Brayden Michael Hartman
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Diagnosis: 24 week preemie, Ventilator Dependant, Oxygen Dependant, Retinopathy, Chronic Lung Disease, Reflux, Swollen airways caused by repeated intubation and extubation, PDA, Apnea, Pneumonia, numerous UTI's, Staff infection, Low Muscle Tone, Developmental Delays.
I went into pre-term labor at 23 weeks pregnant. The hospital I was in did not have the technology or equipment to give a child born so early any type of chance. Luckily I was stabilized enough to be transported to Memorial Hospital of South Bend, 45 minutes away. The ambulance required life support for me due to the medicine I was on to stop my labor. It was known to cause cardiac arrest. Also the ride was equipped with tools to deliver with the risk of fetal death.
With luck and a great medical team I arrived at the hospital and was transferred successfully. The labor was stopped for almost a week. Anyone that has been in pre-term labor heard the doctors repeat "Every day counts." That statement has more truth to it than any I have ever heard.
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Brayden 3 days old
Brayden was born at just 24 weeks weighing in at 1 lb 7 oz. I had an emergency cesarean due to placenta rupture. Of course due to the severity and risk of the birth I was put under and was unable to participate in the birth. When I awoke the nurse answered the questions that I had. She told me that when Brayden entered the world it was with a loud cry. This was the best news ever, most aren't able to breathe at first and need the ventilator right away. Brayden went 2 days without needing the vent. He was only on cpap until his little body couldn't take it anymore.
The next couple of months were days that seemed to drag on without progress. He had his first surgery when he was a week old. While in recovery he developed pneumonia. His ventilator progress fluctuated from day to day. At about 4 months old he was extubated and put on to the nasal cannula. He was almost weaned from his oxygen when he started to have apnea episodes. Along with that came problems with his digestive system. The food he was taking in stayed in his stomach and wouldn't digest. He was sent to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. There they found no cause for the digestive problem. While we were there the doctors diagnosed him with retinopathy. He had the start of his laser surgeries there then was sent back to South Bend.
He had a few more laser surgeries to try to correct the retinopathy. Next the doctor did a "buckling" on his retinas to keep them from pulling on the nerves in his eyes.
After the first "buckling" Brayden was taken back off of the ventilator. He was put on and taken off so many times that his airways became irritated and started to swell. A week went by and we tried to wait it out. He was having such a hard time breathing and his airways were so swollen that a ventilator tube wouldn't even fit in them. Then they performed an emergency tracheotomy. After he recovered from that surgery about a week later he had his last "buckling."
He was release from the hospital for the first time a month later. He was hospitalized from February 4, 2003 - June 30, 2003. He came home on oxygen and was on that for about 3 months. He had the buckles in his eyes taken out a few months after he came home. On May 19, 2004 he had his latest surgery. He had muscle surgery on his eyes to correct crossing.
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Brayden at 15 months old
We are scheduled for a consultation for surgery to work on removing his trach in July. I can't explain how anxious I am.
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Eating... his favorite thing to do
Considering all the things Brayden has been through he remains a very happy 1 1/2 year old boy. He loves to play with his uncles and absolutely cherishes his toy guitar. He enjoys camping with his family every weekend at our seasonal site at Twin Mills Resort. He loves swimming, watching his uncle play football, being outside, and exploring new things.
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Brayden at the kids pond at the campgrounds
He has 3 therapist that come to the house weekly. He has a developmental therapist, a occupational therapist, and a physical therapist. They are angels for how they've helped my son accomplish the things that he's done.
Update, September 2004 - Brayden had a procedure called a Laryngotracheoplasty to correct the narrowing of his airways. There was cartilage taken from his ribs to widen the airway. He has a wired in stent with a metal trach tube. We go back for a check up and will hear from the doctor on when the next procedure will be shortly.
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Brayden with his metal trach
