I will apologize that it's been a bit since I updated the blog. But what am I saying...I've only done one blog! It's been a wild and crazy ride and I've actually been really thinking about how to do this post. Hopefully I will explain things to where everyone will understand and maybe I will get it all in the correct order.
Our precious son, Cannon, arrived March 31, 2011 via emergency c-section. Early the day before as I was having my weekly montioring session the drs. were concerned about some heart rate decels that were showing up. They ordered another session on the monitors and he had one decel that called for me to be rushed down to the labor and delivery floor for 24 hours monitoring. Less than 48 hours later due to many decels the drs. called it and said I was having a c-section immediately! I had all of about 20 seconds to take this in as they were wheeling me down to the O.R. Trent was almost home and was going to work that night. My dad was still at the hospital and he made all the calls to get family there a.s.a.p.
So I wake up in the recovery room to a dr. telling me that not only was Cannon a premie (which we of course knew from the get go) he also had esophageal atresia and tracheo esophageal fistula. I was scared to death. Basically, this means Cannon's esophagus does not connect to his stomach where it should. Also it means his esophagus is connected to his trachea. So, how does he eat? How does he breathe? What happens next?
He had surgery the day after he was born to put a gastric tube in. This tube is in his stomach and it sucks out any fluid that gets in his stomach. He also has a tube in his mouth that sucks out any saliva so that he will not choke. He cannot have any milk or formula or anything. He has a picc line that allows them to pump him up with lipids so he can gain weight. He was born around 1 kilo (or about 2 lbs. 8ish oz.). He will have another surgery (hopefully in a few months) for them to detach the esophagus from the trachea and connect it to the stomach where it belongs. They origionally told us they wanted him to grow to be between 1.5-2 kilos (or up to about 4ish lbs) before they do this surgery. However, today a surgeon came in to speak to me and she said that if he is doing well when he hits 1.5 kilos they want to keep him growing to 2 kilos. Then if he's doing well at 2 kilos they will try to get him to 3 kilos (about 6ish lbs) before they do the surgery. She said the bigger he is for the surgery the easier it will be on him and on them.
It has really been a roller coaster ride of emotions and exhaustion. This is the basic gist of what is going on with Cannon and as we learn more I will update. Please be patient and send prayers and love for our son, the little fighter!
Also I will post pictures towards the end of the week when Trent makes it back to Little Rock with my laptop.
Love,
Christian and Trent
