The Tale of a Champion - Hunter John

So, they say that writing can by therapeutic. For me, no truer words were ever spoken. I love the written word. I love to read. I am a great reader. I am a not so great writer. I am working on that.

What I am trying to say is, writing and getting things out make me feel better. So, today I decided to write the story of Hunter's birth. It is a sad and terrifying story with the happiest ending. You couldn't have paid someone top dollar to write a better ending. However, the story remains. Here it is...

For those of you that don't know, Hunter is my baby boy. He is 13 months old and he is the cutest baby on the face of this earth.

Anyway, when I was pregnant with Hunter, I was severely ill the entire time. I had the same issue with Chloe but this just "felt" different. I just had this "feeling" the whole time that it was much more than that. I can't put my finger on it, call it intuition.

And, being the vocal person that I am, I commented on it a lot. I said things like, "I feel like something is not right", "I am going to have this baby early, mark my words". The doctor basically ignored me. And why wouldn't he? I didn't have any real proof other that the thoughts and feelings in my head and heart.

Then, the swelling began. And ya'll, this wasn't no normal, preggo swelling. People would stop and stare. So, I waddled myself into the doctor's office fully expecting to be put on bed rest. Nope. He looked at me like I was crazy and said he knew it was uncomfortable but didn't see any problems with it. Man, I so wish I would have taken pics so that you guys could understand why I was so shocked when he blew me off that way.

Fast forward to Monday, September 10th. I was feeling ROTTEN. Just downright miserable. I spent all day at work and then came home and laid down. I just couldn't move. I started having mild contractions. But, at 7 months pregnant this wasn't anything that sent us running to the ER. I called my doctor's office to report feeling so ill and the contractions. They asked if I thought I was in labor. Ummm, if I knew that I wouldn't have called you, I would have gone to the ER. So, the answer is...I don't think so but I am not sure. She tells me to just lay around at home and go to the ER if my water breaks. Yes, I know what you are all thinking...Gosh, she was sooooo much help ;)

So, I get up on Tuesday morning. Tuesday, September 11th. I go to work because I have to run payroll but I am feeling even worse today than I was yesterday.

I get to work and begin running payroll but shortly after I begin to vomit. And, I CANNOT STOP for 3 hours. I have my door to my office closed this whole time so no one realizes how sick I am. Finally, around 2 o'clock my boss finds me and immediately tells me I need to get to the hospital. I calm him down, tell him that I have already called my little sister and she will be here in 20 minutes.

My sister gets here and we pick up Ray and head to the hospital. By this time, the vomiting is persisting and I am contracting regularly. Every 1.5 minutes. Oh my God, I am in full on labor at barely 7 months pregnant. How did this happen to me? What is going to happen to my baby? It is September 11th! I know, I know, the silliest thing to worry about at a time like this.

I got to the hospital at 4:30pm and Hunter was born via emergency c-section at 5:49pm. It was pure chaos once I arrived and they just needed to get him out, which is exactly what they did.

I knew I was in trouble when they pulled him out. I said, "Oh, he is beautiful and he has so much hair!". No response. Not from a doctor, not from a nurse, and not from the BABY. No crying.

Ya'll. That is the worst FEELING EVER.

"Why isn't my baby crying?"

"Honey, your baby is having a little trouble breathing. We have taken him away and your husband has gone with him."

That is the last thing I heard for the next THREE hours. Ray stayed while they hooked him up to machine after machine. He didn't want to leave his side and I would have been furious if he had, but, I had no idea what was going on with Hunter this entire time.

Then, Ray comes into the recovery room with the most stoic look on his face. I will never forget that look as long as I live. I asked how Hunter was. "It doesn't look good." That is all he said. And we both began to sob.

Hunter was born weighing in at 4lbs 12oz. Not too bad for a preemie. We have no idea how long he was because they didn't have time to measure. But, he was also born with severe Premature Lung Disease. His lungs just weren't ready. The doctors were hopeful at first. They treat this type of thing all of the time. When they took him from Ray they put him in Level II NICU. That is for sick babies that do not have central lines in their belly and alot of times it is merely a precaution. Within an hour, Hunter had to be moved to Level III NICU where the sickest of the sick babies are. He wasn't breathing on his own at all. They had to put him on a ventilator. Oh Dear God. How did this happen?

By the next morning, Hunter has steadily deteriorated. He would not respond to treatment. Nothing. The meds weren't helping his little body heal. He just wouldn't get better. Why? They had no idea and that scared them. Terrified us.

By the time he was 24 hours old, his lungs stopped working at all and he was not only no longer taking in oxygen, he lungs were now refusing to expel Carbon Monoxide and they were also still resisting treatment. He wasn't getting better at all, he continued to decline and they prepared us for the worst.

I wouldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. No. I . would. not. let. that. happen.

I could go on for days but to summarize for 6 straight days he laid there with no improvement and they couldn't figure out why. Why wouldn't he respond to the treatment? Why wouldn't his little body heal. He was a fighter. That much was clear. He had been fighting to stay alive for 6 longs days but he just wasn't improving and before long we would have to "make a decision". No. Not going to happen.

Then, they had to discharge me. The doctor had held them at bay for as long as possible. The day was finally here. I ha d to leave the hospital without my newborn. I forever left a piece of my at that hospital that day. I swear I will never get that tiny slice of my heart back.

That must have been the motivation that little sucker needed. I called to check in on him that night and they said they were able to lower the oxygen they were giving him for the first time in 6 days. They were going from 100% go 90%. Still far from ideal but progress. Then, the next day when I went to see him he was down to 50%. Are you serious?????? Is he really? Don't get your hopes up because they have been crushed too many times over the last 7 days.

Well, that night when I went to see him, I called into the NICU to get permission to come in and they said that I couldn't because they were doing a procedure on Hunter. Oh no. What now? That normally meant another blood transfusion or spinal tap (he has 3 blood transfusions in his first 6 days of life). No, that wasn't it. They were REMOVING THE VENTILATOR. Hunter, my friends, was breathing room air. In 24 hours he went from 100% dependant on a ventilator to breathing room air!! I don't know if any of you know this, but that is nothing short of a miracle. It really isn't.

Ray, me and his mother wept tears of joy for hours in the hallway that night. We couldn't believe it. Our little fighter was going another round. He wasn't throwing in the towel just yet. Thank you , God. Thank You.

He still faced an uphill battle over the next 3 weeks. He had to learn to feed. He had to learn to self-regulate his body temp. It wasn't easy. He had a major setback at about 3 weeks. He was feeding off of a bottle for the first time and I was holding him and he began to seize. They don't know why. He had seizure activity in his brain up until we brought him home at 6 weeks old. They didn't know why. Maybe the spinal tap? Who know. All I knew was that even if it was a permanent condition, we would deal with it. As long as Hunter was alive, I would deal with anything. It didn't matter.

We took Hunter John home at 6 weeks old weighing a whopping 5lbs! He was so tiny! He just continued to thrive once he got home. He suffered no developmental delays at all which is a miracle in itself.

We had the follow up EEG at Texas Childrens on Dec 10th to see if he still had seizure activity in the brain. If he did, there was a good chance the condition was permanent. If he didn't, it was probably due to the trauma his body had suffered. We finished the procedure and they said they would call within the next 3 days with the results. We were all on pins and needles. THREE WHOLE DAYS! But, my pediatric neurologist was an angel. He called me that night at home at 9:30pm to tell me Hunter had NO seizure activity in the brain. He had fully recovered. We wept again. This little boy had defied all odds. He was our hero.

Today, Hunter is 13 months old and full of life. He is all boy! He has the most beautiful blue eyes you will ever see. His eyelashes make women all over the world shiver in envy. His laugh is infectious and he has completed our lives.

They say that God never gives you more than you can handle. There were times during his recovery (and lack thereof) where I questioned this. Why me? But, we are a stronger family because of it and we appreciate each day that we are given more than we ever have before. We have our son. He is happy and healthy. Nothing else matters....

Next post I will write about Chloe and her reaction to her sick baby brother...you will then understand why she will forever be my hero and my inspiration.

Hope I didn't ramble for too long.

Until next time...CNS