My son- His story.

This is my amazing baby boy, Nathen Michael. His story is very long for the short months he has been on this earth. But his struggles made us a closer family, and made myself a stronger person. And I type this I'm tearing up because I want to share all the struggles and triumphs my little boy has gone through, but at the same time it's hard for me to relive the past. Nathen was born premature weighting 4lbs 14 oz. He was such a trooper the day he was born. I remember 2 days after he was born he gave me his first smile and my heart was forever his. There is nothing in this world is better than having a child! Nathen was thriving and happy as he approached his original due date. My mother and I decided to take a trip to Ohio so my grandmother can meet Nathen for the first time. That day was the beginning of the worst thing a mother could go through. He was projectile vomiting all the time. In his sleep, as he was eating, and whenever he was burped. I had a feeling he was sick, so we waited a day to see if it would pass and took him to a urgent care. I was still in Ohio at the time and had no access to his doctors, so we settled on the urgent care in Ohio University. They found nothing wrong and assumed there was a bug going around, but had told me about pyloric stenosis and how rare it is.
 I thought no more about PS because I had never heard of it. I mean I was no expert at anything baby related. I was only 19. I was the baby in the family. So we took Nathen back to my grandmothers, and kept a watchful eye one him. wrapping burp rags around him and having him sleep sitting up. Nothing helped! Hopeless I demanded my mother take me to a ER. We sat for hours as usual before being seen. By the time we got a room, Nathen had soaked 3 blankets, himself, me, and my mother with vomit. This didn't seem normal. This was not spit up! ER found nothing and sent us on our way. I was at my wits end. So we headed back home to NC, made a visit to his doctor who noticed that he was loosing weight and having less bowel movements and nearly any wet diapers. His doctor was out of town so that day we saw another guy, who swore it was the formula and acid reflux. We took his advice and prescriptions and went home to do everything we can. A few more days went by and nothing was helping. Someone had to be with him at all times watching him so he didn't suffocate on the amount of vomiting that was coming out of this tiny fragile baby.
 ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH! I took him back to the doctor. This time it was a female (sorry I cant remember her name) she saw that he lost more weight, and was barely having wet diapers. I made her sit down with me and watch him eat, then no more than a minute later, he vomited all over me, brandon, the walls, the floors, and finally her! She said "I see what your saying, this isn't normal." So she sent us to the office where they do testing the next morning. When we arrived that morning they took us to a room with a ultrasound tech and had us take off his clothes and feed him lying down. As soon as the tech got vomited on, he sent us out to the waiting room. It took 5 minutes for the doctor to call me on the phone and say "Pack your bags, the Childrens' Hospital is expecting you" Then I knew he had pyloric stenosis and I broke down. My poor innocent child has to go through all this? Why wasn't this caught sooner? Did I do something wrong? Why him? Will he be ok? Those questions I still ask myself and I have yet to find the answer.
 As soon as we arrived to the the Pitt County Childrens' Hospital they settled us in a room, and we waited for further instructions. I stepped away with Brandon for a few minutes to catch my breath and try to make sense of this. When we returned Nathen was gone. I was panicked! I had no idea what happened, and suddenly I hear him crying down a hallway. I followed his cries and he was in a room with my mother and 2 other nurses. My tiny baby was so strong that it took my mother, and 2 nurses to hold him down and put IVs in him. He was such a trooper. Once they were done I was able to carry him back to his room. We waited until the surgeon came in to tell us the plan of surgery and after care. He was not allowed to eat anything between that afternoon- the next morning. Nathen who was born at 4.14lbs and had gotten up to 6.9lbs was back to 4.13lbs at 1 month old. Our social worker came in shortly after telling us about a program that provides free hotel stays for military while we were there. So my mother, brandon, and I all took shifts on watching Nathen and comforting him while the other went back to the hotel to rest and shower.

The next morning came and it was time to take him to the OR. My heart pounding, my mind asking a million questions. Was I prepared to loose a child? etc. I picked him up one last time, hugged and kissed him until they made me bring him back to his crib. We spoke to the Anetesiologist and prepared for the risks we were taking. We said "see you later pumkin" and watched him be taken back to the OR. (I'm crying as I write this because it's so hard to relive this point in our lives) After a few hours of waiting we were told he was finished and had done wonderfully. As I walked up to the post OP room, i was prepared to see my baby boy so full of life. But that wasn't the case.. He was having a hard time coming off the ventilator and after 2 failed attempts they decided to give it a day and try again.







They sent him to the PICU where he could rest and be monitored. I spoke with his doctor and demanded he not be put on morphine, that when the time was right and he was in pain, to give him tylenol. They respected my wishes and I am thankful for that. The next day everyone was praying and on their toes to see if he was ready to come off the ventilator. I got a call from the hospital telling me I needed to come in, that there was something I needed to see. I was so scared, but i got up and rushed everyone to the hospital. When I got to his door, what I saw next broke me down in to tears of happiness. Our trooper was awake and breathing on his own! I was speechless. I think we all were. That was the proudest moment of my entire life. That afternoon he was off all machines and was only receiving fluid IVs. we were able to take him back to the normal floor again.

 After another day of monitoring he finally got to eat his first bottle in 3 days. The next day we got to bring him home. We were so happy that we didn't know what to do when we got home. It was like starting all over again.

This is Nathen's "battle wounds"

6 months later Nathen is still having some issues with his stomach. We recently found out that he has stomach spasms which is what's causing the PS symptoms to reoccur. Along with constant hiccups and acid reflux. But we have found a diet and medicines that are helping him thrive. Nathen is now a 15lb 7 month old ball of fire. He is always happy and full of life. I'm not much for religion but I believe that someone was looking after him and I thank his medical teams for helping him make it through. Many of you don't believe that science has nothing to do with it, but without doctors, nurses, medical staff, my son wouldn't be with us today. I want to share his story to help people realize that just because a condition is rare doesn't mean it's impossible! If you have a feeling somethings not right, FIGHT for it. It's amazing how someone as small as my son can change a persons world forever. I love you Nathen Michael Croshier!