Hi all. I hate to bring bad news, but my family and I are in need of a miracle. to make the long story short: my son was born 6 weeks ago at 4 lbs 1 ounce, 4 weeks early. he has a small birth defect known as gastroschesis, when your abdomen has a small hole in it during its formation and you are born with your intestines outside of your abdomen. it really is usually no big deal, a surgeon tucks them back in and sews you up. generally there are minor issues with feeding and bowel movements the first few weeks of life. not my sons case. his bowel went in without issue, he had regular bowel movements and was taking a bottle 4 times a day up until friday. my wife was holding him and he stopped breathing. his lungs were filling with the formula they were giving him. his abdomen had become very swollen and irritated. the doctors came in and kicked my wife out, then stabilized him. he went into explorative surgery around 1 am and they found his intestines to be very infected, causing them to malfunction, swell up and put pressure on all of his other organs, such as kidneys, heart, lungs... they did not expect him to make it through surgery. i was tdy in another state at the time. as soon as i knew what was giong on i told my crew and we flew back to omaha first thing the next morning. GOD BLESS THE AIR FORCE. since then he has been very sick. his kidneys have all but siezed to function, his heart is racing at around 200 bpm to try to keep his blood pressure up, which is only around 30-40. his lungs are cramped in his chest because of all the pressure. all of the toxins from his kidneys and liver are slowly penetrating his blood stream. he is on a ventilator and its cranked as high as an infant body will allow it to be. if his kidneys can kick in, it will alleviate the pressure on his organs and he can begin to function properly again, but until then the meds they are giving him for his intestinal infection cannot work correctly and the rest of his body is having a really hard time. he is swollen almost being recognition, all of his skin is tight and pale from the fluid build up. it has been really hard couple of days for my wife and I. She is extremely optimistic even as conditions worsen for our son. i hope and pray that the staff and the lord work together to fix what is wrong and allow my son to grow and be a man some day. all of our family is here, sisters, parents, grandparents, friends. my first seargent and commander have stopped by every few hours to check on us, my immediate boss stopped by yesterday and the chaplain that married us just 4 months ago has been here most of the time helping us cope and pray for better things to come. i really hope things can come around. there are already a lot of bad things going on in my life at this time, and this development just made things worse. there are a lot of people pulling for us and i wanted you guys to know what was going on so that you too can pray and wish the best for my son.

Thanks in advance for all your support guys. this is a good forum with a lot of good people and i know you guys care.

thanks

nate

 

You have your immediate and military families with you. Now you have us. Your extended Mustang family too. There can never be enough prayers said. But you have ours. God Bless you, your wife, and the little guy in this time of need. Stay strong and keep your faith.

 

Jesh Nate, that's heartbreaking. As a new father myself, I can relate and sympathise knowing that's a dad's worst fear. My son had a problem a few days after birth, we were lucky and he's ok now, but I know that feeling of hurt and terror. My prayers are with you, your son, and your entire family. I really hope for his condition to improve, and wish you and your wife strength as that will help your son pull through this.

 

thanks you guys. it really helps a lot to hear good words from people. i have faith that god will choose whats right and that whatever happens happens for a reason.

his condition has not changed in the last day, his blood contents continue to grow worse with every hour and there is only so far that the medication can go. hopefully soon his kidneys can come around and things will turn for the positive.

 

Nate,

My thoughts and prayers are with your little boy, you and your wife. I hope to God that he makes it through and that you can relate the story to him in the far future.

Keep your spirits up mate, you have a lot of people thinking of you.

J

 

I hope and pray that everything is okay. Having a 10 month old myself I felt sick with grief that this is happening to your family. I know God will send an Angel to watch over your little blessing.

Andy

 

My best wishes are with you and your family mate.

 

Thoughts and prayers with your son and your family.

 

My family is all over this request.

 

Best wishes to you, your family, and your son. I know theres not a lot that people can say to actually make things better, but theres a lot of great guys on here that are behind you through the hard times.

 

Hang in there my friend. I may not be religious, but I will be thinking and hoping for you and your family.

Take care

 

Your son, wife and you are in my thoughts. Please try to remain positive, miracles happen every day.

 

Our thoughts and prayers with your son and your family.

 

Thank you guys so very much. your words of kindness and prayer mean more than you could ever imagine to me and my wife.

around 5 this afternoon the doctors decided that his condition was getting too bad to continue the way it was. they opened him back up to find all of his intestine had been killed by a bacteria. they were going to open him up to relieve the pressure and try to put in a cathider for an experimental type of dialisis. we were told previously that dialisis was not an option on an infant, but they were willing to try it on him. so they removed all of his intestine, left his colon, closed it off, and closed off his small intestine right after the stomach. they were able to get a line into his vein but were not able to get it into the right one for the dialisis to work. so they closed him up and immediately his oxygen levels went back up and some of the pressure in his skin came back down. after surgery the doc was checking on the line they put in and discovered it is in the right vein for the dialisis to work, during surgery it was too hard to see with his swollen leg if it was the right one. two of them run right beside eachother making it difficult to tell. the thing that will kill him is the potassium level in his blood, if it reaches 8-9-10 it will cause his heart to stop. he was at a 7.4 before surgery and normal is around 4. 20 minutes after surgery it went down to a 6.2 if it continues to drop he will not need the dialisis, meaning that his kidneys are working. it will take a few hours for his kidneys to kick back in, we are hoping it happens soon. he will be sustained intraveinously until he can come around and be taken off the breather and at that time he will be eligible for a transplant! he needs to be around 6 months old before they will most likely be comfortable with a transplant, and needs intestine from a child smaller than he is. his odds for survival are very slim, but the feeling that he may survive has me feeling much better than before. i was preparing all day to lose him tonight or during surgery. the prayers must be working. god has taken this life and given it another shot, hopefully things come back around and he continues to progress. thank you guys so much and keep us in your prayers. i will continue to keep you posted. the next day or two will be extremely strenuous for my wife and I.

 

here is a picture of my son a few days ago, he is a real fighter and my wife and i are praying he makes it through this

some day he will own my 05 gt and my 65. maybe we can restore the 65 when he is in highschool like my father and i did.

 

Keep your chin up. As long as theres a tiny chance, keep fighting

 

Wow Nate, he's way too cute for anything to happen to him. It makes me smile to see him, but hurt to know what you're going through.

 

It is finished.....Hang in there Nate. God is an amazing healer. I've had two brain tumors....been in remission for almost 10 years now. Remember, He is why we are living in the first place!....I'm sure Glad I got online tonight...I would've hated to have missed this need.

...also...I thought I read carefully, but I dont think you mentioned your son's name?....He is adorable by the way....

 

Hey Nate My prayers will be with You 24/7 as I just had to print your son's picture 3 times 1= for my pocket close to my Heart 2= my car and 3= my work truck So they will not be many moments that I am not Hoping for that Miracle to Happen. Please know that a total perfect stranger carries a lot of weight ! Ed & Nathan Klein Victoria Bc, Canada

Mayve I've missed it but what is Your Son's Name Please !

 

I'll definately keep your son in my prayers, along with you and your wife. God Bless.