Cooper's Journey to Eat by Mouth

Meet Cooper Barker!! He is a miracle and a precious little soul who will steal your heart the moment you meet. Cooper has come a long way in his short three years. He was born prematurely September 25th 2012 weighing in at 1lbs 12oz. He has been a fighter since day one. His mother Ashlynn Brant Barker and his father Pat Barker have been fighters as well. They have stuck by his side in constant faith and belief in the healing of their baby. Coopers first surgery was October 2nd 2012 when he had a 4cm portion of his bowel removed for a bowel destroying infection called NEC. He subsequently had two other surgeries in which he had a reoccurrence infection of NEC which caused another 10cm of his bowel to die and be removed making him primarily dependent on a G-Tube for feeding. Cooper also had an ostomey bag placed to allow his bowel to heal after that surgery. He was blessed with bowel reconnection surgery on April 24, 2013 in which they took the ostomey bag off. Cooper can now function normally on his own in that area. Although this sweet boy has been struggling to learn to eat by mouth having to be dependent on a feeding tube for his daily nutrition. Due to the amount of time he has been on the feeding tube and the difficulties he has endured Cooper requires special services to meet his daily needs. He has OT, speech,developmental, feeding and behavioral therapies. He is beginning a new journey now to lose the G-Tube (feeding tube) and eat by mouth at the Kennedy Krieger Insitute in Baltimore Maryland. The therapies he has recieved up to this point have not been sufficient enough for him to be successful and eat normally. He requires intensive therapy in feeding,behavioral, OT, speech and developmental. He will be required to be an inpatient for 6-8 weeks. Insurance has only approved 10 days. This journey will be a huge financial and emotional strain on this beautiful family. Ashlynn is a hair stylist and will be unable to work as she will be alone with Cooper in Maryland at the Kennedy. Her husband will be home in Guyton maintaining his job to retain their insurance as they will struggle to make their monthly bills without Ashlynn's income. They will need help with travel expenses,gas, food etc. as well as supplemental income from Ashlynn's inability to work during this time. Please say a small daily prayer for Cooper and his family as they move into another adventure in his healing process. Please search deep into your heart and help them with this trial they will now be going through.  They will be leaving very soon on  11/30/2015.  We love and appreciate your support and look forward to updating you on the good news that is to come as God completes his work in this sweet baby to live without the assistance of a feeding tube to survive.