Septuplets Get Names; 3 of 5 Survivors Gain

Three of the five surviving Frustaci septuplets were pronounced nearly “out of the woods” Tuesday as their parents released the names of all seven infants born May 21.

“That means I think they are going to make it,” said Dr. Carrie Worcester at a news conference Tuesday at Childrens Hospital of Orange County. “They are doing extremely well, and there is no reason for me to think these babies won’t have the full chance for survival and normal development.”

However, the second-born child, a boy named James Martin Frustaci, remains critically ill and was given only a 50-50 chance of survival.

“We are still extremely concerned about this baby and about this baby’s chance of survival,” said Worcester, director of the hospital’s newborn intensive care unit, where the babies were transferred immediately after birth.

“I would have to say . . . I still think we are in the 50-50 ballpark,” Worcester said.

The child born fourth, a girl named Bonnie Marie, has not improved over the last 48 hours, although she made “remarkable improvement” several days ago, Worcester said.

Doctors are planning to try different combinations of pressure and oxygen mixtures in their respirators to help both infants overcome severe hyaline membrane disease, a common lung ailment in premature babies that remains the No. 1 problem of all five surviving septuplets, Worcester said.

Their mother, Patti Frustaci, was so exhausted Tuesday that she bypassed a scheduled meeting with reporters to announce the names of her new babies. Instead, she asked a spokeswoman for St. Joseph Hospital, where she delivered the infants last week, to release the names.

The 30-year-old Riverside high school teacher was scheduled to be released from the hospital in the City of Orange today, said Tes Pane, director of obstetrical and gynecological nursing at St. Joseph.

The three infants given the best chance for survival were named Patricia Ann, Stephen Earl, and Richard Charles, Pane said.

Name for Stillborn

Patti Frustaci named the seventh and stillborn septuplet--who weighed only 15 1/2 ounces and was believed dead in the womb for several days--Christina Elizabeth.

The sixth born, a 1-pound, 1-ounce boy nicknamed “The Peanut,” who battled against the odds for 64 hours before succumbing to cardiopulmonary failure, was named David Anthony.

The babies’ father, Samuel Frustaci, also was absent from Tuesday’s news conference. Pane said the 32-year-old industrial equipment salesman had to return to work in Buena Park and was simultaneously trying to make arrangements for a joint funeral for the two deceased infants.

The babies’ maternal grandfather, David Jorgensen of Orange, indicated that a private funeral will be held when his daughter is released from the hospital and is able to attend, said Debra Conkey, public information officer for St. Joseph.