Joey Joey Joey

Joey is home and doing great. He got to go home on September 24th. He is doing home school for now. Chest x-rays and coumadin clinic are in his weekly routine. The whole Codoni family is doing great and loving life.

I can not express how grateful and blessed the Codoni family and all of us involved in the pasta feed are. It amazed me how much our Rohnert Park community steps up and how giving they are. Thank you SOOOO very much everyone involved for your donations, attendance, time spent, and much more.

Enjoy this song, Party Rockers, it was picked by Joe:)

Septemeber 23

The doctors are talking about Joey going home on Monday. I keep hoping and praying for a surprise and he comes home earlier. He's doing great. When you see him you will be amazed. He looks great, sounds great - He's his happy self.

PASTA FEED TONIGHT!!!!!! IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING.

Joey Codoni Medical Fund is at Westamerica bank. Account number 2406109401.

Please contact renodiermier@yahoo.com or baseballjunkie3@gmail.com with any questions. We are going to have an amazing silent auction at the Welovejoey pasta feed, let us know if you have any items to donate. Thank you!

September 21st

Well......Joey is in great spirits and doing great but there is fluid in his left lung and he can't go home just yet.
He spends his day at school (that the hospital provides), time in the media room, and also in the play room. He has mastered gold fish and other games that fills up his day.

Hope to see everyone at the Pasta Feed on Friday:)

September 20

Joey is improving daily and if his chest x-ray and blood work come back good he gets to come home tomorrow. WOOP WOOP. Three weeks at UCSF but coming home tomorrow. :)

Don't forget the past feed is this Friday night. You don't want to miss it.





Bake Sale at weloveJoey Pasta Feed is going to be AmazaZing, Lori is a baked goods goddess:)

Please contact Lori if you are able to make something yummy for the bake sale. 707-792-4371 or jlgomes@sbcglobal.net.

Joey is doing GREAT!!!!!!

Joey Codoni is a remarkable, strong, tough, miracle of a kid:) That kid and his family and friends have been through A LOT the last 2 weeks. 2 weeks ago tomorrow he went in for his heart surgery that was performed through a catheter. He ended up on life support for a few days and 10 days in the ICU. He had some tough days and really tough moments of uncertainty if he could pull through. With love, prayers, and support he didn't just pull through he amazed everyone.

The doctors performed an experimental catheter procedure that hadn't been done since 1981. This little guy is a phenome. Although he had everyone in tears and not sleeping at night, ecspecially his amazing parents and siblings he DID it. He has more heart with his half of heart than anybody I know. His determination and love for life should inspire the world. He inspired and affected all the nurses, doctors, and staff at UCSF.
He brings together and teaches our community what unconditional love is. Because of this little guy I know people will hold there loved ones closer and appreciate the gifts that God has given us. I know that what the Codoni's have been through puts a better perspective on my life and everybody in this community.

Joey is not in the ICU anymore. He is running through recovery as swiftly as he runs the bases in a baseball game (with his Giants jersey on). About a week ago a doctor mentioned that they would be in the hospital until October. Joey is spending time in the play room, media room, and roaming the halls of UCSF. He still has stamina and strength to regain but he is doing it everyday. He gets to come home as soon as his coumadin levels are where they want them to be.

Continue to pray for the Codoni's and I hope to see everyone at the Pasta Feed on September 23rd. I promise you that the Rohnert Park community knows how to put on a party:)

Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams.
This was a few days after he was taken off of Heart Lung bypass

Joey and David

Joey and David

September 9

Joey continues to improve everyday. He is still in the ICU but on the brink of heading to the step down unit. Joey is not a big fan of hospital food, ecspecially fat free hospital food. He is eating great when fat free yummy food is brought into him from home or the store.

He went for a big walk today, the longest walk yet.



Steve and Vicki still amaze me with their ability to balance the obstacles placed in front of them. They are taking turns staying at the hospital and coming home to be with Haley and David.



Welovejoey Pasta Feed on September 23rd is coming together great. It is going to be a night not to miss. Our community blows me away with it's support for the Codoni's.



Please continue to pray for Joey's recovery and see you at the Pasta Feed.

September 7

Joey is doing great!!! The fluid in his lungs has decreased significantly. High flow oxygen is turned down. He had the most energy he has had so far today. The doctor mentioned that he may be in the hospital into October. His little body has alot of recovering to do. His lymph system drains fatty fluid into open space in his chest. He walked a little today for the first time. It is not positive that the surgery will not have to be reversed but Joey is improving everyday.

Pasta Feed for Joey!

We Love Joey


Invites you to join us for a Pasta Feed, Bake Sale Silent Auction and more for Joey


When: Friday September 23rd


Where: University of Sports – 555 Rohnert Park Expressway


Time: 6:00-10:00pm


Cost: $10.00 for Adults $7.00 for under 14


Family Deal – 2 adults 2 kids and 4 $1.00 drink Tickets for $35.00


Contact: Jenny @ 707- 975-5160 or baseballjunkie3@gmail.com or


Justine @ renodiermier@yahoo.com


for more information or to make a donation.


Included: Pasta by pasta king, salad and bread.


**Beverages are not included but we will have a bar with cocktail waitresses to get your drinks while you are at the tables!


$1 water and soda $3 beer and wine


Silent Auction, Wishing Well, Bake Sale, and more!


Cash, Checks only!

All Money raised will go to the We Love Joey fund to benefit the Codonis!

Tuesday September 6th

Joey is doing good. He is still in the ICU because he still needs high flow oxygen. When the oxygen is turned down he can go to a regular room. He still has chest tubes that are draining way to much fluid. His little body really needs to quit producing so much fluid. The doctors are going to give it a few weeks and then they will be forced to reverse the surgery because Joey's body does not like the physiology. Joey is getting strong and healthier daily:) He is on a low fat diet, he only gets 6gm of fat daily. Steve and Vicki are trying to get him things he will like that are fat free. The medications have caused him to have some rashes and one nasty reaction. Tonight he is free of any rashes and comfortable. I was blessed to talk to him on the phone and it is heart warming to hear his uniquely loving voice.

Saturday

Saturday
His first meal

September 4, 2011

Hi this is Haley joey's older sister, he is doing really good today. Joey is starting to sit up and he actually stood up for for a few seconds. He is also starting to eat small things which is a really good sign! The fluid in his lungs isn't improving much but he has color in his face and is as happy as he can be sitting in that hospital bed. During this whole week Joey has been stronger than most of his family. My brother David and I were at the hospital Wednesday and Thursday when everything wasn't going so well, we were as strong as we could be with our brother in surgery. It's really hard to watch someone you love go through things like this and I know my brother and I couldn't get through this without our mom and dad. My parents are so amazing i can't even describe in words how much they hold the two of us together. I know it's impossible to hold in your emotion during a time like this and i don't expect anyone too, but even when the tears can't stop my mom and dad both have a way of keeping calm and helping us when its joey that were here for. Thats what makes them the most amazing people and parents ever. I Love them, David and Joey So much and Pray that soon Joey will be his normal little self again.

Right after he woke up

Right after he woke up
After three days of sedation

September 3rd. 7:30am

Matt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Holy Smokes. Joey is a strong determined little guy. Yesterday was another huge rollercoaster. At this very moment he is off of the heart lung bypass and very stable. The doctors words yesterday brought relief, excitement, and pure happiness......"He will survive".

Vicki has sent out texts updating loved ones through out the last few days. She has sent out updates consistantly, she is the strongest woman I know. Through out life we hear, God doesn't give us anything we can't handle". Steve and Vicki Codoni embody that statement. I think the best way to tell yesterdays story is through Vicki's texts.

9:04am Having a hard time. I'll call soon.

9:23am Having issues. Lung not better. A little worse. Lots of fluid around lung. Doctors have not decided which way to go. No good option. Do they drain the fluid? Problem is he is on serious blood thinners and the worry about bleeding and if they stop the blood thinners while on the circuit serious risk of blood clot (straight to brian). Or.......Take him off bypass but with all the fluid doesn't have a good chance of tolerating it. Also worried fluid is blood......??? In trouble. PRAY!!!!!!!

9:40ish am Putting chest tube in.

12:40pm Shut off bypass. Been 45 mins. Rock solid. Will continue to watch for a couple hours.

1:17pm Doing great!!!! Taking him off bypass right now!!!!!
(my question) Will he wake up soon?
He keeps trying and they can't let him. But he is fighting.

I spoke on the phone with Vicki around 4pm yesterday. The story of how Joey was scaring everyone, doctors included, to the point that he was "safe" is amazing and gives me chills.
The chest tube was an option that the doctors were not comfortable with so it was nerve racking not knowing how his body would react. They put the chest tube in and drained 320cc of fluid out of just his right lung. Immidiately his sats went up to 98!!!! That little guys lung went from being scary sick and full of fluid to full of air and functioning in an instant. Due to the miracle how his lung became funtioning in an instant after days of threatening his life the doctors wanted to turn off the heart lung bypass sooner than planned.

Joey is still sedated and has a breathing tube but he is off of life support. Today the doctors will decide if they will drain his left lung with a chest tube. His left lung is not nearly as full of fluid as his right lung was but they are making a chest tube on the left side an option because his body reacted so well to the chest tube yesterday. And then.............they will remove the breathing tube and let our hero start waking up slowly.

Please pray that today is smooth and uneventful. Go Joey Go!!!!!

September 2. 7:37am

Yesterday was an uneventful day for Joey, which is good. The heart lung bypass kept him stable and he is still heavily sedated.

Today- Is a big important day. The doctors are turning down the ventilator to see Joey's right lung start working. Please pray healing on his right lung. If it doesn't go well they will be heading back to operation room to reverse the surgery.

Today is a big day!!!! Go Joey Go!!!!

September 1. 907am

I heard from Vicki around 2am and Joeys sats went up and bp down when they put him on the bypass machine.

He started running a low grade fever around 99.

At 8am a message from Vicki said.... not better, not worse, taking x-rays soon.

At 834...... Xray is better. Air in top part of lung. Baby steps :)

We pray these baby steps continue to guide Joey to a full recovery. Joey is such a strong kid. The love and prayers of family, friends, strangers, churches, and communities are amazing. Joey has brought together these families, friends, strangers, churches, and communities with his love and beautiful smile.

9:53 pm August 31st

I have been looking at this blog for an hour trying to figure out how to accurately update today. A rollercoaster of emotions.

Joey's surgery through the catheter ended around 2. Everything seemed good.

A few hours later his blood pressure dropped and the doctors found a blood clot in his lung.

He has struggled with unstable stats since then. He was in the operation room being monitored for 12 hours.

His lungs are still getting worse and it kills me to say that Joey is a very sick little boy right now. He is going to be put on the heart lung bypass machine for a few hours while the doctors decide if they need to undo everything that was done today.

Please pray for Joey!!!!!!

1:11pm August 31

Joey is in surgery he went in this morning before 9am. He will be out around 6pm. Everything is going well and as planned. Family is doing good and the wait is bareable as long as everything is good.

Keep the prayers coming.

August 30th, 2011

Joey's surgery that will be performed through catheter has been moved to tomorrow. Please keep the Codoni family in your prayers.

August 4th 2011

Joey is doing good. He spent the night at the hospital last night. He did not have surgery yesterday. There was a scheduling conflict with the surgeon. He is having the procedure done through a catheter and the surgeon is not a part of the catheter procedure but his doctor wants him to be there just to be on the safe side in case he is needed. So, he didn't have the surgery but they did do a catheter and prepare him for the procedure. They cleaned out scar tissue and put in some stints. He spent the night in the ICU but only because they already had him scheduled to be in the ICU. Joey didn't even have an IV and got a nurse all to himself all night. Surgery is scheduled for September 14th. Codoni's are happy with how it is working out because now Joey's body can heal from the work they did yesterday before they do more work in September.

Keep this amazing family in your prayers please.

August 3rd 2011, Surgery Day

Joey has done amazing for over a year and recovered like a champ from last years surgery. Today the doctors will do the Fontane again and today it will be a success. Instead of opening his little chest up again the doctors are going to do his whole heart surgery through catheters. A few months ago his doctors found a blockage in his heart that they believe caused the Fontane to fail last year. This is a huge blessing and amazing what technology can do. Joey is not overly scared or reluctant to go to the hospital because he has had numerous catheters thoughout his life and he can do this:) His family is nervous of course but a lot more comfortable with his little chest not being open up and the surgery being a lot less invasive.

I will keep the blog updated as I hear from the Codoni's on the progress of Joey.

Please pray for today to go smooth and God please comfort my dear friends. Pray for the doctors abilities and wisdom and Joey's strength to continue ALWAYS.

Codoni's

Codoni's

Codoni kiddos

Codoni kiddos

Isaiah 41:10

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.



A Chapter in Joey Life

Joey's off of oxygen. This is a great step forward.

Joey's off of oxygen. This is a great step forward.

Joey is doing great

Sorry I have not kept this blog updated through out the last few months. Joey recovered great from his open-heart surgery. The doctors are diligently working on a plan. They need to try the Fontain again. They have done some tests and work on Joey through catheters that went through his main arteries. The doctor found some scar tissue that may have caused his lungs to dislike the last surgery, and he fixed it. Keep the prayers coming for the doctors to be brilliant and come up with new and innovative surgeries for Joey and all children who have been born with half of a working heart. On a side note Joey is a Giants this year:)


Joey Codoni

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

A New Chapter

April 8th 2010, 7 year old Joey Codoni went in for open-heart surgery. The surgeon performed the 3rd phase of three phases that take place on people who have HLHS, called the Fontan. All the details are explained below in "Joey's Story". Joey was born with half of a heart and this was his 3rd open-heart surgery.  Joey went into surgery happy and smiling because they gave him laughing gas and waited until he was asleep to give him any IV's. Around 1pm the surgery was done. Steve and Vicki had to wait until about 5pm to see Joey when he was taken to the 7th floor at UCSF, the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit. At 8:30 pm I got a message saying that Joey's stats were not stable and that his right lung was filling with fluid and he needed prayer. On April 9th around 5am Joey's lung had collapsed and he crashed. The medical staff resesitated him and he was taken back into the operating room. Steve and Vicki witnessed their baby crash and had to watch him head back to the OR. It was an emotional and confusing day for so many friends and family. The word spread like wild fire and literally, due to todays technology, there was people praying for Joey across the United States. Around 1pm Steve and Vicki were notified that the Dr. had to reverse the Fontan and Joey was placed on a heart and lung bypass machine, life support. He was placed on this machine so his little heart and ecspecially his lungs could heal and recover. It is unknown why his body could not handle the Fontan at that point in his life but his little lungs didn't react well to the surgery. Joey was not taken back to the PCICU until almost 6pm. His surgeon sat by his side in the operation room for hours making sure he was stable. The surgeon cancelled all surgeries scheduled in that operating room for the day and designated his day to Joey. Joey was slowly wheeled by the waiting room with at least 7 medical staff helping his bed roll smooth and keep all machines in place late that evening. Steve and Vicki were insured that Joey was "safe" that the heart lung bypass was full proof. They made a plan to try to take him off of the heart lung bypass on Monday. That meant three days of Joey unconscience with machines making his body work, his chest was left open with a thin layer of protection. We could see his little heart beating. Saturday and Sunday were quiet. Steve and Vicki tried to get sleep but obviously struggled to do so. Each day the medical staff x-rayed Joey's lungs checking for improvements and each day Joey showed improvement. Monday was an emotional roller-coaster. The electricity went out hospital wide and turned off Joey's bypass maching and the battery did not kick on like it was suppose to. So, the nurses had to manually begin compressions. The craziness and scare lasted about 10second and the battery kicked on. Around 10:30am the doctor clamped off Joey's bypass machine while he was still in the PCICU. He did it. Joey's little body did it. About 30 minutes later Joey was taken back to the operating room to remove all of the tubes and close his chest. A few hours later Joey was brought back to his little room in the PCICU and the recovery began from there. Steve or Vicki stayed by Joey's side every step of the way. Each day was a milestone. It started with taking his ventilator out, then he could start moving a little bit, everyday he improved and was moved into a regular room for only two nights and then he was allowed to go home. The Codoni's lived at UCSF for 2weeks. So, Joey is home. He is improving and getting stronger everyday. He is still on oxygen to let his lungs heal as much as possible. Everyone asks the same question.........now what. The surgery was not a success and the Fontan did not happen. At this point nobody but God knows what is next in Joey's journey. The doctors have mentioned trying again after they evaluate and determine what caused Joey's lungs to reject the Fontan. Right now everyone is happy to see Joey healing and improving and gettting strong.

I will update the blog as I hear what the next step will be in Joey's journey. The prayers for Joey pulled him and his family through the last month. Please continue to pray and love the Codoni's. They are an amazingly strong family.

The money that has been raised to help the Codoni's is only a fraction of what will be needed to help with medical expenses. Please support our efforts.

Monday, November 16, 2009

JOEY'S STORY!!

90% of all situations like Joey are detected while the baby is in utero. But, this was not the case. Joey was born with an apgar score of 9. He nursed without trouble and seemed to be absolutely healthy. Mom and Dad were exhausted and needed to get some sleep so the nurses took Joey to the nursery. At 2am Mom and Dad were woke up by the pediatrician. He told them that Joey was having some problems but not to worry they were going to do some tests. Next they heard that their baby boy was having heart problems and would be taken to UCSF immediately.




Joey was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He was born with half of a heart. With this condition Joey was going to have to undergo 3 stages of open-heart surgery. Stage 1 Norwood, Stage 2 Glenn, and Stage 3 Fontan.



At 3 days old Joey endured the Norwood. The goals of the first stage Norwood palliation are to provide adequate blood flow to the lungs and allow the single ventricle to pump mixed blood to the whole body. 3 months later he conquered the Glenn. The Glenn Shunt is the first stage in separating the circulations. The superior vena cava is anastomosed to the right pulmonary artery. In the spring Joey will be undergoing the Fontan. The goal of the Fontan is to complete systemic and pulmonary venous blood separation, and divert more systemic venous blood flow directly into the pulmonary circulation. A homograft conduit will join the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. The goal of the Fontan is to reduce the workload of the right ventricle.



Joey has not undergone surgery of this caliber sense he was 3 months old and he is now 7. We all know Joey is a champ and is going to do phenomenal. He is an athletic, loving, compassionate, HERO.



Now that the information is out there, lets talk Joey, Joe Joe, Joseph, Josepi or Joe. Everyone has his or her own personal name for this amazing child. Joey may only have half of a heart but this 7 year old loves with every ounce of his body. He has a huge smile that lights up the room. He not only looks up to but he keeps up with the older kids in his life. If he has the opportunity to care for little ones he does an amazing job. From teaching and encouraging a younger boy to be brave and use the big boy bathroom to worrying about the younger kids in the hot tub. A hug from Joey is like no other hug a child gives. He wraps his arms and legs around you and for those few seconds he puts 100% of his attention and love into his hugs. Joey is loved and adorable by all people in his life.



The people who have been there from day one and have made this child into who he is are his Mom and Dad, Steve and Vicki. Along with Steve and Vicki, Hailey and David are Joey's older sister and brother. There are no words to describe what an amazing family this is. Unconditional love, giving, caring, compassionate, and phenomenal are words that scratch the surface of who this family is. Hailey is 12. She dances at a dance studio almost daily is an overachieving student. David is 11. He plays basketball and baseball. He is a very gifted athlete that not only played all stars but also was picked to play on a travel team called the Rebels. He too is an overachieving student. I cannot think of a more perfect family to be blessed with a child like Joey who have encouraged him and supported him into being exactly like all the other kids despite his condition. I also cannot think of a more deserving family to have caring and giving people help them during Joey's next surgery.



We have come together as a community to be there for this family. We all know that they would be the ringleaders of helping any other family in there life. We will be putting together fundraisers that will be fun and exemplify what this family is about. Please help us raise funds because this family is going to be spending a lot of time away from work and living away from home while their son needs them by his side.