Teagan Spring 2009
These pictures are
the first time we got to
hold Teagan, at the NICU
at St. Joes...2 days old
This picture is not my favorite
for obvious reasons...This is
Teagan right after his open heart
surgery...notice the "open sternum"
sign above his bed, he could not be
moved and was heavily medicated for
a few days. The surgeon left his sternum
open for two days in case he needed to
get to his heart quickly if something
went wrong. He is also tied down to
the bed. The other reason I hate this
picture is because I'm smiling...I thought,
that looks stupid, I'm smiling looking at my
baby with an open sternum after open heart
surgery (it was more for the camera then
truly being "happy", but then I realized, it's OK
to be smiling, my baby is is alive and recovering
from a major surgery, I should be happy...but still,
I feel really bad when I see this picture, it's a glimpse
of the scariest couple weeks of our lives.
This is at Banner Desert
before he got air-vaced.
The "bubble" around his
head was oxygen. He looked
particular funny being so big
with the little premie babies all
around.
Ok, I'm a little late on this one, But a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to TEAGAN. Every Year at this time April/May I am reminded of Teagan's birthday and how it made such an impact on Me. I know, what birth of a child doesn't, they ALL do in there own way, but Teagan's was different from the typical. After going past my due date 3 days, we went in for a C-section. My Dr. wouldn't induce me because I had hemmoraged after Caleb. This little guy inside me wasn't showing any signs of wanting to come out. So, he was born at 5:30pm on April 22nd. As Tom videotaped him, I could hear him saying to the nurse "why is he blue?". The nurse didn't answer....she just kept listening to his heart and lungs (on the video tape) you could see her disposition change. She told us Teagan would have to go to the NICU at Banner Desert. Tom went with Teagan while I was sewn back up and went to recovery. After an 1-1 1/2 Tom called down and told me something was wrong with his heart or lungs. It felt like I was in a nightmare. After I got out of recovery they took me up to see Teagan in the NICU. I couldn't sit up, I couldn't hold him I could only look at this BIG (9 lbs. 7oz) little baby with a big bubble around him to give him oxygen. I cried. They took me to my room and I waited with Tom. Around midnight the nurse came in and told us they were going to air-vac him to St. Joes in Phx. So, crying again, I was rolled out of my room to say "good-bye" to my baby as they loaded him up on the helicopter, I was scared, I thought I might never see him again and cried for a long time. Tom and his parents and a few of his brothers went to St. Joes to met Teagan and the Cardiovascular Dr. My Dad came and stayed with me (while Mom was watching Caleb). At 2am on 4/23 we found out Teagan had 3 heart defects....a VSD (whole in the heart), Co-archtation of the aerota (narrowing), and Transposition of the greater vessels (the vessels that pump the blood to the body/heart and back were switched (so he wasn't getting enough oxygenated blood in order to get enough air to breath). I was in a shock, still hadn't awoken from my nightmare and now my nightmare had gotten much worse. The wanted Teagan to have open heart surgery in a week. After speaking with the surgeon, we didn't have an option....only 9 years previous was the first successful Transposition surgery...before that, the babies were sent home on oxygen and usually died with in the first year. As you know, the surgery was a huge success and he continues to do well (only annual visits to the cardiologist). But, during this time, Teagan's birthday and Mothers Day I am reminded of that difficult time in our lives and how far we have come. Teagan was still in the hospital for Mother's Day 2003, it was bitter sweet. He was well on his road to recovery but still couldn't come home yet. He was in the hospital for 3 1/2 weeks before he came home.
So here's to Teagan! For his determination, his love of life and his energetic personality. Teagan has more determination in his little pinkie (when he wants to) then I have in my whole body and althought at his young age it can be difficult for MOM to handle I know it is a blessing because it helped him get through that critical time in his life when he needed to be determined to survive and as an adult, that determination will take him far as well.
Ten Things We LOVE about Teagan:10. He's sensitive (but tries not to show it)9. His smile8. His laugh7. He is hard working and playing6. They way he plays with Landon5. He does his chores without complaint4. His enthusiasm3. His creativity2. His imagination1. His LOVE of life
