Baby Gabby

Sean and Bre Hatcher welcomed their 4th child, Gabby Rose, on 5/17/18.  She  was diagnosed during pregnancy with Trisomy 21 and had to be delivered at 35 weeks due to complications of a more rare condition called esophageal atresia.  This is a condition where the esophagus doesn't connect to the stomach, so she isn't able to swallow anything.  When she was first born, the doctors thought she would have to grow a while before  undergoing a surgery to connect the two tubes.  They put a tube directly into her stomach to start her on feedings to help her grow and supported her breathing initially with intubation, but soon were able to take the breathing tube out and she was able to start breathing on her own.  As she has gotten bigger and more active, she has started making more secretions in her upper esophagus which she can't swallow like most people do.  This causes blockages in her airways and she has started dropping her oxygen more frequently, so recently she had to be reintubated.  This wasn't expected initially, so since Gabby is still growing and not big enough for the local doctors to feel comfortable with the surgery, they have now recommended that she be transferred to Boston Children's Hospital.  They have an esophageal and airway treatment center which specializes in the surgery required to attach her esophagus to her stomach and will be able to get it done sooner to prevent worsening respiratory complications.  The doctors have told her that the surgery requires several procedures and revisions, and expect that she will likely have to remain in Boston for 3 months.  Bre and Sean have worked hard to maintain normalcy for their other kids but now that Bre will have to go with Gabby to Boston for 3 months, their anxieties about getting travel, bills, and costs of routine household needs with only one income has heightened.  I am starting this fundraiser to help relieve some of that stress for them and help them continue to maintain a functional household for Dylan, Kaylah, and Trey.   I know they would be so grateful for any donations you feel able to make, and cherish any prayers for the trip, surgeries, and for their children to cope well without their mom for such an extended period of time.