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| September 4, 2008 Robert "Gage" Brown was born. |
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| Our first family picture. |
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| My first time holding my sweet boy...he was several weeks old! |
Get. On. The. Plane....
It happens every year...starting on August 29th...my mind runs
through a play-by-play...day-by-day...detail by detail...of all the events that
led up to Gage's birth. If you know me at all you have probably heard and/or
read this story too many times to count. There is no way I can blog it, journal
it, or tell it enough to do it justice...all the grace, mercy, and specific
detail that God took the time to put in place so that we could see it was ALL
for Him, by Him, about Him and to bring Him glory. I will never be able to
thank Him enough...but I will spend the rest of my life trying...
June 2008- Gage was diagnosed with CDH, Congenital Diaphragmatic
hernia (there was a hole in his diaphragm and his intestines, spleen, and
appendix were all in his chest cavity...and his liver was not sure if it wanted
to join the other misplaced organs). Our doctor in Milledgeville referred us to
a doctor in Macon, and the doctor in Macon told us about CHOP- the Children's
Hospital of Philadelphia.
WHAT?
Ok...breathe in…we can do this! With God all things are
possible!
June 2008- we made our first trip to Philadelphia (on our first
plane ride EVER)
July 2008- we made our second trip to Philadelphia
August 2008-we made our third trip to Philadelphia. This trip is
when we nailed down some dates and details for "temporary relocating to
Philadelphia". Gage was due on October 9th. They wanted me there no later
than Monday, September 22nd.
August 25th...9:30 PM...I started bleeding...and we headed to
Macon and were there through August 27...the bleeding stopped even though there
was no explanation for why it started to begin with.
August 28- back to Macon...more bleeding. My doctor called
Philadelphia...they said stay in Georgia and call after Labor Day
weekend...wait it out and just see what happens. When (and if) I do come...it
will be best to drive. My doctor in Macon said...I can't tell you what to
do...but G O and go NOW!
Friday August 29- mom and I hopped a plane to Philly
(yep...against medical advice...not only did we come when they said stay...we
flew to boot).
Friday August 29-Tuesday September 2nd- we stayed in a hotel in
Philadelphia waiting on Labor Day weekend to pass. If we never see another
Diner or another Denny's we will be just fine! I DrEaDeD calling Denise- the
head nurse over all things as far as I knew- and the one who told me to stay
put. After the initial SHOCK that we came anyway...she got us a room at the
Ronald McDonald House in Camden, New Jersey. We couldn't get a room at the
RMHouse near CHOP because Gage was not yet born. She also made us an
appointment for the following day. Did I mention that I did not bleed the
entire stay at the hotel, but started again the morning of my appointment??
Wednesday September 3rd- We went to our appointment. The midwife
tells us that I am dilated 3 cm and 75% effaced. I, of course, have no
clue what this means. She smiles and says...this baby will be here soon.
WHAT???!!! Soon like I need to call Chris soon, or soon like this week? When???
We rock on for a few hours and nothing changes. They debate whether to admit me
or not. They decide to go ahead and keep me, and "sure...go ahead and call
you husband...we just hate for him to come for nothing". I call him...he
leaves work and "packs". I call my sister-in-law. Whitney...is there
ANY way you can go to my house, pack your brother, get him a plane ticket, and
take him to the airport? Yes? Ok...thanks! She will never know what blessing
she was, is, and will always be! Chris arrives around 9:30 PM and nothing has
changed still. The midwife and doctor come in, apologize for getting him on a
plane, wish us a good night sleep, and give us a run down for the morning.
Thursday September 4th...Early in the morning...I am not feeling
so good. I tell mom and she calls the nurse. The nurse checks me and all is
well...except not two minutes later I said...uhhh mom...I am pretty sure my
water just broke. If you know Ramona LaFavor, then you know that she is the
epitome of cool, calm, and collected. She lifts of the covers, smiles and
simply says, I think I will just page the nurse. Well...it wasn't water...it
was blood. It wasn't a little...it was a LOT! It was so much so that in less
that 5 minutes they were prepping me for an emergency C-section and Chris was
looking like the Michelin tire man with his white suit on. I was scared, but
calm. I was unsure, but certain. God was here. He was RIGHT here. He was here
in the form of doctors, nurses, my mom, and my sweet precious husband. God
formed that baby with not a mistake in mind and He was gonna complete this good
work he started...Gage came a few minutes later. His sweet cry of "I'm
here" is all we heard. We didn't see him, hold him, touch him or look at
him right away. The OB passed him on to the next group of doctors and nurses
who would take him and hook him up to what seemed like a million tubes and
machines to ensure that he would have EVERY chance at this precious thing we
call life. We later learned it was touch-and-go but that Gage was a "fighter"
and was clearly not going to give up! You got that right!
That night the same doctor and midwife from the previous night
who apologized for sending for Chris stood at my bedside in amazement without
explanation of how PERFECT everything just went. They went on to tell us that
had they sent me "home" that night to the Camden RMHouse and had I
abrupted (that's what happened to me and why all the bleeding the previous
week) in Camden (not 10 miles from CHOP) that the ambulance would not have been
able to cross the bridge to get me to CHOP and I would not have been able to
deliver there.
God.is.in.every.detail. He.does.not.miss.a.thing.
September 9th...5 short days after his birth...Gage had surgery
to repair his CDH. There was not enough diaphragm there to sew it back together
(imagine the opening of a balloon and sewing it shut) so they had to sew his
tissue to a gortex patch and it would act as his diaphragm and as he grows this
tissue will grow to the patch and it will act as part of his missing diaphragm.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
For the next 5 weeks God never stopped. He sent family. He sent
friends. He sent care package after care package. He sent money, food, and
encouragement beyond all explanation. He put it on the hearts of SO many to
pray...and that they did! We got to hold Gage several weeks after he was born.
He had good days and not so good days and so did we. Chris, mom, and I...the 3
amigos...the NICU all-stars...we have some pretty amazing memories!
October 14th...5 weeks after his surgery...and 5 days after his
original due date...we came home!
What an amazing journey. I hope and pray I NEVER get tired of
recalling as many details as I can. I hope that Gage will one day soon see that
scar across his belly and come to know the One who allowed him to live. It is
our prayer that one day he can tell his story so that people will hear HIS
story! I am thankful that as another August came and went it meant that was one
more healthy year for Robert Gage Brown. We were surrounded by people in the NICU
who were not as fortunate with the same outcome, and we pray we never forget
what God has done!
Gage turns 6 years old on Thursday! This is his third year at my school
and he LOVES his kindergarten class and teachers! He talks to anyone and
everyone who will listen. He loves life. He loves to laugh. He loves all things
trains, cars, and animals. He can run, swim, and jump on a trampoline and his
lungs don't even know that they were, at one point in time, not properly
functioning. Gage is tenderhearted and yet as stubborn as a mule. He
appreciates routine, order, and organization (which I tend to LOVE about him).
He is a great big brother and friend to Carter. He L O V E S a book and at the
end of the day...wants to take his bath, snuggle up, and end his day like any
other "normal" little boy. He sees a lung specialist once a year, but
other than that, if you didn't see the scar, you wouldn't know anything was
ever "wrong" with him.
Lord-
We don't know why you chose us to raise such precious boys but
we thank you for entrusting us to do so. You are too good to us. You have done
and continue to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. You are full of
grace and mercy toward us. May we NEVER forget all that you have done for us.
We thank you for blessing us FAR beyond belief!
