My son, Kaden, who was born June 6, is having some major complications that have landed him in the hospital.

On Tuesday night, Kaden starting wheezing and gasping for air. We thought he may just be congested, but as the night progressed, he got worse and worse. I took him to the ER and they ended up taking x-rays and tests and sent us to Baptist Pediatrics for further evaluation.

Wednesday they took more chest x-rays and an upper GI test (to watch how his food was processing through his body) and concluded that he had acid reflux. They did some more testing to make sure that was what he really had and that led to questioning why he was having trouble breathing. They hooked him up to oxygen to assist his breathing. By now, he was hooked up to several different machines. The dr. said that as soon as they get him on some medication, he would probably be going home Thursday sometime.

Thursday morning, we woke to 4 doctors in the room evaluating Kaden and running some stats on him. The head Dr. over Pediatrics informed us that earlier in the morning, the nurses who were monitoring him said that he quit breathing for at least 20 seconds (when the machines notify them, it is already 20 seconds). They said this occurred 3 times to where they had to stimulate him to start breathing again on his own. They suggested that a stomach specialist (GI Dr.) come evaluate him and the different options we have in diagnosing and treating whatever was not allowing him to breathe. A machine for "apnea" (kind of like sleep apnea, but this can occur when he is awake or asleep) was ordered for him to use. The apnea machine arrived and we were informed Kaden would have to wear the device indefinitely, 24 hours a day. We were also informed that we would NOT be going home anytime soon; the problem is more serious than they had first thought. The x-rays they had taken the day before showed something in his lungs, most likely his food aspirated into the lungs; which can cause pneumonia, which is life threatening.

Today, Friday, they have ordered a "swallowing test" to see if the food (they arent sure its food yet, they are assuming for the time being) is being swallowed wrong and down the wrong pipe into the lungs, or if it is over-flowing into the lungs.
Either way, the options we have are limited and can be life threatening or life changing for him.
If he swallows "wrong", they would have to bypass his throat to get the food to him...therefore needing a stomach tube. If that is not the problem and the acid reflux is coming back up and allowing the food to overflow into the lungs, which is life threatening, they would have to perform surgery as soon as possible. (which would be next week)

I haven't been in much communication with anyone, as we really don't know what to expect or what is wrong with our little boy. This whole thing really comes as a surprise to us because when Kaden was born, we were told he was a perfect, healthy baby. He has even gained 1/2 lb. in the last week! We had no idea that anything this serious could be wrong with him.
It has been really, really, really hard on Kris and I. We haven't had much time to spend with Taylor, being back and forth to the hospital and taking turns watching her and him. I am just trusting God with the whole situation. The Bible says that the Lord is the Great Physician and I am trusting that he is taking care of my baby's health and well-being. I am praying that he does not have to have the surgery and that the problem can be taken care of without any invasive treatments.
He is already on a few different medications, multiple machines, and is too young to really know what is going on. It was really hard to celebrate his "one week old" in the hospital. Its been really hard on ALL of us.

Please keep Kaden and our family in your prayers. I have called my church and added him to the prayer chain and my brother who is working down in Falls Creek right now for camp, has added him to a prayer chain that is 1500 people strong.
I believe the only way he is going to get through this is with support and prayer, so please pass this request along.

I will keep everyone updated as much as I can....if I don't answer your phone calls, it is because I am in the hospital and we can't use our cell phones around his machines.
Thanks for being understanding of all of this.

__________________
DH:Kris~<3 5 years and counting!
DD:Taylor~1/2/04
DS:Kaden~6/6/07