Thursday, October 8, 2009

Jaxsons story

Because October is Down syndrome awarness month, I thought I would tell our story on how Jax came to our family.
Jaxson was my 4th baby, and he was definitely supposed to be with us. After having 3 boys, I had not planned on getting pregnant again. I wanted to adopt a girl. Because I worked at the childrens hospital with heart babies, I asked Ray if he would ever adopt a baby with heart defects, he thought I was crazy.
For some reason I decided to get pregnant again. I refused the blood test. I knew I would never have an amnio, plus I didn't care if the baby had Down syndrome so I didn't even bother. The funny thing is he was naughty before he was ever born. With my other pregnancies I felt great. I worked up until they were born. I even competed in a dance competion 7 months pregnant with Mondo.
When I was pregnant with Jax, my iron was soo low, and meds would not bring it up. So I felt tired and dizzy the whole pregnancy. I also got some kind of infection the week before he was born and ended up in the hospital recieving 5 bags of fluid. He was born 3 days later. I went into labor in the night, and my water broke shortly after arriving at the hospital. Once my water broke, my babies had a tendancy to come very quickly. He was no exception. Accept that his heartrate would decelerate to dangerously low levels. They did all the typical things, repositioned me, gave me oxygen, and finally tipped my bed so I was on my head! His heartrate would not recover. My doctor had not arrived yet. There were a ton of panicky people in my room. They unlocked my bed and started to wheel me down for a c section when one nurse just happened to check me and I was a 10, so they said lets just push this baby out now. So thats what we did. As soon as they layed him on me I remember looking at him and thinking, "Is this my baby? He looks different". They took him and started to clean him up.


They told me I could hold him for a minute but he was not oxygenating well so they needed to take him to the nursery. When I held him I made the comment that he looked downs. Of course the nurses didn't say anything. After they took him away I told Ray that I thought he had Down syndrome, he was like ok, lets do it. The nurses came back fifteen minutes later and revealed that they thought he had Down syndrome. I said, I know. Really that was it. There was no crying, no feeling that I didn't get my "normal" baby. I don't really know why we didn't have those feelings. Luckily my pediatrician was on that day so she came and talked to us. She explained the heart defect he probably had and thats why he wasn't oxygenating well. Since I worked at the hospital I already knew what AV canal was and had seen it many times. So once again I didn't freak out. The next morning he was taken to the childrens hospital to confirm he had the heart defect.

(side note, I can't believe they didn't see this major heart defect on ultrasound. Thats why we need to push for a fetal echo be done on all babies, so we can find defects that can be fatal if not found soon after birth)

The NICU was actually our easist hospital stay. He did really well, came home with no heart meds (although they were started that next month) He came home with his oxygen and his NG tube. He was in and out of the hospital for the next couple of months, his respitory status just wouldn't stay stable, other than that he was developing like any other DS baby, he smiled and was starting to roll over when he was admitted at 4 months old thus begining our 4 month hell stay.
My little angel baby.

23 comments:

Maureen said...

That angel baby picture is the best!! What a little stinker. It is funny what a mother knows in her heart when she sees her baby for the first time.

Unknown said...

OMG! How precious is that picture of your angel boy?? LOVE it!

The VW's said...

Yours and Jaxson's pregnancy and birth story are eerily similiar to mine and Gavin's! They are definitely meant to be here and are both such a blessing to their families! They are both stinkers too! Thanks for sharing your story! HUGS!

Tina said...

What a beautiful picture of Jax...your angel baby. A mother's intuition is like no other, and I have learnt to trust mine more and more. I had a strange feeling throughout my pregnancy, but everyone thought I was just being paranoid...
I truely believe we are chosen as parents and our children come to us for a reason. Jax was a real cutie as baby just as he still is :)

Tausha said...

Oh my gosh, he is beautiful, thanks for sharing your story.

Rochelle said...

Love the angel baby picture, very sweet. Thanks for sharing his birth story.

Unknown said...

Lacy. Wow. I totally remember when he was born!! It's crazy to think that so much time has gone by!! you are an awesome mother!!

Stephanie said...

I love your story. Jax could not have gone to any other person. There is not another person in this world who could be the Mom you are to him. And the way you talk about Ray, there's no other Dad either. God just does things the way they are supposed to be done.I stopped believing in mistakes and coincidences a long time ago.God bless you Lacey! Thanks for sharing your story.

Alison said...

Thanks for sharing Jaxson's story - he is such a gorgeous boy.

Sara P said...

thanks so much for sharing your story, and the pictures are so sweet:)

ds.mama said...

I am so glad to hear the beginning of your story. I look forward to the next chapter... a rough one though, I am sure. Jax was and still is a lovely little boy.

Emily said...

Thanks for sharing your experience. What a sweet angel God has given you...

Unknown said...

Gosh he truly is an angel! Its obvious he was meant to be yours...I think you even felt it before he was even here! Such a blessing to us all!

The Lehnick Family said...

What a beautiful angel baby pic you have of your little man...HE is so adorable...I love hearing everyone's stories...thanks for sharing with us...I am with you on the whole mothers intuition...I had feelings early in my pregnancy that there was something different happening...and we then were prenatally diagnosed...

Denise said...

Thanks for posting Jax's birth story. I haven't heard it before. And I really haven't seen newborn pictures of him either. What a cutie!!

ScottNLili said...

I remember when you had him, and brough him in to see us at IDS. He was, and IS so dang cute!!! We all loved his nice red mohawk! Your my hero Lace. Reading about what you have to go through makes me realize I can do anything that comes my way. Thanks for letting me follow your blog :)
-lili

Sasha@ Blyssfulhealth said...

Wow. I love the angel picture. Definately sounds like he is meant to be here. Thanks for sharing the story. Our little ones are here for a reason!!

Unknown said...

Yes that angel picture sums it up - he is an angel sent from above! Thanks for sharing! God bless!

Christine said...

I love that angel picture!

Maureen said...

Hi Lacey, I tagged you on my blog post today. Stop by if you have a chance. :)

Maureen C. said...

Hi Lacey -
I have been following your beautiful little boy's story for a while now. You are such an awesome Mom to Jaxson - keep fighting for him!! He is so precious!! It is so true that a mother's intuition never fails - if I had not pursued testing our little guy,Mark, would have died - and the doctors nearly killed both of us when they did not listen to me before he was delivered - he got stuck because of fluid in his abdomen(ascites) - should have been delivered by c-section, but they wouldn't measure his belly on the ultrasound because "that is not part of the test" - most of our doctors have been wonderful, but some are too big for their pants!! We have been and will continue to pray for Jaxson - he is a fighter!! Mark has pulmonary hypertension also and is on enalapril and sildenafil(viagra) + lasix and prevacid and he is totally tube fed, but he is one of the best things that has ever happened to us! Please feel free to visit Mark on Carepages.com - MarkEdwardC32708. God bless your wonerful family! Maureen

Michelle said...

Ok, that last pic was A-DOR-A-BLE. Thank you for sharing this story.

Alan Anderson said...

The angel picture is so fitting. I haven't seen newborn pictures either - he was such a cutie when he was born. By far Carter's pregnancy was my worst one - just like yours. And I didn't know either - but I wonder if we have to go through awful pregnancies to prepare us for what is to come?????