"Your baby has a 10 percent chance of survival". Those were the words that my daughter-in-law heard three years ago today. I never heard the doctor say that but I knew that my grandchild was in danger of dying. It was a day I will never forget.
My daughter-in-law had complications form the RH negative factor. A condition that should have been treated ahead of time by the doctor. A mistake was made and we almost lost a beautiful little boy. The doctors at the hospital we ended up at, had to look up how to care for him because they hadn't seen a case in a very long time. I'll spare you most of the details but lets just say that it didn't look good for him.
It was Father's Day, a day that my oldest grandson should have been honoring my son but we spent most of the day at the hospital where they were trying desperately to figure out how to deliver his brother. They had to get teams together, read up on what to do and get the blood for a transfusion just right. I remember them talking about how the antibodies had to be just perfect or else the outcome would be fatal. The lab worked hard all day. Finally, about 11:30 that night, the team was ready to deliver this very sick baby. Its in my opinion that they waited just a bit longer than they had to because JD was born just a few minutes after midnight. I feel that they wanted to wait until father's Day was officially over so to spare my son the grief of losing his son on such an important day. I can't be sure this is true but that's what I believe in my heart.
So JD came into this world on June 19th 2006. Here are some of his first pictures.
This one was taken when he was about a week old. It was the first time his momma got to hold him.
JD was a fighter and proved them all wrong. He is a little behind other kids his age and he is deaf but he is alive and for that I am very grateful. The doctors said they have never seen anyone with bilirubin levels that high. We were certain that we were going to have a child in a vegetative state the rest of his life. Some family members even suggested that we pull the plugs and let nature take its course. I am so thankful for the doctors at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester NY. They saved my grandson's life. To look at him today, you would never know just how sick he once was. He is truly a miracle.
We are celebrating his birthday next weekend due to finances but tomorrow we are having a little get together to celebrate the day JD came into our lives. Now I would like to share with you one of my favorite pictures of JD and one that was taken just last week at my birthday celebration.
This is one of my favorite pictures of him. He was just relaxing in front of the tv, eating his crackers.
And this is the most recent picture I have of him.
I hope you will join me in wishing my grandson a very Happy third birthday. His actual birthday is tomorrow.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 42
Happy Birthday little guy! He is a sweety! =)
Thanks Cindy.
what a wonderful little boy and you know what you are so blessed to have him i am crying happy birthday wee one
Happy threes ;)
Happy Birthday JD
He's a cutie Brenda.
Happy Birthday tough guy.........
hi Brenda........................
A happy-ending to a disheartening story...as a medical technologist who has personally prepared the special blood products for these sick babies, it's nice to see a happy ending!
Ohhh, that was a sad beginning, but such a happy end. Thanks for sharing your pictures and story. He is a cute little boy.
Your grandson is beautiful. Happy Birthday JD!
Awwww, what an adorable grandson you have. I'll bet he gets lots of hugs. Tell him Happy Birthday for all of us here at gather.
One of my sons was born with a very high bilirubin count too and they had him on tubes and force feeding for two weeks. That was a long time ago. He is now a married fireman in Chicago after being in the Special Forces in the Army. In other words they grow up and they are special all their lives.
Wow, what an amazing story! He is a little cutie.
Happy Birthday JD!!!
Happy Birthday, JD!!!
Miracles do happen! I have a great nephew that is a miracle. He has Prader-Willie syndrome and was not expected to live. When he did live then the doctors said he will never have a sucking reflex (on tube feedings). Fooled them again. Then it was "he will never be able to hold his head upright." Fooled again. So now it was he will never sit up. Guess what? OK, he will never walk...well he is now 20 something and living in a home for Prader-Willies. Mildly retarded, but has a job and is able to function on his own.
So, I do believe in miracles!
Happy birthday to the little cutie!
I can't imagine how scary his birth and all the medical stuff must have been.
Aww, Happy Birthday Precious!
Happy birthday miracle boy! I love that blond hair!!
Are your son and daughter-in-law speaking to him with sign language?
Oh what a face he has he will be a lady killer when he grow up
happy birthday JD
awww I'm so glad everything turned out ok, he's adorable
Happy Birthday! I'm glad that everything turned out well.
He is precious. Happy Birthday cutie.
Aww such a precious angel. Happy Birthday precious one~
Hope he had a very happy birthday
I was told when My first was born, to " make arrangements"
scary, isnt it
but like you, forever grateful, that we never had to
Happy Birthday to him! What a story, he is a fighter! I am so glad that he proved the doctors wrong and stayed strong. What a beautiful child, your family is truely blessed!
Aww, such a sweet Birthday, glad he is doing well.
He is so adorable and you are so lucky to have him!
I hope he had a wonderful birthday!
Happy Belated Birthday to him. It is a very touching story and I am so glad that he made it. He can save he is a miracle child.
He is a beautiful child, Brenda! I can very much relate to what you went through. I have 0 negative blood and had the necessary shots before our daughter and son were both born.....just in case either one had positive blood. Our daugher had O positive and she did not have any problems. Our son was born with A negative and he had a severe case of jaundice and his bilirubin level was very high. They considered doing a whole body blood transfusion but tried the special lights first. He had to stay in the hospital for a week under the lights but they worked and he did not need the transfusion. I cannot imagine how scary it was for all of you......he is a remarkable little boy and just adorable!......I'm sure he had a very happy birthday!
oops, that should read "just in case either one had negative blood" like mine! I think I need a nap, I'm getting confused! LOL
I can't believe her OB missed that. It's a routine test they do to ANY mother whose RH factor is different from the father's, or if the father's RH factor is unknown. I had to have RH shots with each of my pregnancies because of it. That would be devestating to find out that my child could have died because they messed up a simple, routine test. :(
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and a happy belated birthday to JD
he is so cute
yikes he looks like his daddy lol JD your strong way to go young man!!!
Beautiful story, Brenda.
Such a WONDERFUL STORY of HOPE and FAITH.
Blessings to your beautiful Family Brenda!
A great story, he is such a cutie.