Sunday, August 10, 2008

BRINGING HOME BABY!



It's hard to know where to begin. My feelings are still so raw right now, but I need to get this all out so that our family can begin to heal. It all started last friday the 1st. I was feeding Isaac and set him down on our ottoman to take a cake out of the oven. He was just starting to rollover, and I should of known better, but it was just going to be a second. Next thing I heard was a thud and a cry. I quickly scooped him up and comforted him. Then suddenly he slumped in my arms, I laid him back and his eyes rolled back in his head, his breathing went shallow and his whole body went limp. I started screaming his name and pinching him but he wasn't responding. I quickly called 911 and it felt like and eternity befor they arrived. They started giving him oxygen and he started to cry, but the rest of his body was still not responding. David arrived just as they were putting him in the ambulance and we rushed to the emergency room.
We spent the next hour trying to find out what was going on with our son. I had told the doctor that I had slipped on some books in our living room earlier in the week, but he was pretty sure this had nothing to do with a fall and wanted to check him for menongitis. They decided to do a CT scan just to rule out any head trauma. A few minutes later a nurse came in and told another nurse that life flight was on their way. The doctor came in and explained that the scan revealed and old bleed and a new bleed and Isaac was being transfered to Harborview the leading trauma center in Seattle. The next thing we see is two police officers enter the room and start questioning David and I. They inform us that we have to stay behind and answer more questions while our son has just been airlifted to Seattle. I assumed this would only be a few minutes but almost 2hours later we were able to leave and drive another 2 hours to see our son.
Once we arrived at the hospital we were brought to another room where we were questioned again by doctors and a social worker. Finally they brought us to our son who was sleeping soundly and stable. Gary and Karol Payne (family friends) met us their and Isaac was given a blessing. Five minutes later a social worker walked in our room and told us that our child was in the custody of the state handed us a card and told us to call the number then she left the room. We could only have supervised visits with our son, but the nurses at Harborview were very accomadating and stayed with us while we waited to see what was happening with our son.
Over the next couple days and many neurosurgeons later Isaac had fluid on his brain and only one bleed that had stopped. It was determined that Isaac was born with extra fluid on his brain that made him more susceptible to minor falls, infact he didn't even have to hit his head that a simple jarring could have resulted in the same trauma. They decided to do a tap throught the soft spot on his head. They inserted two needles on either side of it and extracted 25 to 30 CCS of fluid (a lot of liquid). Isaac immediately began to show major signs of improvement. He was laughing and rolling all over and grabbing at everything. We decided that the pressure had probably been there for a long time and it wasn't until he fell that we were able to find out what was going on.
Meanwhile our fight for custody was still going on. We finally had a meeting with CPS and they released the supervised visits and told us that if the doctors were still reporting the same information then Isaac would be released into our care at discharge. Isaac continued to improve so we were tranfered to Childrens Hospital on Monday. That's when another Social Worker came in and told us that our child was placed into state custody again and that we were going to have to have a meeting to determine whether he came home with us or not.
Long story short. We contacted a lawyer and gathered all the friends, family, and our pediatrician and went to the meeting. It was determined that there were no finding child abuse and that there were no grounds to keep Isaac out of our home.
Isaac was finally released on friday afternoon to his parents and is still progressing well. We still have checkups scheduled at Childrens, but his prognosis is good.
The following is a very short story of all the hellish events we have endured, and doesn't even begin to explain the emotional roller coaster, but I need to take this opportunity to thank all of our friends, family, and medical staff who helped us through this trying time. Love to all!!!!!

15 comments:

Kikibug said...

OHHHH MYYYY GOSSHHHHHH!!! I am SOOOO SORRY that all of that hell was going on. I can not even IMAGINE what you have been through. The hospital ALONE would have been enough for a nervous breakdown, but the custody child abuse accusations is just over the top!!
I just want to hug you so tight to make you feel better!!!!
HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG!
I hope you will begin to heal from this and SO GLAD that y'all found out about this fluid now.
Is that all they will have to do for him or will he have more fluid to remove later?
Bless your heart!!
More hugs and hugs!

Nichole said...

My heart goes out to you, Dave and baby Isaac. I can not believe this at all. I'm with Kiki, the hospital would have been hard enough and then to put this extra stress...what the crap! My heart and prayers are with you and your adorable family. xoxo

Tobler Bunch said...

You are an amazing Woman! I am very proud of you and David. It was an honor to be with you and hear you stand for what is right, as well hear that you were given Isaac back! Our prayers are all with you and we hope all conticues to go well for all of you from now on...especially for Isaac. Please, feel free to contact me when no-one else is near! We sure love you all. I can't wait to hold Isaac again at church and have his spit-up on my skirt or shirt. We have a "thing" going, ask David! Last time, I swear, I didn't bounce him around and he still spit-up on me. I get a kick out of his big smile right after he's done it! I love you Isaac!

April said...

Terra, I have to tell you that as I sat in that meeting with CPS and watched you I couldn't believe how incredibly strong you are. I don't know of anyone that could have maintained so much control in those same circumstances even though it was obvious at the pain you had been through. I came home and told Robby about the amazing woman you were and then shed a few tears and kissed my boys. Thank you for your incredible example.
April

Jeremy Saunders said...

Terra,
How do I not know about this blog? I am putting you on my blogroll so I don't have to hear about it second hand from Francys. I agree with April, you were blessed to be strong, and you needed to be to win your case. It was an outrageous allegation, but in the end, it came down on your terms, and rightly so. I am glad you have your healthy boy back, and when I heard about this whole thing, I had a feeling of peace come over me that all would be well. He had such a wonderful blessing from David, and needs to fulfill it!
I am just around the corner if you need anything!
Love Mimi (and Summer)

NOBODY said...

What an awful ordeal. I can't even imagine facing something so traumatic and then having to deal with the whole custody crap on top of it. I'm glad his prognosis is good and I'm glad that the doctors were able to figure out what was wrong.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Simply put, Les and I love you all and are so very grateful for the outcome!
Terra, you are AMAZING!!!!! A HUGE ditto to Francys, April and Mimi - your strength in that meeting was incredible. I don't know how you did it!
Love you! Jen

My Picture blog! said...

I'm sorry your family had to go through this but I'm glad your baby is healthy and home now...where he should be.

"ECHO" said...

Hey Terra!
I'm finally commenting. It was so good to see you on Monday and to talk with you guys again. I still feel so bad I couldn't be there for any of that. But I am so happy it's all over and that Isaac and you guys are doing so well. You are truely amazing!

Amy

Payne Family said...

Terra-
I still keep waiting for the phone to ring and hear something new has happened. I sure miss my Issac! I got so used to being with him round the clock. I hope you guys are resting and getting back to normal. I am sure the emotions will come out now that the adrenaline has worn off. Just let it all out. You were so amazing at such a frightening time. Not many people could have kept it together under such enormous pressure. We love you guys so much!!! PLEASE MOVE TO UTAH.....:) Jen

Nicole Roskelley said...

WOW! You have been through so much I am crying. You are so amazing and I am so glad to hear he is doing better. What a lucky little guy he is to have parents like you guys.I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I'll still keep you in my prayers.Love- Nic

Stephen and Effie said...

I cannot even imagine what you went through. Do not blame yourself for letting him roll off, I think that happens to everyone at least once, I know it did to me, more then once. I am so sorry Terra. At least you were able to find out a hidden probelm that he had. Good for you being a good Mom. I hope this whole horrible experince will bring you all closer.

a said...

HOLY CRAP!!!That is horrible. I can only imagine how incredibly hard that must be. I'm glad he is home and things are on the mend.

Robert and Natalie said...

I am so sorry! how totally tramatic. I had a similar thing happen when my Isaac was sixteen monthes. Only my experience is a fairytale compared to your nightmare. I actually rode in the helicopter and how your social worker could interview you and blunder I am thinking you must have had a new and inexperienced one!!! I am glad things are better now.