
The due date is in mid-January.
The site set up for the family is https://www.gofundme.com/6f566zww.
