Hi! My name is Alexa, Ashley Brouillard’s sister and I'm hoping to raise money to help bring my beautiful nephew home from the NICU. Due to COVID, no one except his parents have met him. Not even his sister Khloe, Jon’s family, Ashley’s family, friends or me! This Saturday will be 7 weeks at the hospital.

Joseph (Joey) Raymond Brouillard was born March 13th, 2021, the same day as his sister, with shoulder dystocia and no heartbeat. In order to free Joey during birth, his humorous bone was broken and he had to be revived and intubated after finally being pulled out of my sister due to him getting stuck. They rushed him to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) where he was cooled down and swaddled for 72 hours to prevent possibly worsening any brain damage due to the lack of oxygen at birth. His kidneys, liver, brain and bone marrow took a hard hit. He required many platelet transfusions as well. He was on a ventilator for about 10 days before switching him to a CPAP. After almost 3 weeks of those combined, he was able to try to eat for the first time and has struggled since. He has been taking most of his feedings through an NG tube, which isn't a permanent solution.

As we move forward, Joey will need surgery very very soon to place a G tube in his abdomen so he can take his feedings and medicine through that for the time being. He continues to struggle to eat and so the G tube is necessary to get him home at some point! I was just informed that the surgery he needs will be done at Boston Children's Hospital because he needs to have a cardiac MRI as well as a pediatric cardiac anesthesia team monitoring him through out the surgery. After the surgery he will return to the NICU in Worcester to receive the remainder of the care he will need.

My strong, brave sister is still out of work healing on top of driving every day to be with Joey and Khloe and has had a significant loss of income. Jon has been the most supportive husband and father throughout the whole process and is going above and beyond to be there for Joey, Khloe and Ashley. They are strong, but they need help. 

Joey has a long road of recovery ahead of him, outside the hospital as well. He will need to see specialists for follow up even as soon as discharge. Travel expenses, medical bills, copays, etc are adding up as I type this and we still don't know what that road looks like ahead and that is a scary thought.

I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to read this and donate if you can. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and continued support.