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Zhao Xiao is back home after the successful heart surgery. Here are some pictures from his dad 2/2010. His dad wants to say THANK YOU to all that helped Zhao Xiao. 趙瀟 手術成功後已返國. 他父親寄來近照 (2/2010) 並謝謝大家對趙瀟的幫助!!
** 7/3 6PM: Xiao is resting today at Yvette's house and played a lot with Aida. He is still shy and does not eat much. Right now the main needs for help are: 1. 交通Transportation needs: please take a look at the Xiao Volunteer Schedule and start signing up for the tasks. Because Aida is here there is no need for translators but they do need auto transportation to doctor appointments and to/from hospital. 2. 衣物Clothing: NEW Thanks to all contributed. Xiao now has more than enough SUMMER clothing, shoes and toys. Some winter clothing would still be good for him to bring back. (He is 37" tall and only 23lbs) 3. 出遊Outings: It will be nice for some volunteers to visit and take Xiao out to play for a few hours a day. This will give the host family a little break. 4. 飲食Meal: We need some volunteers to bring some meals to the host family, this will reduce host families cooking burden. Mike and Yvette have a 20months old boy and Yvette is preganent (due September) so any help is appreciated. (Please call Yvette to inform her before you go). For now we are not putting this on the schedule. Thank you!!! ** Xiao update 8/5  Xiao continues to improve and spent the morning yesterday with Dottie Riley at Cavender’s on a shopping trip for some western wear! Let’s just say that little Xiao did not exactly warm up to the concept of cowboy boots and hats!! Maybe this 100 degree weather had something to do with it, but with a little coaxing, he finally consented to at least try the cowboy hat look. Board member Marshall Hammond escorted Xiao and Aida for the shopping trip, along with his daughter Crystal, and thanks to Crystal, she was able to convince him to at least try a cowboy hat on, and he did so reluctantly, and only briefly. Xiao can be really cranky when he sets his mind to it! Xiao will have his final appointment next week with Dr. Fox, and then will return to China and his family on Tuesday. Thanks! Alison Meador ** Xiao update 7/30 Xiao had an appointment with Dr. Wright today, and he is doing really well, so well, in fact, that his heart has actually shrunk in size! The echo looked wonderful and the PDA is completely closed, as is the VSD. Xiao cried a little, but was easily distracted and even managed to smile a time or two during the course of the morning. Tomorrow, Xiao will be treated to a Chinese food lunch along with HeartGift staff, host mom Yvette, and some of his wonderful supporters and friends from Citizens Inc. Alison Meador ** Xiao update 7/28 Little Xiao continues to improve and is growing stronger every day. Thanks to Yvette and Mike and the Austin Chinese community he has had trips to Zilker Park and Chuck e Cheese, and like most youngsters, he loves them both. He talks to his parents on a regular basis, and has adapted very well to his new environment at Yvette’s. They have a toddler, too, so Xiao has a built in playmate!! Xiao will be here in Austin until August 11th, so between now and then, he will spend his time visiting Dr. Wright and Dr. Fox for post op visits, and will also be the guest of honor at Citizen’s in the next few weeks. Thanks to all of you for your well wishes on Xiao’s behalf. Alison Meador ***Xiao Update 7/22 Xiao continues to improve and is busy spending the days with Aida and Yvette, and has had some play dates with Yvette’s friends! He definitely has his ups and downs, but for the most part is doing really well, especially since he is surrounded by such caring people. His next appointment will be for a follow up appointment with Dr. Wright on Thursday, July 30th. He will be treated to lunch at PF Changs by Dottie and Harold Riley next Friday, too! Many thanks for all you do for HeartGift!!! Alison Meador ***Xiao Update 7/20Xiao is doing well recovering in Yvette's home. There are volunteers visiting and bringing stuff, as well as taking him out. Like a regular little boy, he loves to go out. He has good appetite now and likes a lot of food. He does have a bad temper, may be caused by feeling of insecurity. Because of Doctors' vacation schedules, it turns out that Xiao's re-check with the surgeon will have to be delayed to 8/10, so Xiao will be here to mid August. Please sign up for outings/food on the volunteer schedule to help Aida and the host family out. Thank you! ***Xiao Update 7/17***Hi! It is Lisa on Alison’s computer. I was lucky enough to get to visit Xiao with Dottie and Harold Riley this morning and want to give you an update. He is doing really, really well. So well in fact, he gets to go home this afternoon! He loved playing Pao Pao (bubbles) and being fooled (or not) by Mr. Riley’s magic tricks! He is such a strong little boy and this surgery has not held him back at all. Xiao’s bedside was surrounded by food - yogurt, banana, frosted flakes, milk – anything at all to tempt him to eat. Dr. Fox says he needs the calories; Xiao even had ice cream for breakfast! Yes, I am a little jealous . . . . I hope everyone has a great weekend. It will be nice to think of Xiao back at home with Yvette, Mike and Declan. ***Wonderful News!! Aida just reported from the hospital that Xiao is doing so well that doctors decided to release him from the hospital THIS AFTERNOON!! He was just moved from the ICU to the regular room yesterday afternoon! Aida said Xiao is weak but otherwise is doing well. Here are some pictures from yesterday. He was happy yesterday when Aida is around, but if Aida left his sight, he would start to cry. He likes to play with some toys, but his favorite thing yesterday was holding Aida's hand :-) He likes to eat watermelon a lot.   
** Xiao Update 7/15 Xiao had a good night last night, and is doing well. We spoke with the nurse at Dell and they are waiting for him to wake up so they can take out his breathing tube. He is still in the PICU. - Alison Meador
趙瀟的手術非常順利，呼叫器將於上午拔除。他知道已經開過刀了，也非常和醫護人員配合，我跟他溝通時，他都能用點頭和搖頭來回應，非常懂事的小孩，-徐薇  
 ***Xiao Update 7/14*News from Aida at 11:30AM. Xiao's operation is done, everything went smoothly and he should be out of the operating room in 30min. Thank God and thank you for your prayers. * Note from Alison: Xiao made it through a relatively quick surgery this morning, and is now resting in the PICU. His heart, which was the size of a grown man’s heart, is now about half that size since his surgery was completed. Most likely, he will remain on the ventilator for the rest of the day. Yesterday, he was the guest of honor at Citizen’s Inc. where he was able to meet the employees who have so generously sponsored his surgery, enjoy a coke float, and he also received some pretty cool toys to keep him entertained. Thanks to all who joined us in the waiting room this morning during his surgery, and also to Dottie Riley, who observed. I will keep you posted as to his condition as we learn more, and keep little Xiao in your thoughts and prayers throughout his recovery. Alison Meador ***Xiao Update 7/13Xiao's surgery time is 7:30AM tomorrow morning. Pastor Cheng-Chi Yu of Northwest Chinese Church will pray for him before he enters the operating room. Please pray for him, the surgery will be 3-4 hours long. ***Xiao Update 7/12刚到奥斯汀最初的几天，赵潇想念爸爸妈妈。他彻夜哭泣，大人不经意提起的“爸爸”一词可以很容易让他泪流满面；因为对陌生面孔的畏惧，他会用“打人”一词来自卫，让人忍俊不禁。随后几天，在陈颖阿姨耐心的照顾下，他的哭泣减少了。半夜的呼喊也从“爸爸唻”变成了“阿姨唻”。只是对其他人，赵潇还是抗拒的。
如今，赵潇来到奥斯汀一个多星期了。他对一切已经熟悉，天真活泼的本性完全释放出来，对来看望他的叔叔阿姨小朋友也友善了。有时，他会装成个小妖怪吓人；有时，他会娇憨地往阿姨身上一躺；因为在家里爸爸妈妈爷爷奶奶的宠爱，有时他会抢弟弟的玩具；他太调皮的时候，阿姨们会说，“我们要告诉爸爸喽！你不乖。”他往往不受“威胁”，我行我素。
开始极度挑食的赵潇现在不停地吃，我们冠之为“大胃王”。他口味也变了，阿姨们开玩笑说，这以后回去了怎么办。
绝大部分时间，赵潇是个可爱的孩子。他与爸爸通话时表现的乖巧懂事让人心疼。昨天，我们出去吃饭，在车上，赵潇兴高采烈地唱了《鲁冰花》这首歌--虽然反复只是一句。大家鼓掌喝彩，他甜甜地笑了。轶倩 
***Xiao Update 7/9 Good Afternoon, Xiao had his pre op appointment early this morning at Dell, so he is all set for his surgery next week. He will have an appointment on Monday with Kenneth Fox, and is the first case of the day, 7:30 on Tuesday July 14th. Xiao continues to adapt and is doing better each day in his new environment, with his new host family and so many new faces. Xiao will be the honoree at a welcome party on Monday hosted by the employees at Citizen’s. He is in need of shoes, so if anyone has anything to donate, his little foot is 6 inches long. He also loves playing with little cars, anything he can hold in his little hands. Thanks. Alison Meador External Relations Coordinator The HeartGift Foundation ============== 三岁男孩孤身赴美就医
在“心脏礼物”所援助的每一位病童的身后，都有一个不同寻常的故事，孙克爱如此，白雪莲如此，赵潇也是如此。当记者第一眼看到这个三岁的男孩时，真得很难想象他是孤身一人，由空姐照顾从中国来到奥斯汀的。为此，两位本不在这趟航线上的空姐专门拿出休息时间，利用她们免费的飞行证件，分别负责他中国到美国、以及美国境内的飞行行程。
赵潇出生在中国四川的一个贫困家庭，患有先天性心脏病，因心脏肥大而导致胸骨外突，掀开他的上衣，隔着皮肤就可以清楚地看到他的心脏剧烈地跳动。由于父母都在广东打工，无法陪同他前来美国，爱加倍基金会的陈颖女士专门从亚特兰大来奥斯汀陪伴、照顾他。接待他的HOST FAMILY 盛先生夫妇，虽然妻子已经怀孕在身九月份即将分娩，但巨大的爱心还是促使他们收留了这个不同寻常的小客人。
或许是患病的孩子格外懂事，虽然有时赵潇会因为生病或是想家而发点脾气，但是在他倔强的性格下面很容易让人感受到一颗敏感而脆弱的心。在记者与照顾他的阿姨谈到他的病情时，他坐在阿姨怀里一动不动静静地听，可是眼里就有泪水流下来，继而转为低声的抽泣，那样的情景，比看到一个孩子哇哇大哭还让人心痛。
为了缓解他对家人的思念，细心的盛太太（应佚倩女士）特意安排赵潇每晚都与他的爸爸通话，而这也是赵潇最惦记的时刻。小小年纪的他知道自己有病，却一下子还无法理解为什么突然就离开了爸爸和妈妈，来到这么遥远而陌生的地方。
有关赵潇的视频报道请登陆www.autin-tv.net收看，如果有爱心人士希望捐助衣物或玩具给赵潇以及提供其他志援服务，请与光盐社张延唐先生联系，电话：512-619-6974。（记者 春华）
***Xiao update 7/8** Xiao's medical condition: VSD, PDA and arterial stenosis. VSD: Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) a "hole" between the heart's two chambers (see detail descriptions here) Xiao's heart has to work extra hard to compensate for the loss of fresh blood thru the VSD. His heart is enlarged and his rib cage is visibly enlarged. His heart pulsation is clearly visible from outside. Doctor said Xiao's is a more severe case but the good thing is his heart is strong enough keeping his blood pressure normal. PDA: Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) The ductus arteriosus is a leftover fetal artery connecting the main body artery (aorta) and the main lung artery (pulmonary artery). If this artery stays open (patent) after birth, it’s called a patent ductus arteriosus.(See detail descriptions here) Doctor said that Xiao's PDA is as thick as a finger, that need to be closed. Arterial stenosis: The aortic valve, between the left ventricle and the aorta, is narrowed. The heart has difficulty pumping blood to the body. Aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve didn't form properly. A normal valve has three leaflets (cusps) but a stenotic (sten-OT'ik) valve may have only one cusp (unicuspid) or two cusps (bicuspid), which are thick and stiff. (See details here.) With all these conditions, Xiao will not survive long without surgery. It was the cause of his frequent illness and slow growth. Surgery should be able to fix all that. Please remember Xiao in your prayers. His surgery is scheduled on 7/14. ** Pictures from his doctor visits and side trips (he loves Chucky Cheese rides!) 
***Xiao update 7/7Good morning, Well, it turns out Xiao had a pretty long day yesterday, with appointments with Dr. Dudley and Dr. Wright to get an initial assessment of his condition. He managed to make it through the day, but not without quite a few tears, off and on. His over all health is very good, however, and his teeth are in good condition. Little Xiao weighs only 23 pounds, but he is not a very picky eater. In between appointments, he was treated to a trip to Chuck E Cheese by Phil Chang, which he seemed to enjoy, and then it was on to Dr. Wright’s office late in the day. He will have surgery on Tuesday July 14th for a VSD, PDA, and arterial stenosis. Overall, Xiao is adapting well, but is prone to having crying fits, and then he gets over it, and goes on happily for a while, only to have another crying fit. We can only imagine that is has a lot to do with his new environment, and he is missing his family. He has been able to call China once a day to talk to his family, and this helps, and Aida from the Chinese Agape Foundation has provided a huge amount of comfort to him. Thanks so much to Yvette and her family for welcoming young Xiao to their home and Phil Chang who was so kind to drive Xiao to his appointments yesterday, and take him on some fun side trips along the way! Xiao is already calling Phil “Grand Pa.” I have attached a cute picture of Xiao taken in the airplane by Maria, his AA Ambassador. 
In Maria’s own words, “He was a lovely, timid boy and just a fun to be around. He looked very frightened of his surroundings when I first met him, so I just hugged him the whole way to Austin. This made him feel quite relaxed and not so scared. He actually started eating a lot more on our flight like apples, grapes, yogurt, goldfish, crackers, nuts, milk and apple juice. He loved stickers and his toy cars.” Alison Meador *** Xiao Update 7/5 Zhao Xiao had a good day today. He is doing much better now. The first night he arrived was very tough for all of us. Being away from him parents and suffering from Jet-lag, he cried for the whole night; sometimes even screamed. He was exhausted and slept quite a bit during the following day. The second night he woke up around 3:30AM. Like what happened the night before, he cried for going back home to be with Papa and Mama. It continued to around 6:30PM. Then he finally got tired that brought him into sleep. He was very easy to be irritated in the first two days. He almost said nothing but begged me take him back home. The night of July 4, he did much better. Although he still woke up and cried, he calmed down after I rubbed or patted on his back. Today (July 5), he was very different. He finally opened up to us. Or I would say he finally saw the bright sight of living in the US in spite of he missed his parents disparately. His appetite came back too. He likes RiTZ crackers and Hawaiian honey bread very much. He ate quite a bit Creamy Chicken and Shrimp Pasta for dinner. He smiled and he talked in his Sichuan Dialect. Yvette and Mike took us out since he was bored of being in the house. He pushed his stroller around in the shopping mall. He was very sweet and cooperated. He played around with Yvette and Mike’s son. They are now little buddies.
Here are some pictures we took today when we went out to the Round Rock Outlet Mall. Aida Chen 
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