Hello,
My name is Vartopeanu Andrei Christian and I am three years and seven months old, weighing 12.600 g and 92 cm in height. My story is very long and complicated for my age. Physically I am a child like any other, BUT………. I wish that was all.
I will begin with the beginning:
I was born at 35 weeks at Giulesti hospital, weighing in at only 950g (early delivery through C-section with an Apgar of 8-9) and 42 cm in height. Despite the fact that I was very small for my gestational age, I could breathe by myself and I had all the chances to develop normally after spending a few weeks in the incubator. Unfortunately, only five days after I was born, I was diagnosed with septicemia, as the result of an infection with klebsiela pneumonae, a hospital bacteria that I got infected with in the maternity ward.
After 21 days of agony, during which I survived to a total of 4 apnea episodes and received my baptism, I managed to recover and started to grow, slowly but surely. At two months of age, I was released from the hospital and went home, where I found a waiting, worried, and loving family.
Taking daily sessions of therapy, I was able to roll over by myself at nine months, sit at 18 months, get up and sit at two years and nine months, and manage to stand upright a little at three years and two months. Now, I’m working hard to learn to stand up and take my first steps. There is still a long way to go.
Mentally, I am still extremely young in development. I smile, sometimes even laugh, I have my favorite games, but I don’t seem to be aware of my surroundings. I don’t speak or interact much with others, although my mother always knows what I need and when I need it. I am currently taking daily sessions of therapy, both physical and behavioral, hoping that someday I will become an independent person…
I forgot to tell you what I’ve been diagnosed with: chronic infantile encephalopathy, severely physical impairment, focal epilepsy and ophthalmic hipoplazia. Despite to all these scary things, I am definitely not a vegetable. I am an energetic, happy and loving child.
My parents and grandparents are with me all the time and they do everything they can to help me recover faster.
One of the available treatments involves stem cells transplant, and after a long process I managed to get the transplant procedure scheduled with a clinic in Germany. Last year I did not qualify for this type of treatment, but recently, on 28 October 2009 I have received the big news that I have been accepted for the treatment. While I was on the waiting list for the procedure, my parents managed to raise the amount necessary for spinal transplant, the procedure that I was expecting to receive. However though, in order to increase the chances of success, the doctors have finally decided and scheduled me on November 24, 2009 for a stem cell transplant on the brain. This is good news, the bad news is the cost, that dramatically increased to 17.800 Euro…
So now I’m wondering…will I still be able to benefit from this treatment and get a chance to become a normal child, with a normal life?... Will my parents be able to raise the money necessary to get the surgery on time? Is the faith and determination that I had so far enough for me to succeed? For those of you who read this letter, have faith and compassion for my situation and would like to contribute, my parents have opened a couple of bank accounts:
cont LEI:RO 69 BACX 0000000198318000;
cont EUR:RO 42 BACX 0000000198318001;
UNICREDIT TIRIAC-ALEXANDRIA, kept by VARTOPEANU VIORICA GEORGIANA, my mommy.
Telefon: 0723028782, 0766536844
E-mail: andrei.vartopeanu@gmail.com
Address: Bucharest, Iancu Jianu 5, bl. M176, ap. 3, zip code 051821
Thank you for the time you’ve taken to read my story… I greatly appreciate your help and hope that one day, I will be able myself to contribute and give a chance to a child in need…
Best wishes,
I didn't give news about me for a long time. Six months have passed and .... I do not know what to say. 
