Wednesday, March 30, 2011

March 30, 2011

Today was a good day.  Kaydi and Garrett were real troopers as they met, greeted and entertained relatives throughout the day.  Though I haven’t seen them since October, I have spoken with them on the phone many times.  They have always been positive and forward thinking in their handling of the stresses of tomorrow’s birth.   

 Just a little background.  Garrett and Kaydi found out in August that they were pregnant.  In November when they had an ultrasound, they found out that the baby was going to be a boy and also found out that he wasn’t developing properly.  Gibson, as he is to be named, has a diaphragmatic hernia which means that he has a hole in his diaphragm.   This allows organs normally found in the abdomen to develop in the thoracic cavity.  This limits the amount of space available for the lungs to develop and he has very small lungs.  The first doctor that saw the ultrasound did not have much

experience with the problem and referred them to a physician in Salt Lake City.  It would be a week before they would meet with the Utah doctor and it was a long week. 

Everyone was so sad and many tears were shed.  A little internet research by everyone discovered that infants born with a diaphragmatic hernia have a chance of survival.  It seems as though a few select hospitals have teams of physicians and nurses trained in the care and treatment of this malady.  Whew!  There was hope and hope was all they needed.  Garrett and Kaydi got to work and found a hospital with a team.  It just so happens that the Primary Children’s Hospital/University of Utah Medical Center has such a team of professionals.  They arranged for insurance coverage. They met frequently with physicians and found the one they liked the best.  And hope was all they had.  During one of their visits to the physicians, the lungs were barely visible on the ultrasound.  They were told that Gibson had about a 10% chance of being strong enough for surgery following birth.   They were crushed, but even 10% allowed room for hope.  Add hope added to faith and prayers and a strong support group and that is all it took to continue moving forward.  Garrett put his educational plans on hold for a semester.  They moved to Salt Lake to be nearer the hospital and doctors.  They moved in with their Grandma Webb.  And that brings us back to today.  Garrett and Kaydi scheduled everyone to arrive in Salt Lake City today.   We met at Grandma Webb’s house and gave Garrett and Kaydi and Gibson blessings. Everyone was there except Chez, Blake, and Jenny who flew in later.  Kaydi’s grandma and grandpa Rose, her mom and step dad, her dad and step mom, two sisters and three brothers came down from Idaho.  Garrett’s grandma, parents and brother Tyler were there.  It was a nice, real nice gathering.  Both Garrett and Kaydi were blessed with health and strength.  They were both blessed with understanding.  The team of physicians were blessed that they might do their job well and the Lord was called on to provide help according to his will.  Everyone then went to the Chuck Wagon restaurant for an all-you-can eat buffet.  We all needed health and strength.  And everyone waddled out fat and happy and strong.   That evening Chez arrived from Vegas, Blake and Jenny arrived from Omaha and Garrett and Kaydi went to the hospital.  About 9:00 everyone went to the hospital to visit and provide support for the baby and parents to be.  The atmosphere was good and positive.  Garrett and Kaydi for the first time seemed nervous, but still positive.  Who wouldn’t be nervous?