Family of dying child celebrating Christmas a month early

NEOSHO, Mo. -- Christina McReynolds is afraid she won't be alive for Christmas, so her family and friends will celebrate the holiday a month early when they gather at her home tonight.

The 10-year-old Neosho girl was diagnosed with a heart defect a few months before her third birthday, and now she is in the final stages of rejecting a 3-year-old double-lung implant.

The transplant, which was performed at St. Louis Children's Hospital, seemed to be the answer to her health problems, but Christina's health began failing a year later. In June, doctors at a Joplin hospital discovered the girl was suffering from twisted bowels.

She survived emergency surgery, but doctors had to revive her three times during the procedure. She surprised physicians when she survived an emergency helicopter flight to the St. Louis hospital, where it was determined that she was rejecting the lung implant.

Christina's kidneys are starting to fail, she has been on oxygen full time since the summer and takes morphine for intense pain.

"She's a very friendly little girl, very outgoing, sociable, she loves to dress up," said Mary Kimball, a family friend who has known Christina since the day she was born.

Lori McReynolds, Christina's mother, spoke enthusiastically about the party, which will include a birthday cake for her oldest son, whose birthday is Dec. 25.

Christina bought Christmas presents for her brothers with her own money, Lori McReynolds said, and a steady stream of Christmas cards have been rolling in.

Doctors didn't expect the girl to survive through October, Kimball said, but if she holds on until Dec. 25 she'll be able to celebrate Christmas again.

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