Holden Stoudinger's NICU Fund

Baby Holden Stoudinger is the son of Travis and Kelly Stoudinger. Travis and Kelly are both Paramedics and Firefighters. They have been trying to have a child for 2 years. After Kelly had her first miscarriage doctors discovered glandular cell carcinoma cancer in her cervix. The cancer was removed with a cone biopsy surgery and they were told the possibility of becoming pregnant may come with the possibility of a hysterectomy. Kelly shortly became pregnant months after the surgery. She then later had another miscarriage. Devastating to the family, they really wants a child of there own. 2 weeks before meeting doctors for possible fertility, Kelly became pregnant with baby Holden. During her pregnancy Kelly meet with maternal-fetal medicine. Between weeks 12 and 24 of her pregnancy she received multiple ultrasounds. Everything was turning out great. 

Fast forward to week 38:

At 1:00am on October 3rd 2018 Kelly’s water broke. Exciting for the family they went to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. 16 hours later Baby Holden was delivered. The night of his delivery he began to have breathing troubles. He was moved to NICU (neonate intensive care unit) on Thursday he was on a CPAP, OG tube, IV fluids and antibiotics. He had fluid in his lungs. The treatment remained for 2 days. On Friday he was removed from the IV and CPAP, but the OG tube remained. He would not take a bottle or breast feed. He began to have hypoglycemia and was placed on a dextrose IV drop. On Saturday he began to show signs of jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and an increased bilirubin. He still refused to eat. On Sunday he was placed on photo-light therapy. With in hours a dramatic change in his bilirubin and skin was noticed. He began to eat with a bottle only. Doctors discovered a high arch palate in his mouth, which was his troubles on feeding. He remained in the NICU. On Monday’s doctors noticed he has tissue swelling about his head. An ultrasound discover fluid on the brain. An MRI was completed and doctors discovered baby Holden has Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum with Hydrocephalus. 

So what is Partial Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum with Hydrocephalus? Basically the brain has nerve fibers that communicates the left brain to the right brain, he only has half of what is normal. He also has cerebral spinal fluid backed up in the ventricles in his brain. Only 1 in 3,000 infants experience this disease. 

Neurologist and neurosurgeon say he will need a shunt inserted to relieve the pressure. This shunt will remain in place for the rest of his life. On Thursday surgery was completed to remove the swelling. Surgery was a success and baby Holden is still recovering in NICU.