Meet Baby Easton {please read}

I'm going to join in on the Five for Friday fun, however, all my "fives" will be solely dedicated to this sweet and precious baby!
I will be back later this weekend with more fun goodies, but for now I'm going to let this angel fill your heart with joy and inspiration.

I would like you to meet baby Easton.  He is the son of a friend that I went to high school with.  This is her first baby.  He was born on March 10th and at only 12 days old, is a living miracle.  Baby Easton came into the world a few weeks early at 35 weeks, they had no concerns as Candice's {Easton's mommy} pregnancy was picture perfect and their son had been thriving throughout. Then, her labor came on instantly and was a long painful battle until he was welcomed into this world. They saw him only for a few seconds before he was whisked away by the medical team as something was wrong. The parents were informed that Easton was not breathing efficiently on his own and that a ventilator was needed to support his life. He was then immediately transported to a level III NICU hospital that could support him. The parents had not even had the chance to hold him yet. The mother was released in 24 hours so they could make the hour trip to be with their son. Once arriving at Shands Hospital, in Gainesville, Florida, they were hurried into a conference room to discuss what was going on with their son. They were informed that their son was having seizures due to blood that was in his brain that could have been caused from a traumatic birth but they were unsure at this point. They were then informed that he would be kept on many medications to help stop him from having seizures, and that he would be kept on the ventilator to support his airway and breathe for him for a few days. After a few days they would conduct a second MRI to compare and see if the blood would resorb on its own, if a shunt needed to placed, or if it was an active bleed. Days passed as they loved on their son with many tubes and leads connected to him allowing to not fully bond and be with him. The day came for the second MRI, when the results were in they were seated in the conference room again that was the bearer of bad news. As they waited for the team of neonatal neurologists and doctors to come in, many thoughts ran through their minds. The doctors came in and they asked if they wanted the news to be sugar coated or blunt. Being the strong people they are, they told them just to be straight forward and tell them. The new MRI showed that half of Easton’s brain had necrotic matter was slowly dying, and the other half had blood in it. They did not know what caused this or how it happened. They termed him clinically a vegetable because the side of his brain that was dying was the side that controls basic daily life functions such as breathing, swallowing, movement, etc. They informed them that if they choose to keep him alive that he would need machines to sustain his life forever. They were devastated and immediately broke down. After allowing some time for them to grieve they then began discussing what kind of life they wanted for their son. After several hours of long consideration they both decided that a life of tubes and machines was not a life for a child or them. That their son would not be able to enjoy the things in life that they wanted him to and, to keep him here chained to machines for his life was far too selfish on their behalf just because they wanted him here. They choose to unhook him from the machines on Friday March 15, 2013. They were informed by doctors that after they unhooked him that he would live for only a couple hours and then he would slowly stop breathing. The machines were unhooked at 7:00pm on March 15, 2013 while surrounded by family and friends. The nurses unhooked all the leads and tubes and gave him to his parents and told them to treat him like he was normal and love on him all they wanted. They quickly dressed him in outfits and took family pictures provided by the NICU free of charge. Then it was just a waiting game until he went to be an angel in heaven. Unbelievably Easton began to breathe on his own and became stronger. He surpassed the time frame the doctors gave for him and is still surpassing that time frame. The doctors met with the parents on Saturday March 16, 2013 early to then discuss the next plan of actions as they were in disbelief that Easton was sustaining himself. The parents then decided that they would sign a DNR but, they would care for their child giving him nourishment and love and monitoring him until his time comes. They bath him, change him, and dress him in the many outfits they had received at the baby shower only weeks before. He feeds through the only tube he has on his body, a feeding tube through his nose leading to his stomach as he does not have the function to swallow. His pulse and oxygen saturation are perfect and doctors cannot explain it.

Baby Easton is continuing to thrive.  He is no longer hooked up to a breathing machine, had his first bottle two days ago and is no longer hooked up to a feeding tube.  Yesterday, Baby Easton opened his eyes.  He now has an infection due to his eyes being closed for so long and is on eye drop medication.  The doctors continue to monitor him hourly and Easton continues to be a living miracle.

With this miracle comes large medical bills.  Easton's parents are currently unable to work as they are spending every moment with their precious son.  I am asking you to open your hearts and, if you are able, donate to help support this wonderful family and little miracle.

Keep them in your thoughts and prayers, as God's plan for this family is far greater than we can imagine.  

I will continue to update you with news as I receive updates.

Thank you for reading Easton's story!

Medical Fundraising Made Simple

Click the above link or HERE to be directed to the families "Give Forward" donation link.