Brecken
My son’s journey into this world started early. His due date was September 3,
2010, but he had other plans. On May 26, 2010 at 2:01 am, Brecken Charles
Stearns made a rapid entrance into the world at 25 weeks, weighing 1 pound 12
ounces and measuring 13.5 inches long. Instead of getting to see my baby, they
whisked him away to another room. I tried to ask what was going on, but the
nurses kept telling me he was in good hands. I wanted to see him, and I remember
crying thinking I had failed to keep him in long enough. As they were wheeling me
back to my room, I got to see him in the incubator for a few seconds. I would have
to wait another four hours before I could see him again.
When I got up to the NICU and saw him, I was surprised to see his eyes open. I
couldn’t touch him at that time and oh how I longed to pick him up and cradle him.
I wouldn’t get to hold him for five of the longest days of my life.
He would get his discharge orders, and on August 30, 2010 he got to come home. He was on oxygen when he came home and was on it until November 28, 2010. He had three surgeries during his first year of life. The first was for malrotation (intestines twisting on each other), then complications from that caused him to have a bowel resection, then he later was finally able to be circumcised.
The time spent in the NICU had its ups and downs. The biggest down was knowing I couldn’t stay there with my child, because if I did, I wouldn’t be able to support him once he got out. So I went back to work a week after he was born.
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Mid June we got a call to get up there, and we rushed not knowing what we would find. They said he had gotten pneumonia and he had to fight so hard. I couldn’t touch him or hold him. They wanted it quiet, and it was hard not to be able to talk to him. He was such a fighter and still is. He liked to make the nurses work hard and they called him Houdini because they couldn’t keep him wrapped up. He always found a way out.
I’m here to give you all hope. Brecken is nine years old now and going into third grade and keeping up with his peers. The only thing he struggles with is ADHD. He will start cadets this year and I am so excited to see him grow. I’m so proud of him and thank God daily for allowing him to grow and not have any complications. He is smart, loves history, helping others, and trying to scare people. Don’t give up hope. There is light on the other side.
Love
Li'l Dutch Boy
Smile!
All Aboard!