Breaths to Recovery for sweet baby Jacob Hemmen
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On April 1st, our five-week-old Jacob still wasn’t himself; on that day he began an 18-day journey to fight for his life. Although that journey was long in defeating the parainfluenza virus which caused severe pneumonia and respiratory failure in his baby body, he did it. With ups and downs, tubes and triumphs, we now rejoice as he begins his recovery and moves forward to a healthy nine-week-old boy, body and soul.
It is with humble hearts that our family asks for others to help us now. We request your assistance to cover lost wages from extending my leave to be by his side in the hospital and at home, the unpaid days Josh took to be with Jacob, and many out-of-pocket insurance shortfalls that are starting to reveal themselves. We thank you in advance for your priceless prayers that were and continue to be fruitful. People across the country were praying for him, and we truly felt the presence of angels in his rooms. Now, your donations help us move forward to ensure Jacob’s health while healing. The utmost thanks for any financial assistance you can provide in our time of need.
Here’s how it began and the milestones he reached and surpassed...
In preceding weeks, everyone in our household was ill with some ailment since St. Patrick’s Day. Jacob seemed to be the one who was remaining relatively healthy. Some said Mommy’s milk gave him an extra jolt of immunity since he’s too young for immunizations or many medicines. A cough developed; excess mucus was present; his breathing was rapid and shallow and raspy, he was getting weaker, and his bright newborn skin lacked its luster. The week before April 1st included two ER visits, a chest x-ray, a night in the hospital, and two additional office visits. Still, his apparent viral baby cold was not getting better. The last straw was Jacob’s inability to nurse adequately. The advice that viruses run their course was no longer acceptable, and I had him seen again. April 1st revealed the start of a very serious and life-changing journey for us all.
Jacob’s breathing, paleness, and lifelessness directed his doctor to make the decision to take him immediately to the ER. He needed oxygen, fluids, and prayers. Another chest x-ray, side by side to the one from a week earlier, revealed to severe pneumonia in both lungs; only about ⅓ of his lungs were breathing for him. Amid a frenzy of nurses and doctors, they struggled to even get an IV started and resorted to an I.O. in which an access point was drilled directly through his tiny shin bone into the marrow. In the meantime, I figured he’d be stabilized and brought upstairs to pediatrics to be treated. The lead man told me Jacob’s condition was beyond what our hospital could treat. He would need to be transferred, and it needed to be now. The decision was made immediately to prepare to airlift Jacob to Peoria to the Children’s Hospital at OSF St. Francis Medical Center. This couldn’t be happening! Wasn’t this just a virus?! Loads of phone calls were made, prayers said, tears fell as he was stabilized on the helicopter’s gurney and taken away. We watched from the ground as the helicopter lifted off with our precious, fragile infant on board.
At home, quickly, Josh cleaned up from work, we threw clothes into a suitcase and made arrangements for where brothers Jason and Jackson would go while we went to Peoria. My mom and dad rushed down and awaited Jacob coming into the Pediatric ICU after the helicopter landed.
We were told he slept the whole flight, but it was clear when we saw him on the bed in the PICU, the situation was dire. He was immediately intubated so he no longer struggled to breathe. His color started to come back, but the doctors and nurses quickly stated that Jacob was “very sick.”
By the end of that day, Jacob was sedated and had invasive lines, tubes, and machines attached to nearly every extremity and his torso. In addition to the breathing tube, just under the collarbone on the right side, a central venous line was put in on the front side of his shoulder area with 3 ports for blood draws and multiple IV fluids. The line goes through a vein to end up in the right atrium of his heart. He was receiving fluids and several sedatives to keep him calm while having the breathing tube. In his right wrist, an arterial line was established to give instant and more accurate blood gas measurements; it was used for 4 days. His left hand had a backup IV inserted to be used if necessary; this was in place for 5 days. His torso had EKG stickers, and one ankle had a traditional blood pressure cuff while the opposite big toe had a blood oxygen monitor secured to it. Luckily, Jacob was able to produce wet diapers on his own. After several days, a feeding tube was inserted through his nose and bypassed his stomach directly to the intestine. The doctors were worried if his stomach were to become upset and made him vomit, he could aspirate; plus, using the stomach would use up bodily energy, so to speak, that was needed elsewhere to fight the virus and subsequent ailments.
There were strong sedatives, rounds of antibiotics and steroids, blood tests all the time, daily chest x-rays--sometimes multiple. In fact, on Day 2, his lab results revealed a need for a blood transfusion! Our brand new baby already needed the help of someone else’s blood! It was followed by two echocardiograms with a heart ultrasound.
On Day 6, I got to give him a sponge bath will the help of a nurse. It was exactly what I needed since I still could not hold him.
Jacob was intubated for NINE days. His lungs received regular breathing treatments called IPV, intrapulmonary ventilation, that puffed air at rapid speeds down the breathing tube to break up the secretions in his lungs followed by suction to remove it. Those happened every 4-6 hours per day while he was intubated. By this point, I knew his day and night nurses by name, doctors and residents, dieticians, pharmacist, and APNs all looked familiar and had talked to me personally beyond my listening to morning rounds.
On the ninth day, the breathing tube was removed. Doctors and nurses all around, they pulled the tube out and lifted him upright. It was like watching him being born again! He cried silently, and his whole body turned red. This was a milestone!
The best part of the ninth day was I got to hold Jacob for the first time! Personal milestone.
Now that the breathing tube was out, he received a different type of treatment to continue to break up the secretions still in his lungs. This time puffs of air filled up tubes that were connected to a “vest” that shook him firmly, but not dangerously. He slept through many of these treatments. It sounded like the spin cycle of a washing machine.
Day 11 marked several milestones toward “graduation” from PICU to intermediate care (PIC). He successfully weaned from the strongest sedative. He was ready for the central IV line to be removed. It was a celebration, which surprised me. Nurses and techs from the other side of the floor came to help us move out and then move in, all while rejoicing and hugs, basically every type of excitement except cake and balloons, and it was a room upgrade. For me, I would rather miss the PICU nurses who became so fond of Jacob and me. But, I knew home was one step closer for us.
After 12 days, I reluctantly agreed to go back home for the weekend, Friday night to Sunday midday. I needed to see my husband and other sons. Both grandmas took turns staying with Jacob at the hospital while I was home. Day 13 and 14 more progress was made including a successful feed from a bottle. Another milestone! Right when I arrived back at the end of the weekend, they told me he was ready to try nursing, and it was successful! Now the feeding tube came out and just a higher concentration of oxygen through the cannula on his nose. No more assistance keeping his lungs more open with assisted air flow. One of the best milestones!
Day 15, home was only one step away as we moved to the general pediatric floor. He could now be cared mostly by me for nursing, taking him in and out of the bed, diaper changes, and general comfort. He was breathing room air, no assistance! Huge milestone! The only challenge that laid ahead was the end of another wean from a stronger sedative. The only attachments on him now were the heart monitors on his torso and a blood oxygen monitor on his toe.
Day 16 was a step backward with some withdrawal symptoms that compromised the progress of the wean. One more full day left with Day 17 to observe with another attempt at a final wean dose of that sedative and he began the wean of the final medicine that I could continue at home.
Day 18 after rounds, we got the green light for discharge! There were instructions for home, including the final wean doses and times and explanations about his vulnerability to illness with possible relapse for the next several weeks or month. So it is then that I had to make the decision to extend my leave so that I could change our lifestyle at home to be stringent on visitors, strict with clothing and cleanliness when brothers came home from school and daycare, and in general, keep him quarantined to home only. No church, shopping, or visiting elsewhere besides doctor check-ups, for the next month or so.
It is at this point that we knew we’d be financially burdened with my lost wages from extending an unpaid leave and the days of work missed by Dad to come to visit Jacob in the hospital. In the 8 days we’ve been home, the bills are beginning to arrive. Making sense of where insurance was applied and who we do have balances and due dates have been daunting, confusing, and scary. We sincerely appreciate any assistance you can spare in our time of need. Prayers, too, are quite necessary and so effective. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
It is with humble hearts that our family asks for others to help us now. We request your assistance to cover lost wages from extending my leave to be by his side in the hospital and at home, the unpaid days Josh took to be with Jacob, and many out-of-pocket insurance shortfalls that are starting to reveal themselves. We thank you in advance for your priceless prayers that were and continue to be fruitful. People across the country were praying for him, and we truly felt the presence of angels in his rooms. Now, your donations help us move forward to ensure Jacob’s health while healing. The utmost thanks for any financial assistance you can provide in our time of need.
Here’s how it began and the milestones he reached and surpassed...
In preceding weeks, everyone in our household was ill with some ailment since St. Patrick’s Day. Jacob seemed to be the one who was remaining relatively healthy. Some said Mommy’s milk gave him an extra jolt of immunity since he’s too young for immunizations or many medicines. A cough developed; excess mucus was present; his breathing was rapid and shallow and raspy, he was getting weaker, and his bright newborn skin lacked its luster. The week before April 1st included two ER visits, a chest x-ray, a night in the hospital, and two additional office visits. Still, his apparent viral baby cold was not getting better. The last straw was Jacob’s inability to nurse adequately. The advice that viruses run their course was no longer acceptable, and I had him seen again. April 1st revealed the start of a very serious and life-changing journey for us all.
Jacob’s breathing, paleness, and lifelessness directed his doctor to make the decision to take him immediately to the ER. He needed oxygen, fluids, and prayers. Another chest x-ray, side by side to the one from a week earlier, revealed to severe pneumonia in both lungs; only about ⅓ of his lungs were breathing for him. Amid a frenzy of nurses and doctors, they struggled to even get an IV started and resorted to an I.O. in which an access point was drilled directly through his tiny shin bone into the marrow. In the meantime, I figured he’d be stabilized and brought upstairs to pediatrics to be treated. The lead man told me Jacob’s condition was beyond what our hospital could treat. He would need to be transferred, and it needed to be now. The decision was made immediately to prepare to airlift Jacob to Peoria to the Children’s Hospital at OSF St. Francis Medical Center. This couldn’t be happening! Wasn’t this just a virus?! Loads of phone calls were made, prayers said, tears fell as he was stabilized on the helicopter’s gurney and taken away. We watched from the ground as the helicopter lifted off with our precious, fragile infant on board.
At home, quickly, Josh cleaned up from work, we threw clothes into a suitcase and made arrangements for where brothers Jason and Jackson would go while we went to Peoria. My mom and dad rushed down and awaited Jacob coming into the Pediatric ICU after the helicopter landed.
We were told he slept the whole flight, but it was clear when we saw him on the bed in the PICU, the situation was dire. He was immediately intubated so he no longer struggled to breathe. His color started to come back, but the doctors and nurses quickly stated that Jacob was “very sick.”
By the end of that day, Jacob was sedated and had invasive lines, tubes, and machines attached to nearly every extremity and his torso. In addition to the breathing tube, just under the collarbone on the right side, a central venous line was put in on the front side of his shoulder area with 3 ports for blood draws and multiple IV fluids. The line goes through a vein to end up in the right atrium of his heart. He was receiving fluids and several sedatives to keep him calm while having the breathing tube. In his right wrist, an arterial line was established to give instant and more accurate blood gas measurements; it was used for 4 days. His left hand had a backup IV inserted to be used if necessary; this was in place for 5 days. His torso had EKG stickers, and one ankle had a traditional blood pressure cuff while the opposite big toe had a blood oxygen monitor secured to it. Luckily, Jacob was able to produce wet diapers on his own. After several days, a feeding tube was inserted through his nose and bypassed his stomach directly to the intestine. The doctors were worried if his stomach were to become upset and made him vomit, he could aspirate; plus, using the stomach would use up bodily energy, so to speak, that was needed elsewhere to fight the virus and subsequent ailments.
There were strong sedatives, rounds of antibiotics and steroids, blood tests all the time, daily chest x-rays--sometimes multiple. In fact, on Day 2, his lab results revealed a need for a blood transfusion! Our brand new baby already needed the help of someone else’s blood! It was followed by two echocardiograms with a heart ultrasound.
On Day 6, I got to give him a sponge bath will the help of a nurse. It was exactly what I needed since I still could not hold him.
Jacob was intubated for NINE days. His lungs received regular breathing treatments called IPV, intrapulmonary ventilation, that puffed air at rapid speeds down the breathing tube to break up the secretions in his lungs followed by suction to remove it. Those happened every 4-6 hours per day while he was intubated. By this point, I knew his day and night nurses by name, doctors and residents, dieticians, pharmacist, and APNs all looked familiar and had talked to me personally beyond my listening to morning rounds.
On the ninth day, the breathing tube was removed. Doctors and nurses all around, they pulled the tube out and lifted him upright. It was like watching him being born again! He cried silently, and his whole body turned red. This was a milestone!
The best part of the ninth day was I got to hold Jacob for the first time! Personal milestone.
Now that the breathing tube was out, he received a different type of treatment to continue to break up the secretions still in his lungs. This time puffs of air filled up tubes that were connected to a “vest” that shook him firmly, but not dangerously. He slept through many of these treatments. It sounded like the spin cycle of a washing machine.
Day 11 marked several milestones toward “graduation” from PICU to intermediate care (PIC). He successfully weaned from the strongest sedative. He was ready for the central IV line to be removed. It was a celebration, which surprised me. Nurses and techs from the other side of the floor came to help us move out and then move in, all while rejoicing and hugs, basically every type of excitement except cake and balloons, and it was a room upgrade. For me, I would rather miss the PICU nurses who became so fond of Jacob and me. But, I knew home was one step closer for us.
After 12 days, I reluctantly agreed to go back home for the weekend, Friday night to Sunday midday. I needed to see my husband and other sons. Both grandmas took turns staying with Jacob at the hospital while I was home. Day 13 and 14 more progress was made including a successful feed from a bottle. Another milestone! Right when I arrived back at the end of the weekend, they told me he was ready to try nursing, and it was successful! Now the feeding tube came out and just a higher concentration of oxygen through the cannula on his nose. No more assistance keeping his lungs more open with assisted air flow. One of the best milestones!
Day 15, home was only one step away as we moved to the general pediatric floor. He could now be cared mostly by me for nursing, taking him in and out of the bed, diaper changes, and general comfort. He was breathing room air, no assistance! Huge milestone! The only challenge that laid ahead was the end of another wean from a stronger sedative. The only attachments on him now were the heart monitors on his torso and a blood oxygen monitor on his toe.
Day 16 was a step backward with some withdrawal symptoms that compromised the progress of the wean. One more full day left with Day 17 to observe with another attempt at a final wean dose of that sedative and he began the wean of the final medicine that I could continue at home.
Day 18 after rounds, we got the green light for discharge! There were instructions for home, including the final wean doses and times and explanations about his vulnerability to illness with possible relapse for the next several weeks or month. So it is then that I had to make the decision to extend my leave so that I could change our lifestyle at home to be stringent on visitors, strict with clothing and cleanliness when brothers came home from school and daycare, and in general, keep him quarantined to home only. No church, shopping, or visiting elsewhere besides doctor check-ups, for the next month or so.
It is at this point that we knew we’d be financially burdened with my lost wages from extending an unpaid leave and the days of work missed by Dad to come to visit Jacob in the hospital. In the 8 days we’ve been home, the bills are beginning to arrive. Making sense of where insurance was applied and who we do have balances and due dates have been daunting, confusing, and scary. We sincerely appreciate any assistance you can spare in our time of need. Prayers, too, are quite necessary and so effective. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Organizer
Amelia Hemmen
Organizer
Dixon, IL