Stephen's Timeline

Below is the story of Stephen's life.

• October 26, 1997 - Stephen Monaco is born a healthy 8lbs. 12ozs. baby. Metabolic disorder is undetected at this time.



• April 23, 1999 - Stephen is hospitalized with dehydration from Rota virus. Doctors are suspicious of why Stephen did not respond to treatment as well as they had hoped.



• April 24, 1999 - Stephen is discharged from Potomac Hospital despite lethargy and lack of interest in eating.



• May 30, 2001 - Stephen is found unresponsive in the morning after vomiting the day before. Stephen is quickly rushed in an ambulance to the local hospital, and then transferred to the PICU at Inova Fairfax hospital where he was tested for the metabolic disorder. But now it is too late.



• May 31, 2001 - Stephen is diagnosed with Isovaleric Acidemia.



• June 1, 2001 - MRI reveals swelling around Stephen's brainstem. Stephen slips into a coma; he is also placed on a ventilator.



• June 4, 2001 - MRI confirms global brain damage, prognosis for survival is poor.



• June 13, 2001 - Stephen is showing signs of recovery.



• June 19, 2001 - Stephen is taken off of the ventilator.



• June 25, 2001 - Stephen is transferred to the Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center in Charlottesville, VA.



• August 7, 2001 - Stephen is discharged from Kluge Rehab Center to return home.



• August 8, 2001 - Stephen begins home therapy.



• November 4, 2001 - Stephen begins a month-long treatment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.



• March 25, 2002 - Stephen smiles for the first time since the crisis, this occurred shortly after the conclusion of the second round of hyperbaric oxygen treatment.



• April 24, 2002 - Stephen is hospitalized with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).



• April 26, 2002 - Stephen recovers and is discharged from the hospital.



• June 25, 2002 - Stephen is again hospitalized overnight with GI bleeding from prolonged hiccups.



• March 15, 2003 - Stephen is hospitalized overnight with GI bleeding. This incident was identical to the one that occurred 9 months earlier.



• June 3, 2003 - Stephen is again hospitalized for GI bleeding caused from prolonged hiccupping. Tests show G-Tube button rubbing on abdominal wall when hiccupping.



• August 26, 2003 - Stephen receives a Hot Tub from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.



• January 5, 2004 - Stephen began home-based school education plan, including therapy.



• February 1, 2004 - Stephen starts Brain NET therapy program.



• June 24, 2004 - Stephen attends National Coalition for PKU and Allied Disorders conference in Detroit, Michigan with family.



• June 29, 2004 - Stephen is hospitalized with complications from Strep throat. Stephen goes into septic shock, and was transferred to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Stephen is discharged after 10 days of IV antibiotics.



• April 2004 - Stephen has surgery for retracted testicles due to spasticity. All went well.



• November 2004 - Stephen gets his new tilt-in-space wheelchair.



• January 2005 - Stephen is hospitalized for three days with a stomach virus. Medications continue to change in an attempt to control seizures.



• February 2005 - It is determined that Stephen is in precocious puberty and his spine has become kyphotic with a little scoliosis. He is fitted for a back brace.



• April 2006 - Stephen begins Vital Stim Therapy in Leesburg, VA to help improve his swallowing abilities.



• October 2006 - Stephen is hospitalized for a stomach virus. He was released 3 days later.



• December 2007 - Stephen can now roll over, has improved control of his head, and moving more on his own during therapy sessions. Stephen is also more vocal than he was in the past.

Copyright © 2002-2008 Brandon Weiss. All Rights Reserved.