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Mar 1, 2001
Jeffery was born in Septenber of 1987 at a northern Michigan hospital. I had a
repeat c-
section. Jeffery weighted in at 4lbs.12oz. I had rooming in and three days
after he was
born they came in and took him to the NICU. I was very lost. We had the
worst doctor
and could get no info from him just that something was wrong. Jeffery had
no suck
swallow we were told. They put a tube down his nose to feed him and put
him under
lights for jaundice. The doctor would order tests without telling us. I
remember one time
we went for a cup of coffee and came back to find he had been sent for a
spinal tap
without our knowledge. We had a doctor from the old school who told us he
would do
what test he wanted without telling us that he didn’t have time to inform
us of his
decisions. He also told us there were "places" for children like him.
Two weeks later they finally transferred him to Detroit Children’s
Hospital. Upon
arriving they gave Jeffery a blood transfusion for severe anemia and informed
us he had a
heart murmur which his doctor had found at the other hospital and neglected
to tell us.
The medical staff here were great. They found he had agensis of the corpus
collosum and
ran chromosome studies which showed an extra piece on ten. Jeffery was
still being fed
by tube. We worked on oral feedings and were thrilled when we got 4ccs down
him at a
time. It was determined that he could not handle formula so they put him
on predigested
formula at thirty dollars a can.
We finally got to take him home at 6 weeks. He went back in almost
immediately for
RSV and then again and again. At 2 months he had a hernia so his first
surgery. During
this time feeding was a problem. Bowel movements were a problem. He would
vomit so
hard it would hit the wall but the stupid doctor told me he was just spitting
up. Jeffery
was my third child like I didn’t know what spit up was. He would have
trouble breathing
and turn blue.We could never sleep and one of us had to sit by him constantly.
We went home for xmas to Va. On xmas eve Jeffery started vomiting
blood. I freaked
out. My hubby bless his soul took over. Jeffery couldn’t breathe so he gave
him CPR
until the medics arrived. He was rushed to the hospital. They said tears
in the throat were
responsible for the blood. Got him healthy and they were to release him
the next day so
they told us to go home and get a good nights rest. The next morning my
hubby dropped
me at the door and went to park the car. I walked to Jeffrey’s bed and it
was covered with
blood and no Jeffery I started screaming and hubby was just leaving the
elevator and
heard me. He came running. So did the nurses. They had moved Jeffery cus
he had
started throwing up blood again. He was fine they assured me. That was the
only time we
had ever left Jeffery without one of us there and it was the last time.He
was in pretty bad
shape by this point and was touch and go when they finally found the
problem.Jeffery
had a membrane blocking the intestines. He was not stable enough for the
surgery he
needed to save his life as his heart kept stopping. We were told he only
had hours to live.
I went to the chapel and asked God not to make him better but to do what
he needed to do
because I didn’t think I could take anymore. Don’t ask me what happened in
that chapel
but when I left I knew Jeffery would be fine. When I went back up and told
my hubby
and the doctors they all thought I had cracked up. Within hours Jeffery
was upgraded to
stable and had his surgery which he went through with flying colors.
Jeffery still had alot of problems gaining weight and was constantly
in the hospital for
infections. They told us he would never do anything. Next they found when
he had reflux
at two. He went through a fundoplication with g tube placement. Luckily he
could still
eat by mouth so the g tube was removed after 2 months. He was then put
on thyroid
medicine at 5 and that changed our lives. He started gaining weight and
stayed out of the
hospital.
Jeffery in now 13 and weights in at 41lbs. Can’t get a height on him
due to problems
with his hips which will be fixed next month. He is now doing more than
they ever
expected and is spoiled rotten. He is still nonverbal. He is close to
walking. He does not
seem to feel pain as he laughs when he is hurt. He does not cry.
Jeffery has two brothers and one sister who spoil him rotten. They
fight over who will
get him when something happens to us. We have been in the school districts
and medical
environment so if anyone out there needs help with any info just email us
and we will
help you. God bless all these wonderful children who have changed our lives.
Pat and Chris Bechtler