Kaden Kouba

My name is Autumn Conner and Kaden's dad is Ryan Kouba. My pregnancy with Kaden could not have been better with no complications, not even high blood pressure. Delivery went just as well until the last couple of minutes. The doctor and nurses told me that one of their worst nightmare's came true. Kaden had shoulder distotia during delivery which means he was stuck in the birth canal and went into shock. Time was crucial to get him out, but when Kaden was born on October 4th  he was not breathing or responding to the nurses. The only thing they could give him for an Apgar score was his heart beat. Time stood still for me as I saw the nurses working on my baby. My baby who I didn't get to hold, who was ripped from me and lifelessly put on a table to be pumped with oxygen. When I repeatedly asked what was wrong and if he was ok, the only response I got from one nurse was that I needed to pray. Kaden was taken to the NICU where he was intibated and worked on to get his vitals going. The neonatal doctor came in and told me that Kaden had been without oxygen for a period of time and that he thought it was best that Kaden undergo a full body cooling. Full body cooling would reduce Kadens chance of brain damage and seizures. Of course Kaden's father and I agreed to the procedure. The only two hospitals that offer full body cooling is OU Children's hospital and St. Francis Children's hospital. OU was full and not accepting any more patients in the NICU. Kaden would have to go to St. Francis in Tulsa and the procedure had to be started within 6 hours of birth or it would not be affective. Time was crucial so Kaden was life flighted to St. Francis immediatly. I was discharged from the hospital 12 hours later and was able to be on the way to Tulsa to be with my baby.  When I got to the NICU at St. Francis, I saw Kaden with a ventilator tube and wires sticking out of his head and stomach. The cooling process had already started and would last 72 hours. During this time we could not touch him or overstimulate him by talking to him. It was an agonizing waiting process. As a mom, I just wanted to hold my baby and swaddle him. I hated watching him lay there in just a diaper cold and hooked up to all those machines. After 3 days, Kaden started warming back up to normal body temperature and Dr. Sanders told us good news. He said that it looked like the EEG (monitors brain activity) looked promising and that there was a good chance of no brain damage and he had not seen any seizures. Kaden continued to be monitored daily and finally on day 5 the ventilator tube was taken out and we got to hold our baby for the first time. This was the best day ever! Kaden continued to make progress and slowly we got to start feeding him and the tubes and wires started coming off. At day 9, Kaden had his last MRI and we were discharged from the hospital. The MRI came back to show some subdermal bleeding but no bleeding on the brain which was an answer to prayers. Kaden also saw a developmental pediatrician who said that he was doing well and would not need to be seen again for 4 months by her. We are home now and Kaden is doing awesome but the medical bills are piling up, including a helicopter ride for Kaden at $55,000. I am an elementary teacher and Kaden's father is an operations supervisor so as middle class Americans we can provide for our son as planned but are overwhelmed by the amount owed for Kaden's medical expenses. Any money donated will be used to pay Kaden's medical bills and will be greatly appreciated. Thank you everyone that prayed and continues to pray for Kaden. He is a miracle baby and continues to show us daily just how amazing he is!