Support Baby Merrick





We have decided to set up this page because a lot of people are aware of the fundraiser being held for Merrick and aren't able to attend but want to donate.

As many of you know, our son Merrick Reese Hudson was born 15 weeks early on January 13, 2017 weighing in at 1 lb 13 oz.Mommy's water spontaneously broke at 23 weeks, and she was transferred to a hospital over two hours away and remained on hospital bed rest for 2.5 weeks before Merrick decided to make his grand and dramatic entrance. PPROM, or your water breaking early is extremely rare and only happens in 2% of all pregnancies. The exact cause is unknown, however infections such as a UTI seemed to be linked. All tests for infections were negative, so we will never know why this happened. 

Over the last 8.5 weeks Merrick has been fighting his way through the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 5 weeks, treated twice for a hole in his heart, had pneumonia, had a spinal tap to make sure he didn't have an infection in the fluid around his brain, a sepsis scare, and received a blood transfusion. Every obstacle he has faced he has come up swinging.

Living over 2 hours away, mommy has been staying at the local Ronald McDobald house so she can be close to Merrick while daddy has returned to work and visits on weekends. Prior to Merrick's arrival, mommy who is an RN, left her position at the hospital to take up a less stressful position at a doctors office so she could have a better schedule once Merrick arrived, and was also in the midst of obtaining her Masters Degree in Nursing with the goal of someday becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She was only at her new job 1 month prior to Merrick's arrival, and due to the circumstances she did not qualify for FMLA and was unfortunately let go.

Mommy's unfortunate termination has put an extensive strain on finances. Merrick will be extremely susceptible to illnesses due to the chronic lung disease he has developed from being born so prematurely and being on a ventilator for an extended period of time. Once he can come home he will need to have limited visitation and interaction with others until his immune system matures because something as simple as exposure to a cold can cause him to be hospitalized or face serious complications. For this reason, mommy will need to temporarily put off seeking a new position so that she can stay home with Merrick while his immune system matures until he is strong enough to fight off the germs that will surround him in daycare. Daddy has started working two jobs to help offset the loss of mommy's income, but finances remain strained and we are ineligible for any type of assistance. Needless to say, we have been put into a very stressful situation.

We are so blessed to be part of an amazing community that pulls together and have been touched by everyone's kind words, well wishes, and support. Any and all contributions would be greatly appreciated!

Please continue to pray for baby Merrick! He now weighs 4 lbs, 10 ounces and is on the home stretch and should hopefully be coming home within the next 6 weeks.

**Also, please consider making charitable donations to the March of Dimes and Ronald McDonald Charities. The March of Dimes is one of the leading researchers in premature birth and works hard to raise awareness. Their local chapters also provide education to parents, gifts to the babies,  and activities and dinners for families. The Ronald McDonald house which runs almost entirely on volunteers and provides each family with a hotel style room/bathroom, as well as home cooked meals regardless of a family's ability to pay. We would not be able to do what we're doing without these wonderful organizations. 

Thank you all and God Bless.

- Kevin, Kristie & Merrick Hudson