Baby Lucas Funeral and Medical Expenses
Donation protected
On May 10, baby Lucas was born, and on May 11, he went to be with Jesus. Emily shares the story of his beautiful life far better than I could, so I will share that below. Many have asked how they can help, and one of the things that will help is funding for a funeral and the additional, unexpected medical bills. If you can’t help in that way, please just continue to keep their whole family in your prayers. Thank you for all of the prayer, love and support shown to this sweet, grieving family!
Emily’s post-
Our sweet son met Jesus last night... I sat long and hard trying to find the right words to start this and I wanted my sons amazing prize to be first!
May 10th was the day Jesus was preparing us for all our lives.. the day we got to meet the most amazing, chunky, little man.
I would love to share his story but would like to make sure everyone knows it may be a lot. But if there’s one thing I know for sure.. it’s my Jesus has a plan for this beautiful story he’s written with my baby’s name on the top. Lucas Alan Apa..
At 10:00 my water broke and I was admitted immediately and told my c section would happen very quickly. By 12:00 they had begun.. holding my husbands hand we could hear the drs doing a wonderful job taking him out but still hadn’t heard him cry.. still a few minutes go by with no crying at all. Through a very small opening in the fabric I could see them pushing down on my baby’s chest and using something over his mouth he help him breathe. It is a terror like I’ve never experienced... I continued to ask why he isn’t crying but was told they needed to rush him to the Nicu in order to put in a breathing tube immediately. It was by God’s hands (and anesthesia) that I didn’t chance him down the hallway..
The wonderful Dr doing my surgery did come back in and ask “so other than the two vessel cord was there anything wrong throughout your pregnancy?”........ we had never been told of a two vessel cord issue with our son. We were given all clears at his anatomy scan and never given any indication that our pregnancy wasn’t happy and healthy. When I was taken to recovery we were told that his lungs were just having a tough time breathing on their own. There was an obstruction in his airway that caused it to be difficult to fit the breathing tube in. Even though they were able to get it in.. they were concerned with how much time he spent without oxygen. So they needed to bring him to Orlando Advent health in order to use a cooling process for 3 days. Immediately my wonderful.. amazing.. loving best friend was given the choice to be with his wife who just had major surgery or go with his son who desperately needs his daddy’s love. Of course with amazing family there with me.. he went to be with our baby. Already being the best daddy in the world..
I was able to do a meet up in the halfway where I got to hold his finger and see his face for a few brief moments before my two greatest blessings this side of heaven had to walk out together... what joy it brought this aching mamas heart to see my boys fighting with Jesus together!
After several hours of unknowns and small bits of information we were finally connected with the dr. She FaceTimed with Alan there and I was able to listen.. she began by saying our sweet baby was given a very small set of lungs.. abnormally small for his little body. This was the concern in the beginning but became the highlight when he was not allowing the machines to slowly offer less support. He seemed to really like the machines at full power and was not ready to let those go.
Swallowing this alone felt like it took every ounce of me.. but unfortunately that was the beginning of a long list of things our sweet baby boy was struggling with. With additional testing they discovered that he did not have a rectum which was full formed.. making nutrition a concern through anything other than an IV. They were still concerned about brain damage after not breathing and were unable to complete the cooling process as his lungs were having a difficult time handling being that chilly. They also discovered an issue with an artery in his heart which.... I will be honest... I still have a difficult time understand. May possibly have been out of place or missing to my knowledge. At this point in the conversation I asked to be done. I was not able to finish speaking with her..
After a few hours she FaceTimed again saying that it was imperative that if I wanted to see my son.. I needed to begin the trip to Orlando immediately.
12 hours after major surgery the wonderful nurses and Drs made it possible for me to be formally discharged (with no pain meds yet) so I could go be with my baby in his last few minutes.
I entered the room and for the first time got to lay my head on his chest.. hear his sweet heart working so hard to stay going till momma got there. They said they he had never opened his eyes but when I came in.. his little eye lids slowly opened meet mine. So much comfort knowing he got to see his mommy and daddy through those beautiful blue eyes, even for just a moment.
It was told to us that they had one more chance to try another ventilator but there was a very high chance that if it didn’t work.. his vitals would very quickly swing the opposite direction and we would loose him very quickly. So.. it was decided to have some skin to skin time with momma. We all took our time saying our goodbyes just in case and sang sweet songs of how wonderful our Jesus is.
They got me situated and laid him right on my chest...out hearts were beating side by side again for the first time in 12 hours.
With daddy’s hand in my mind and Lucas’ body waiting to go see our gorgeous savior.. we waited, and waited.. till the Dr came back in about an hour later and said words I will never forget for the rest of my life... “well he really likes his momma”.... his vitals suddenly were the best they had ever been in his life and this sparked a bit of hope to try what we could to see what our little fighter would do.
This began a rollercoaster of ups and downs where his vitals would look great for a few hours and would plummet the next.. at a point where testing needed to be done it was decided I needed to be admitted so that I could receive the proper pain medication.. I had been 12 hours post op on Motrin and ambien.
After trying to sleep for about an hour.. I couldn’t move past the thought of my boy being alone so as I let Alan sleep I went back to be with him. I told him so many stories about his silly daddy and his crazy momma. I told him all about our first date and let him listen to our wedding video so he could hear daddy’s voice too.. We got to take one of our famous naps together again and I think it’s just what God ordered for both of us.
When Alan got back we were able to speak with the dr and were told a few things... we had 3 options. One being just enjoy the time we have with him.. not put any more pressure on him one way or the other.. have our hands on him all we want and just wait and see when Jesus would take him home. We were then told that another option would be this.. 2 of his three major issues were actually considered very easily fixable through surgery.. however the complications with his lungs being small is what causes those surgeries to be more dangerous... but... there is a chance he could pull through. The the last option would be to reach a point where his vitals are showing that he is ready to go and we could hold him and be with him every second.. without all the cords and just the way God made him.
God immediately laid it on our hearts that if there was even a tiny chance at all.. we have to see what God will do.
Family had been attending our sisters wedding only minutes away from the hospital. (Tell me that ain’t God!!!) and they were planning to come see him after the wedding. As Alan and I made our way down the hallway to meet a few people in the lobby we were stopped by a nurse saying “the dr needs to speak with you back in the room..”
The dr then told us that two of his vitals signs had plummeted and that they needed to know if we would allow chest compressions to resuscitate him........
I began to scream.. Alan began to cry.. he had just been fine in our eye hours earlier.
After speaking with the nurses and doctors it was finally decided that Lucas was longing for Jesus.
Our one wish was to hold him with no cords... no Ivs, not tape.... just us.
So after all of our beautiful family got to meet and kiss him.. they honored our wishes.. just us. Just his big chuck cheeks pressed against to chest so the last sound he heard was the heartbeat God used to bring him here.
We cried an kissed and made he knew it was okay to run to Jesus.. it was okay to be with his grandmas and uncles and everyone who will keep an eye on our crazy boy till we get there.
He left this world in our arms and I realized we were there for it all.. we got to experience his life with him and got to see the very second he met our savior.
I will never forget how he loved to kick me on my left side.. how when daddy would put his belly to mine he would always kick really hard to make sure daddy got to feel it too. He looked like like his daddy and his cheeks were so kissable.. he was perfect. He was absolutely perfect...
Baby boy... I miss you more every second that passes.. My heart has never felt so bruised and shattered. I know you wanted Jesus.. but I wanted you too. I wanted to see you get bigger and give daddy a fun for his money. I wanted to show you the room I painted for you and the house mommy grew up in. I wanted so badly to watch your daddy teach you all about Star Wars and how to chronologically alphabetize blu rays. I wanted to show you how to use a camera and how to sneak up on daddy to scare him in the hallway. We wanted to tell you all about how daddy’s faith helped mommy come back Jesus.. how sweet and precious his grace tastes when you’ve fallen so short. But we did get to lead you to Jesus. We got to put you right in his arms and that will forever be the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten. To be your momma for 32 hours.... it trade the world 10 times over for another minute but your minutes are spent in heaven with our amazing gracious savior.
Mommy and daddy love to you more than you will ever know and can’t wait till we se you again...... see you soon buds
Emily’s post-
Our sweet son met Jesus last night... I sat long and hard trying to find the right words to start this and I wanted my sons amazing prize to be first!
May 10th was the day Jesus was preparing us for all our lives.. the day we got to meet the most amazing, chunky, little man.
I would love to share his story but would like to make sure everyone knows it may be a lot. But if there’s one thing I know for sure.. it’s my Jesus has a plan for this beautiful story he’s written with my baby’s name on the top. Lucas Alan Apa..
At 10:00 my water broke and I was admitted immediately and told my c section would happen very quickly. By 12:00 they had begun.. holding my husbands hand we could hear the drs doing a wonderful job taking him out but still hadn’t heard him cry.. still a few minutes go by with no crying at all. Through a very small opening in the fabric I could see them pushing down on my baby’s chest and using something over his mouth he help him breathe. It is a terror like I’ve never experienced... I continued to ask why he isn’t crying but was told they needed to rush him to the Nicu in order to put in a breathing tube immediately. It was by God’s hands (and anesthesia) that I didn’t chance him down the hallway..
The wonderful Dr doing my surgery did come back in and ask “so other than the two vessel cord was there anything wrong throughout your pregnancy?”........ we had never been told of a two vessel cord issue with our son. We were given all clears at his anatomy scan and never given any indication that our pregnancy wasn’t happy and healthy. When I was taken to recovery we were told that his lungs were just having a tough time breathing on their own. There was an obstruction in his airway that caused it to be difficult to fit the breathing tube in. Even though they were able to get it in.. they were concerned with how much time he spent without oxygen. So they needed to bring him to Orlando Advent health in order to use a cooling process for 3 days. Immediately my wonderful.. amazing.. loving best friend was given the choice to be with his wife who just had major surgery or go with his son who desperately needs his daddy’s love. Of course with amazing family there with me.. he went to be with our baby. Already being the best daddy in the world..
I was able to do a meet up in the halfway where I got to hold his finger and see his face for a few brief moments before my two greatest blessings this side of heaven had to walk out together... what joy it brought this aching mamas heart to see my boys fighting with Jesus together!
After several hours of unknowns and small bits of information we were finally connected with the dr. She FaceTimed with Alan there and I was able to listen.. she began by saying our sweet baby was given a very small set of lungs.. abnormally small for his little body. This was the concern in the beginning but became the highlight when he was not allowing the machines to slowly offer less support. He seemed to really like the machines at full power and was not ready to let those go.
Swallowing this alone felt like it took every ounce of me.. but unfortunately that was the beginning of a long list of things our sweet baby boy was struggling with. With additional testing they discovered that he did not have a rectum which was full formed.. making nutrition a concern through anything other than an IV. They were still concerned about brain damage after not breathing and were unable to complete the cooling process as his lungs were having a difficult time handling being that chilly. They also discovered an issue with an artery in his heart which.... I will be honest... I still have a difficult time understand. May possibly have been out of place or missing to my knowledge. At this point in the conversation I asked to be done. I was not able to finish speaking with her..
After a few hours she FaceTimed again saying that it was imperative that if I wanted to see my son.. I needed to begin the trip to Orlando immediately.
12 hours after major surgery the wonderful nurses and Drs made it possible for me to be formally discharged (with no pain meds yet) so I could go be with my baby in his last few minutes.
I entered the room and for the first time got to lay my head on his chest.. hear his sweet heart working so hard to stay going till momma got there. They said they he had never opened his eyes but when I came in.. his little eye lids slowly opened meet mine. So much comfort knowing he got to see his mommy and daddy through those beautiful blue eyes, even for just a moment.
It was told to us that they had one more chance to try another ventilator but there was a very high chance that if it didn’t work.. his vitals would very quickly swing the opposite direction and we would loose him very quickly. So.. it was decided to have some skin to skin time with momma. We all took our time saying our goodbyes just in case and sang sweet songs of how wonderful our Jesus is.
They got me situated and laid him right on my chest...out hearts were beating side by side again for the first time in 12 hours.
With daddy’s hand in my mind and Lucas’ body waiting to go see our gorgeous savior.. we waited, and waited.. till the Dr came back in about an hour later and said words I will never forget for the rest of my life... “well he really likes his momma”.... his vitals suddenly were the best they had ever been in his life and this sparked a bit of hope to try what we could to see what our little fighter would do.
This began a rollercoaster of ups and downs where his vitals would look great for a few hours and would plummet the next.. at a point where testing needed to be done it was decided I needed to be admitted so that I could receive the proper pain medication.. I had been 12 hours post op on Motrin and ambien.
After trying to sleep for about an hour.. I couldn’t move past the thought of my boy being alone so as I let Alan sleep I went back to be with him. I told him so many stories about his silly daddy and his crazy momma. I told him all about our first date and let him listen to our wedding video so he could hear daddy’s voice too.. We got to take one of our famous naps together again and I think it’s just what God ordered for both of us.
When Alan got back we were able to speak with the dr and were told a few things... we had 3 options. One being just enjoy the time we have with him.. not put any more pressure on him one way or the other.. have our hands on him all we want and just wait and see when Jesus would take him home. We were then told that another option would be this.. 2 of his three major issues were actually considered very easily fixable through surgery.. however the complications with his lungs being small is what causes those surgeries to be more dangerous... but... there is a chance he could pull through. The the last option would be to reach a point where his vitals are showing that he is ready to go and we could hold him and be with him every second.. without all the cords and just the way God made him.
God immediately laid it on our hearts that if there was even a tiny chance at all.. we have to see what God will do.
Family had been attending our sisters wedding only minutes away from the hospital. (Tell me that ain’t God!!!) and they were planning to come see him after the wedding. As Alan and I made our way down the hallway to meet a few people in the lobby we were stopped by a nurse saying “the dr needs to speak with you back in the room..”
The dr then told us that two of his vitals signs had plummeted and that they needed to know if we would allow chest compressions to resuscitate him........
I began to scream.. Alan began to cry.. he had just been fine in our eye hours earlier.
After speaking with the nurses and doctors it was finally decided that Lucas was longing for Jesus.
Our one wish was to hold him with no cords... no Ivs, not tape.... just us.
So after all of our beautiful family got to meet and kiss him.. they honored our wishes.. just us. Just his big chuck cheeks pressed against to chest so the last sound he heard was the heartbeat God used to bring him here.
We cried an kissed and made he knew it was okay to run to Jesus.. it was okay to be with his grandmas and uncles and everyone who will keep an eye on our crazy boy till we get there.
He left this world in our arms and I realized we were there for it all.. we got to experience his life with him and got to see the very second he met our savior.
I will never forget how he loved to kick me on my left side.. how when daddy would put his belly to mine he would always kick really hard to make sure daddy got to feel it too. He looked like like his daddy and his cheeks were so kissable.. he was perfect. He was absolutely perfect...
Baby boy... I miss you more every second that passes.. My heart has never felt so bruised and shattered. I know you wanted Jesus.. but I wanted you too. I wanted to see you get bigger and give daddy a fun for his money. I wanted to show you the room I painted for you and the house mommy grew up in. I wanted so badly to watch your daddy teach you all about Star Wars and how to chronologically alphabetize blu rays. I wanted to show you how to use a camera and how to sneak up on daddy to scare him in the hallway. We wanted to tell you all about how daddy’s faith helped mommy come back Jesus.. how sweet and precious his grace tastes when you’ve fallen so short. But we did get to lead you to Jesus. We got to put you right in his arms and that will forever be the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten. To be your momma for 32 hours.... it trade the world 10 times over for another minute but your minutes are spent in heaven with our amazing gracious savior.
Mommy and daddy love to you more than you will ever know and can’t wait till we se you again...... see you soon buds
Organizer and beneficiary
Sarah Beth Adams
Organizer
Ormond Beach, FL
Emily Apa
Beneficiary
