Help Mitch and Tj Care for Baby Cooper

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to take a moment to share a heartfelt update about Baby Cooper, who entered the world much earlier than expected on October 16, 2024, at 5:09 PM, weighing in at 2 pounds 4 ounces. Mitch and Tj’s little miracle baby decided he had his own plans to see this world a little early at 29 weeks and 6 days. Born premature, Cooper is facing significant challenges as he starts his journey in this world, and we are rallying together to provide him with the love and care he needs during this critical time.

Baby Cooper is on a long difficult journey ahead, and as we rally around him, we are reminded of the incredible strength and love of family and community. Mitch and Tj are doing everything they can for their little warrior, but they need our help, even if they won’t admit it. It’s our turn to support them!

As Cooper has been in the NICU since birth, you can imagine that the financial burden associated with medical expenses, treatments, and ongoing care can be overwhelming. Mitch and Tj have no idea when they will be able to return to home or work. To help alleviate some of that stress, we would like to put this GoFundMe page out there to help our dear friends, Mitch and Tj. Every donation, no matter how big or small, is valued and goes a long way in ensuring that Cooper receives the medical attention he needs and has the opportunity for a brighter future, allowing Mom and Dad to be with their miracle baby.

If you are unable to contribute financially, I kindly ask you to consider sharing this campaign with your network. Spreading the word can significantly impact our efforts and help reach others who may want to contribute to Baby Cooper’s journey.

Please visit the link below for more details and to stay updated on Cooper's progress. Your love, support, and kindness mean the world to us during this time, and we are immensely grateful for anything you can do to help.

Donations for Cooper, Tj and Mitch will also be accepted at the Silver Bullet Bar (25929 Meadow Lark Rd, Pierz, MN 56364) ❤️

Thank you for being part of Coopers journey!

Tj’s Update on cooper ❤️ 10/19/2024 I was discharged from St. Cloud hospital. After spending skin on skin time with cooper mom and dad decided now would be a good time to run home get our bearings together pack a bag and plan for the long days and nights at the nicu. We got home and no more than an hour later we received a call to head straight back to the nicu so off we went. When we arrived cooper had a team around him and the main area of concern was his belly. He was not tolerating his feedings and this concerned the nurse caring for him. His belly was expanded. After x rays and more doctors they made the decision to rush him to children’s hospital to get a good look at what is going on. His first ambulance ride outside the womb. We followed arrived and X-rays, blood work, and a whole care team was working on him. at 11:30pm got the news our little man was heading into surgery to put an ostomy bag in and repair any damaged intestines he might have at this point this is all we know. They gave us 4 options of what could happen and we just sit here and hope for the best. It is now 1:44am and we will do not have answers yet and let me tell you this is the hardest most emotional thing a parent goes through. Myself and mitchell are staring at these walls getting impatient and just itching to get any update. The anxiety we’re feeling is unmatched and unsettling. But we have each other. I am still recovering from a c-section and let me tell you this is not easy. However Mitchell makes it easy on me ❤️

UPDATE AGAIN 2:14 am COOPER DID AMAZING ❤️ our little man is such a go getter and a fighter surgery went well he had 11cm of his intestines removed an ostemy placed, he will have this for 6 weeks and until he can double his weight ❤️ there is a lot of big word terminology they use and quite honestly is very overwhelming. clinically speaking he should get better as a result of this and we ARE SO GRATEFUL. The weight that was just lifted off our shoulders is something we will never be able to explain to anyone but man it feels good ❤️

Tj’s Update on Cooper ❤️. 10/21/2024

We still can not sleep by his bedside and that is tough, especially leaving the hospital knowing our lives could change in a matter of seconds but praying they don’t ❤️ I of course have turned into that annoying mom and couldn’t sleep so of course I call 3-4 times throughout the night just to make sure he’s okay. He has rounds or “care conferences” every morning and usually they are around 930 today we got a call that they were pushed back to 1050 which is amazing news because they go of off critical status. The nurse told us to sleep a little longer cooper was in good hands so we did just that ❤️ we headed up to the hospital and seen our little guy and it just melts our hearts. Strong little dude if I say so myself ❤️ his pic line was placed yesterday to make sure he gets his nutrition and what they are trying to do is mimic my breast milk to match up with his iv for nutrients. First one didn’t go so hot but they were able to get one later mom and dad hung out with cooper, did a bedside pump which was AMAZING. the difference of pumping and seeing and smelling your baby is just amazing. Auntie Brittany had just landed from her vacation and swung in to see us and see cooper ❤️ then grandma Sandy came and got to see a diaper change and watch him stretch and squirm ❤️ we try to warn people it’s just a different experience seeing him as he is in his “space ship” As I call it his care conference kept getting pushed back as they had emergencies to deal with and cooper was doing well. Around 2:00pm we finally met with his team and holy fricken buckets what a different world. We walked in to about 10 doctors, 10 computer screens, his amazing nurse, and us and my goodness was it scary. But amazing how they were all intuitive with his care. Everyone knew exactly what was going on and was on the same page. Cooper is currently on a ventilator, and will start to get weaned off starting tonight YAY!! They will drop it down and then run a blood gas blood draw to monitor it which is huge news. He is also on an epi drip for his blood pressure and they want to lower that by half YAY!!! they talked about weaning and lowering a ton of other things however it is all stuff we are still trying to understand but it is good news HE IS JUST LIKE HIS PARENTS WHEN IT COMES TO PAIN AND IS A TROOPER FOR SURE. he is tolerating everything so well and has not needed any extra pain management so guess what. THEY ARE LOWERING THAT ALSO. huge huge milestones for just having a surgery and we can not be more happy about this. Such a good feeling. during his diaper change we got to see his bowels and ostemy and everything is just so little but is looking so good! He still needs to fight this infection as has a lot of growing but for today the words you have a “boring baby” has never sounded so good.❤️