The last four months....

So four months after the early birth of our second son, I finally have a chance to start a blog! Unfortunately a lot happens in four months, but I will do my best to give a summary of Barrett's story thus far.

Barrett was born in September at 30 weeks gestation. The birth itself was uncomplicated and Barrett did very well in his first few days. He did not need any oxygen or assistance breathing and only experienced very mild apnea (for which he was put on caffeine). We were elated that although he appeared so tiny, he was doing so well. Hence we named him Barrett - "strong like a bear".

Just as we settled into a comfort zone with the new addition to our family, Barrett went for a routine ultrasound of the head. The results came back with devastating news. The ultrasound showed Grade II/III bilateral bleeding (IVH) and also a cloudy area that may indicate PVL or Periventricular Leukomalacia. The Dr. explained to us that the outcome of this is most often Cerebral Palsy. Barrett would be affected on one side of his body in the form of Hemiplegia. He would be scheduled for a CT scan in a couple days and later an MRI to confirm. It felt like we had just been hit by a semi-truck. To this day, I can't sit here and write without crying as I think about how my husband and I felt. Our world had just been shaken upside down. When a parent first hears the term CP, you envision the most severe form. We were just absolutely devastated. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair that Barrett would not get the same chances in life that his older brother would, it wasn't fair that people would look at him differently, it wasn't fair that he wouldn't have as many friends or play sports like other kids, or go to university, or get married...the list just went on as we grieved for the child we thought we would have. We spent many hours just sitting by his incubator crying. We loved this baby so much and just wanted to find a way we could help him succeed. As a parent you just want the best chance for your child in hopes they will lead a happy life. It took us a few days/ weeks to fully understand that "the best chance" and "happy life" could come in many forms. We also learned the full extent as to what CP meant. CP presents in many ways, and many children go on to lead 'normal' lives with some early intervention therapy.

By the time we left the NICU (6 weeks later), Barrett had been assessed by the Neurologist and Opthamologist. Thus far there were no concerns. Movements were equal and bilateral, and reflexes, etc. were all as would be expected for a healthy term baby. Barrett was also very proficient at breastfeeding which was great. He has since continued to exclusively breastfeed and has been gaining over an ounce a day!

So far, Barrett has been meeting all the milestones for 0-3 months (which he is only 7 weeks corrected age). He is a very social baby and loves to smile and laugh. Only time will tell on what issues may develop. As it will be his voluntary motor skills that will be affected, we will start noticing possible delays as he starts reaching for things, sitting up, etc. We are fortunate to know the challenges he may incur and are then able to prepare for early intervention. Presently he sees an Early Interventionist once a month as well as an Occupational Therapist.