Liebe, Aidan Gustavo

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[left:be0db570d2]http://www.cherubs-cdh.org/Album/new/leibe-aidan2.jpg[/left:be0db570d2]Tuesday Aug 3, 2004 - On August 1st we had Family Beach Day at the Balboa Pier In Newport Beach: That was family. Not all family members were there but there were bits and pieces of all of the families. That is family. The main talk of the day was Kimmie's date with motherhood the following day and Erica's up coming baby being able to be close in age with Kimmie's baby as they grow up together. That is family as it should be.

Towards the end of the evening when everyone was leaving, or getting ready to leave, Noah noticed that Kimmie's baby had started to come, and there was dead silence for about 10 seconds, and then just as suddenly the whole family started to cheer together. I have never seen, or heard of, anyone being cheered for their water breaking, but it happened that night. That was instantly close spontaneous family.

Kim was rushed to the hospital in terrible traffic and many family members called Uncle Clark to give advice on travel shortcuts, about wishes for good luck, and about prayers they were saying. That was the best of family.

Aiden came into this world the next morning at 6:28 a.m. His family had made sure that a team of specialists were right in his delivery room to help him live because he couldn't breathe on his own. That was the dedication and caring of family..

Aiden is now a part of this family, he doesn't even know yet, but he will throughout his life, come to appreciate what his entire extended family did for him. How they prayed for him, how they cared for him, and how they love him like they all love one another. This is our family, and please God, let it never change.

Sunday August 8th - Aidan update, Aidan had a good night. No bad news, no good news. We were told yesterday that his major surgery will probably not be until a week from this coming Monday. I almost think it is a miracle whenever we go into Aidan's room and Kim whispers in his ear, "Hi little boy Mom is here." At that exact moment his respiratory (Breathing) volume number goes from flat line, to 14, 15, 16, 17, etc. He knows her already even though he has never seen her. I bet when he finally does open his eyes and sees her looking down at him he will be smiling right from the start. Please Lord, let Aidan have that chance to smile at his Mom.

Tuesday August 10th - I just got off the phone with Aidan's awesome nurse Ken. Aidan opened his eyes this morning! I am bummed I missed it, but I am heading there a little later. Hopefully he will do it for me, too. It only means that his sedation is wearing off and Ken is trying not to over sedate him. If he starts pulling at wires and things, then he will have to give him more sedation. No other changes, but he is still bleeding a lot from the cannulation site. I have been told this is to be expected.

Tuesday August 10th - Aidan had emergency surgery today. He made it through it and hopefully Uncle Clark or Kim will have an update soon.

Wednesday Morning August 11th - At about 10:30 last night they started inflating Aidan's lung. They will do that every day for about ten minutes. They will start to take him off of the heart lung machine (ECMO), slowly to see how he tolerates it. When Matt, Kim, and I left the hospital at around 11 p.m. Aidan was still stable and hanging in there. I still can't believe that he didn't even have the start of a diaphragm. It amazes me how modern science can do what they do to save lives these days. The dedication at the hospital toward Aidan is amazing. Anyway, today is another trip on this 6 week roller coaster. We will see what today brings and how Aidan tries to test our faith.

Wednesday Evening August 11th - Aidan had a good day. His left lung was inflated and the fluid was drawn out of it. He is being tested slowly but surely by the technicians to see how much he can take so he can get off of that machine. The bleeding in his brain has subsided with no increase. With everyone's hopes and prayers Aidan will have a good day on Thursday.

Thursday Morning August 12th - Kim and Matt wanted to thank everyone who have prayed and thought about them and Aidan. They honestly think they believe that other people's intervention through prayer and good wishes, saved Aidan's life, because no kid should have survived what he has survived up to this point. Today is a critical day for Aidan. At around noon they will try to take him off of the heart lung machine. Once he is off of it he cannot go back on it. So if his little heart and lungs can't make it on their own he will not survive. Thanks again for everything you have done.

Thursday Afternoon August 12th - They successfully took Aidan off of ECMO today at 12:30 and he is doing well. They finally got to move his head which has sustained a lot of swelling from being on one side for 10 days. Hopefully, it will go away quickly and painlessly because it looks pretty weird! : ) He's not out of the woods yet, but I am more optimistic than I have ever been over the last week and a half. Hopefully soon he can have some visitors

Friday August 13th - Aidan had his large respiratory tube taken out of his mouth and a smaller one replaced it. So now he is breathing a little on his own and the machine does the rest. His little heart is pumping right along with no help now and the bleeding in his brain has stopped. Don't stop praying, but give yourselves a pat on the back for getting him through this weekend.

Saturday August 14th - Aidan opened his eyes while Kim was with him. I wish I would have been there, but how neat it must have been for Aidan to open his eyes and see his Mom looking down on him. Big blues! He did really good all day but hates the medication they give him to keep him still, and fights it all the time. With all of the stitch (Zipper) tracks all over this kid they should have named him Andy, for Raggedy Andy.

Sunday August 15th - We took the new pictures that are on the web site. Matt's Dad came to see him and we asked Mike Johnson the photographer to take some more shots. He looks so much better and most of the big medical machines are gone. There is still a long way to go but this little kid is tuff. Five or six more weeks in the hospital will go by fast, I hope. By the way, In the last week there have been five babies born that ended up at CHOC Hospital with CDH. I thought this was supposed to be some uncommon condition. Maybe this week they all just wanted to be together while they were going through it.

Monday August 16th - Aidan was moved into the room with a bunch of other babies. We thought that meant that he was doing much better and was now allowed to be in with the regular ICU babies. It turns out they needed his room for a surgery they were doing on another very sick baby.

Tuesday August 17th - Aidan didn't like all the noise in the big room and the doctors thought it better if he were moved back to his own special room. Even though he is completely under sedation, noises bother him and he needs all the rest he can get. One lung is still giving him and his doctors some concern so they will not take him off of the respirator until they are all happy with the way things are going. Mom (Kimmie) keeps a watchful vigil over her little boy day and night. I still have not seen his eyes like she has. Hopefully, with Aidan getting a good nights rest tonight I will see his eyes on Wednesday. I might even try to sneak into the hospital tonight after my class gets out at 10 P.M. Your prayers and thoughts continue to be invaluable, even life saving, keep it up,

Wednesday August 18th - Aidan was reevaluated in the morning by the team of doctors and nurses that take care of him. They decided that he was ready to start taking nourishment. But he takes it through a tube they inserted in his nose to his belly. The poor kid still has three other chest tubes coming out of him and a respirator tube coming out of his mouth. The doctors were very frank in talking in front of Kimmie and me. They said the good with the bad. That's hard to take when your trying to build the good up every day. The most wonderful thing happened to me today while I was with Kimmie and Aidan. I don't think I have ever felt this way since Kimmie and Clark were born. Aidan opened his eyes and looked right up at Kimmie and then right at me. I had never seen him open his eyes before and it was a very powerful moment. There really is a little person inside that little body that looked up at us like to say, "stick it out with me and I'll make it." Aidan, we'll stick it out with you and so will thousands of other people around the world who are praying for you or even just thinking about you. Modern science is good but it isn't this good. Something else is helping you along. You are the damndest, toughest, little kid I have ever known.

Thursday August 19th - Aidan had a kind of rough day today. He had another minor surgery to put another tube in by his neck that exits by his chest. This was to replace the I.V. tube that has been in his belly button ever since he was born. After two weeks there is a chance of infection if the tube is left in the belly button so they replaced it to be safe. They also tried to insert an another I.V. but they could not get a good vain, so they failed. Aidan's head was shaved a little in the front to try there, but that didn't work either. I watched while they reinserted his feeding tube through his nose into his belly. I really didn't think that he could feel anything with all the medication he is on, but he felt it. I saw him flinch when the nurse hit a wrong turn in his nostril. Then there were silent tears coming from his eyes. Seeing his eyes open for the first time yesterday made me very happy and hopeful, but seeing those silent tears tonight killed me. Aidan doesn't deserve any more pain. He's just a little guy who wants to live. I wish to God that I could trade places with Aidan and let him enjoy life and all it has to offer. I wish to God I could make all of this not happen to Kimmie and Matt. That's what Dad's are supposed to be able to do. I hope nobody in our family or anyone in the entire world ever has to see their own child's silent tears.

Saturday August 21st - Hi Everybody, Matt and I want to thank you for all of the prayers you have been saying for Aidan. He is a very sick little boy, but hanging in there. No major improvements, but he is not getting any worse either. It will just take time and we thank you for thinking of him --and us -- along the way to his recovery.

Saturday August 21st - Aidan had a stable day the whole day. He still has all of the tubes coming out of him, but nothing more came up. He started having Kimmie's milk fed to him through a tube into his stomach. Not very much, but enough to get his intestines working on their own. Kimmie and Matt went to Clark Jrs. birthday party that Becky threw for him. It was their first time out with people that they could talk normal talk with. Medical talk gets old after a while. It was good to see them have a good time. Matt really enjoyed the part where he got to control the piñata when Clark Jr was blindfolded and trying to hit it. He kept dropping it on Clark's head with the rope attached to it. After the party, Matt, Kim, Deniece and I went to visit Aidan at around 10 P.M. He was moving all around, he had one eye opened and he looked like he wanted to play. He gripped everyone's hand with a strong force, and then he found the tube that goes into his mouth, and everyone was afraid that he would try to pull that tube out, so they used little stuffed toys to block his hand's access to the tube. He fell asleep while Kimmie was reading some little baby books to him so we all left. While Kimmie was reading the books to him, she would stop reading and show him the pictures on each page. Every time she showed him the pictures his little hand started waving up and down real fast like he was all excited about seeing the picture. As we were leaving Kimmie had a tear in her eye. She hates having to leave Aidan there. She hates having to leave him anywhere. This ordeal is starting to wear on everyone but the wait will be worth it when Aidan finally does come home.

Sunday August 22nd - Aidan was completely stable all day. He is losing weight and there is a little concern about that, but the doctors think they can adjust things to compensate for the weight loss. He rested most of the day which was good for him. The doctors said they are going to leave everything alone as it is for the next few days to see how he does. So there probably won't be any major changes for a while. His heart rate remains right where it should be, and his lab work remains pretty much the same each time it is taken.

Monday August 23rd - It's been three weeks today since Aidan was born. Today they found out that his body is rejecting the fats in his milk that they are giving him. The doctors are going to try some new drug therapy to repair the problem. If that doesn't work it's back to another surgery for the little guy. Besides that he was doing very well today. His blood gases were getting better and they were lowering the volume of oxygen he is taking in slowly but surely. He was on his stomach most of the day so that was a change also. At around 10 P.M. Kimmie started reading his favorite books to him and he opened his eyes a few times. Scrunchy face. That's what he gets when he's in pain or doesn't like all the noise around him. It's sad and funny at the same time, because his little chin just sinks right into his jaw and his hairless eyebrows raise up and look pretty funny. Scrunchy face is funny, but when it comes with the silent tears it tears at the heartstrings, because you know that the little person inside that little body is crying, and maybe even screaming with pain. The prayers and support that Matt and Kimmie have been getting from the Cherub people, all their friends, and all of you family people, has been overwhelming. Even you people who don't even know Matt and Kim have helped them a lot. They probably can't say thank you to all of you in person, or by mail, as busy as they are, but I will for them. What you have all done is kept them going, and hoping, that someday they will bring Aidan home where he belongs. Thank you all from the bottom of their hearts and mine.

Tuesday August 24th - Aidan had a very uneventful day. The doctors tried to turn his Oxygen down but he didn't like it so it went back up. He was on his stomach most of the day and when he isn't on sedation he just kicks the blankets off of himself and it looks like he is going to swim right off of the bed. His little hand and legs go crazy. He even tries to lift his head. The doctors are still trying to decide whether to give him medication for his thoracic duct problem or just to go in with surgery and repair it. With it not working, like it isn't right now, Aidan can't take in nourishment. I had class last night and missed going in to say good night to him by ten minutes. Tonight I will be there for sure and tomorrow you will get a better update.

Wednesday August 25th - Aidan's day was pretty easy. He still couldn't be taken off of Oxygen, but it is down to its lowest possible level. The doctors started him on the drugs today to repair his thoracic duct. It will take a couple of days to see how that works for him. Kimmie and Matt took their first night off from being at Aidan's side tonight. They both are completely worn out and really needed a break. A good day is a day when nothing bad happens. Today was a good day. All of the tubes are still in him. All of the monitors are still attached to him. He has a breathing tube down his throat. He's had 5 surgeries in three weeks of life. But today was a good day. I can hardly wait until next year when he is breaking everything in my house that's close to the floor. I will call that a very good day.

Thursday August 26th - Today was Aidan's best day. He was taken off of the Nitric Oxide. That was the gas that was needed by him to compensate for his lung problem. The nurses all wanted pizza to celebrate this milestone. If he makes it through the night without having to go back on the N.O. he might have his tube taken out of his mouth on Friday. Then we will finally hear him cry, laugh and mumble. (baby talk) One of his chest tubes had zero leakage also, so it might come out on Friday also. The other two tubes are still kind of active and surgery is still in the picture to repair his thoracic duct. Hopefully that will not be the case. His heart rate was normal and everything else was looking good. We will post some pictures this weekend for sure. Maybe Kimmie or Matt will be holding Aidan finally. Kimmie was in very good spirits today. It looks like her little one might have turned the corner to getting on with life. Things are still touch and go, but things are finally going Aidan's way for a change. Keep it up everyone, your the one's who are doing it. Aidan wants life so bad, he's one kid who really deserves it. I can hardly wait to meet this little wonder of life itself.

Friday August 27th - Today was a mother's dream. Kimmie was allowed to hold Aidan for the first time in his little life. The nurse was even crying at this one. Forget the Olympics, Kimmie received her Gold medal, not on the platform in front of thousands of fans, but in a rocking chair, surrounded by her mother Deniece and the nurses. Where do you think Kimmie would have rather been, Greece or at CHOC in Orange? Aidan responded with a cry that sounded like a 90 year old chicken, barely a scratchy whimper because his vocal cords did not know how to work yet. His breathing tube had just been taken out of his mouth, and it had been in his throat since the day he was born. He still has oxygen helping him through his nose, but it must be a big relief just to have that tube, that silenced him for so long, finally removed. Matt was working and sick so he couldn't hold him today, but arrangements are being made for tomorrow, when Matt will finally hold his heritage for the very first time. It killed me today to say no to holding Aidan. I knew it wouldn't be right if Matt wasn't the second person in his life to hold this precious bundle since he played a major role in creating him. My time will come, as well as Deniece's, and all of you who have stood by Matt and Kim and Aidan for all of these weeks. Aidan is far from being out of the woods yet, but today he was held and loved by the one who loves him the most, and I'm sure he felt safer with Kimmie leading the way out of this terrible black forest he has been lost in. Prayer has no limits, nor does hope, so please keep both up for Aidan's sake,

Saturday August 28th - Aidan had such a good day yesterday we were expecting everything to go even better today. But, as is always the case, somebody is testing all of us. Aidan had to have a blood transfusion today. He is still having blood loss from his chest tubes and from the thoracic duct problem. The new I.V. they put in him didn't help either because it caused so much bleeding while they were just putting it in. Deniece and I snuck into the hospital at 11 P.M. after attending 2 birthday parties for some very good friends of ours, so Kimmie had already left for the night. He looked so peaceful. The nurse on duty let us say goodnight to him. Sorry Kimmie, I know you always want to be the last person to kiss him goodnight, but we couldn't take the temptation tonight. I'm sure you will understand. While at the two birthday parties that we went to tonight, (one for a 40yr. old and one for a 50 yr. old, who looked thirty), so many people from both groups, old and young, came up to Deniece and I and told us how much they are all praying for Aidan. There were even people from Arizona, who I didn't even know, who said they had heard about Aidan and were praying for him. I'm not too spiritual but tonight was an eye opener for me. I heard the word prayer tonight more than I ever have before. Aidan chances were slim from the time before he was born until just recently, and he still is day to day, but the comfort I felt from so many people saying they are praying for Aidan, Matt, and Kimmie made the load on my shoulders seem a little lighter for some reason. And if it was not words of prayer it was simply words of caring which meant just as much. I hope someday, Aidan is able to meet all of you and thank you personally. That is my dream. And I will remind him of every one of you who carried small pieces of his pain on your shoulders for him. Matt, Kimmie, and Aidan thank you from their two big hearts, and the one little one.

Sunday August 29th - Aidan was a little grumpy today. Kimmie was able to hold him again, but he still was Mr. Scrunchy face. His silent tears have come to life, and he wants the world to know he has arrived. He had some new pictures taken today of Kimmie holding him and of him with his eyes open. They will be on the web site soon so everyone can see what a mother's love looks like. I wonder if Aidan will ever know what he put his mom and dad through so early in his life. Oh yea, he will, because I'll remind him with all of these crazy nighttime memories of another day in the life of Aidan. Monday is going to be a big day because the doctors are all consulting with one another on if they should do the thoracic duct surgery now, because the medicine they have been using on Aidan has not worked to stop the leakage. Their only other alternative is a medicine that has only been used on adults, so it would be completely unknown to the medical staff on how Aidan's little body would take this stronger drug. On the other hand they don't know how Aidan will be able to take another surgery to his already stitched and stapled little body. The kid never gets a break. Monday is his birthday, four weeks!!! I hope the new drug works and it doesn't harm him. I don't want to see him go through any more pain. I don't want Matt and Kimmie to have to sit in the separate waiting room, away from the public waiting room, at the hospital for somebody to come in and give you good or bad news. Just sitting in that room so many times is bad news, and I don't want to go in there again and I don't want them in there either. We learned tonight that Aidan's little roommate for the last two weeks might not make it through the night. She is on the same machine that Aidan was on. Her parents were just completely devastated when they got the news. When Kimmie went back to the hospital tonight she asked me to go with her, because she didn't want to face these parents that she has come to know, alone. This is their second child who will have died. The first one only lived four days. This little girl is 11 days old. What do you say to parents who have gone through this? Is God being fair to this young couple, that want a child so badly, that he takes two from them this way? I didn't know what I would have said to them, but I would have said something. It would come to me from somewhere even if only to let them vent their grief. I'm not being selfish when I say this, but my bigger fear is having to face Kimmie and Matt if something were to go wrong with Aidan. Deniece and I have worried about that moment every minute of the last 4 weeks. Kimmie said today that I make too many people cry when I write these daily reports, so tonight it's different. Today, while I was with Aidan, he opened his eyes really big. That picture is in the pictures on this web site. When he saw me he started smiling, which I have never seen him do. Kimmie said it was either gas or he thought I was funny looking. I prefer to think that he smiled because he knew Grandpa and him were going to have a really fun life together. I have fun with life, and with the people around me, and so will Aidan. Good night to all of Aidan's crazy new friends, and thanks again for everything.

Monday, August 30th - Aidan's day didn't start out too good today. At 4:30 in the morning Matt and Kim were called by the hospital and told that Aidan had to go back on the respirator. That is the tube that was in his mouth to help him breath. When the tube was out for the last few days, Aidan could cry and we could hear him. Now he is taking a step backwards into silence. Today he was started on the new drug that I talked about yesterday. They have to give it to him for 3 days in a row before they will know if it is helping him. Then tonight Kimmie was told that Aidan might even have to go back on the oscillator. That's the machine he was on the first day he was born. It breaths for him. That was really bad news. One step forward and two steps back. That has been Aidan's life for four weeks today. His little roommate who was in serious trouble last night made it through the night. It was a big relief to go into see Aidan this morning and to see her parents in her room with her. The new pictures of Kim holding Aidan and of him with his eyes really wide open will be on this site very soon. Check them out, their the best so far. Matt and Kim are holding up pretty well considering all that is going on around them. I don't know if I would be as strong as them if this were happening to my child. He's my grandson and this is testing any faith I have to the limit. I will still ask God privately to help Aidan out of this mess, because that's the only place I can turn to right now, but if anything goes wrong, Please everyone, pray real hard during the next two days. Really, call in all favors that God owes you

Tuesday, August 31st - In the middle of the night last night we received a call from Kimmie. The hospital had called her and Aidan had been diagnosed with an infection that was serious to a baby in his condition. He and Matt and Deniece and I stayed up all night worrying about what the morning would bring. When we got to the hospital in the morning there were a lot of people working on Aidan and it looked like the worst was coming down on us. But they stabilized Aidan within a few hours and then the worry about what the infection was caused by was our main concern. The doctors were going to debate giving him his second shot of that drug that he received yesterday because they thought that might have contributed to Aidan's set back today. After I left at about 1 P.M. the doctors met and decided to try the medication one more time. Kim was the only one in the room with the doctors when they started giving him the drug. Within a few minutes of starting the drug Aidan's heart rate dropped fro 170 to around 50. All hell broke loose in that little room as everyone prepared to bring him back to life should his little heart fail right then and there. There was barely room for Kimmie in there with all the people who rushed in to help. The doctor stopped giving the drug and everyone just waited. After about ten minutes of everyone holding their breath, Aidan's heart rate started going back up all by itself. The doctor pulled the injection out about half way through and was too concerned to give the drug to Aidan any more. Nobody knows what caused the heart rate to fall because they were all expecting his heart rate to climb when the drug was given to him. So the plan now is to forget the drug. Aidan is scheduled for the most difficult surgery of his little life on Friday. The doctors will have to find the Thoracic duct, which is barely visible in a little baby, and then patch it up. This Friday will be Aidan's ultimate test of how much he can take. He still has to make it to Friday, which is a problem in itself, with the infection going on inside of him. I know you all want to visit Aidan and show your support to Matt and Kim during this very trying week ahead, but going in to see Aidan should not be your priority. He is supposed to be in a completely germ free environment with little or no noise around him. He needs every minute of rest he can get to fight the infection and be ready and strong for Friday. So please try to refrain from asking them to see Aidan. They are both so thankful for all the prayers and thoughts that you have all had for the little guy that they hate to say no to anyone who asks to go in. But believe me, I have talked to all of his doctors today, and in this case it can only be a detriment to Aidan's making it. Kim and Matt need some private time with their little one this week anyway, so this is the time to give it to them. I had class tonight next to the hospital so I went over to see Aidan at around 10:30 P.M. He was sleeping so peaceful and you would never know that he had the day he had today. The CHOC doctors and nurses do miracles everyday of their lives over there and never get any credit for it. Today I witnessed their miracle touch as they brought Aidan back to a peaceful place. Dr. Bixby who is a CDH specialist had her last day at CHOC today. She had grown to think of Aidan as her one little special case and was continually checking on him even on her days off. Dr. Bixby and Kimmie had become very close and it was a very tearful good-bye when they hugged and said good-bye to each other today. Doctors aren't supposed to get emotionally involved with their patients but she sure got wrapped up in Aidan. She was crying all the way out the exit doors of the hospital today. She is a doctor with a soft heart. I love doctors with soft hearts, especially if their treating my Grandson. Thank you Dr. Bixby and please check on Aidan from wherever you are, anytime you want. As I left the hospital tonight, I told the nurse on duty with Aidan that I didn't want any middle of the night calls tonight. I want Kimmie and Matt to have one night of peace and quiet. And I don't want to fear my phone every time it rings. Last request, this week, pray harder, this is the most critical time in Aidan's life.

Wednesday, September 1st - Aidan had a semi normal day compared to the rest of his days so far on earth. He was not given the 3rd dose of that drug that caused his heart rate to drop so rapidly yesterday. The doctors decided the surgery is the best course of action to take. He was given a new drug today through his vent tube in his mouth, and the hospital didn't know that he was allergic to that drug, and he turned bright red with blotches all over him. They figured it out pretty fast but in the meantime it gave Kimmie quite a scare again. One doctor came into the room today and told me that he didn't think the surgery could take place on Friday even though it is scheduled for that day. Aidan has to be weaned off of the oscillator before they can operate and that will take about 4 to 5 days. The surgeon still thinks that Friday is the day. Kimmie came home with me at about 4 p.m. and took a nap. Then when my team met up at Zito's Pizza before our softball game she walked up there with Deniece. Clark and Becky met us there and when Clark Jr. and I left for our game Deniece, Kimmie and Becky all walked to our house. Clarky and Becky are having a little girl, so now Aidan, you will have a little playmate. I just thought of something. If Aidan continues like he has, he will be getting out of the hospital about the same time Elle is getting out of the hospital. Aidan looked good when I left him today. Kimmie and I changed his diaper together and when his lower half was all of a sudden exposed to cold air, his eyes opened up real wide. He looked at me as to say, "What the hell are you doing to me down there?" His eyes followed me wherever I moved. It seems like they could just wake him up and take him out of there, but I know that's not the case. I think this upcoming surgery will be his last hurdle and then he will be coming home. Matt has been working hard to get the house ready and this extra time has come in handy. I think Aiden's room will be waiting for him when Matt and Kimmie bring him home in a few short weeks. Remember doctors and nurses at CHOC, no calls to Matt and Kimmie during the night tonight. Keep Aidan out of harms way until Thursday morning when we start this daily routine all over again. At least we will have had some sleep. To all of you out there in space, thanks a million times over. Your prayers and sincere thoughts have kept Aidan alive, I know it to be true because I have seen it every day. When he at the end of his rope, somebody out there pulls him back. So thanks from me, but thanks mostly from Matt and Kimmie.

Thursday, September 2nd - Aidan will be having his surgery at 7 a. m. Friday morning. This is the make it or break it surgery for Aidan. It is such an important surgery they are going to do it while Aidan is still on the oscillator. That's the machine that puts oxygen into his lungs, but also shakes him constantly. I don't see how a surgeon can do a micro surgery like this one, while the patient is shaking like he has Parkinson's disease. Kim, Matt and I said goodnight to him tonight at about 9 :30 p.m. Kim and Matt are coming to the hospital at around 5 in the morning to get in as much time as she can before the surgery starts. Deniece and I will be there also. You all might be seeing this update after the fact. If so and everything turns out fine, thank you so much for all your prayers and thoughts. If it turns out bad, I still thank you for giving Matt, Kim, Deniece and I this one month of joy. We have come to know and love Aidan and can still hardly wait to bring him home where he belongs. Sorry to make this one short, to much is going on tonight in my head to think about words. Just know we all thank you so much.

Friday, September 3rd - I had to get this one posted early. Aidan came through the surgery and is doing well. I can't say it was easy because it was not. During the surgery there was a general hospital code red to Aidan's room and doctors and nurses came running from everywhere. I went into the small waiting room and told Kimmie, Matt, and Deniece after I was sure it was all for Aidan. Naturally they all came running out crying and thinking the worst. After what seemed like an hour, but was really only about 15 minutes, one of the doctors came out and told us that Aidan had stopped breathing because his vent tube had pulled out a little bit during the surgery and no one knew why his heart pressure was dropping so fast. They finally figured it out and brought him back to normal. The rest of the surgery went very well for this little fighter. It wouldn't even be a normal surgery for Aidan if he didn't give everyone a scare. It's now 11:45 and I need a strong drink. My nerves are shot, so I'll take a shot, to calm myself down. I don't know how Matt and Kimmie take all of this pressure. I guess as parents, as they are now, you just learn that the pressure comes with the title and you learn to live with it. You have to, he's yours now and you take the good with the bad and love them no matter what. Again, all of your prayers really worked today. And again, one of you pulled him back. Whoever it was, thanks for holding on so tight, and not letting go.

Saturday, September 4th - All day today Aidan was kept in a sleep like state with a drug which is a paralytic. In other words, it keeps him paralyzed so he doesn't become to active and move the tubes and stitches around. He did develop two more infections which the hospital is trying to figure out the source of. He has fluid in one of his lungs so the nurses have been "bagging" him to suck out the liquid. This causes some drops in his vital signs and concerns Kimmie greatly, but what wouldn't concern a mother with a child as sick as Aidan is. He survived the major surgery with a major scare in the process. Two little infections are nothing when it comes to Aidan. The thing that made Deniece fear the worst was the way he looked after the surgery. He was bloated so much that even his little ears seemed to be twice the size that they normally are. We were told that we can't talk in Aidan's room for a few days. The noise bothers him and it shows up on his respirator when he tries to breath on his own against the respirator. So Deniece and I were real silent when we were in his room. We will go to Church at the hospital chapel Sunday morning and then go across the street to CHOC to visit Aidan. I sure hope the nurses tell us he is doing much better. This Merry-go-round is making me dizzy and its time to get off. But as long as Aidan wants to ride it, I will stay on with him, and I'm sure Matt, Kimmie and Deniece will also. Aidan, just for your own information, there are other rides that are a lot smoother and more normal. Why don't we try one of those rides this coming week? To all of you out there who are holding on to Aidan, try to persuade him to at least try another ride, this one's too rough. But keep holding on tight, we wouldn't want him to fall off while the ride is still going round and round. Just tell him to try another ride when this one stops and when it is safe to disembark. Keep it up, not just for Aidan, but for all of the Aidan's of the world,

Sunday, September 5th - Today was a day of rest for Aidan. After all that had gone on with his little body this week the doctors decided to leave him on the paralytic drug that keeps him paralyzed until tonight sometime and then they will start to slowly take him off of that drug. All of his vital signs were pretty normal today and when Deniece, Kimmie, Matt and I left him at about 10:30 he was resting peaceably. The doctors told Matt and Kimmie that it would just take time now to see if the surgery worked or not. In another 24 to 48 hours they will know. His infections around the chest tubes are their main concern at the present time. They are going to weigh him for the first time tonight at midnight. That should be interesting to see if in 5 weeks he has grown any.

I think it was an easy day for Aidan because it was Sunday. All of you (or at least a lot of you) were in Church. So you remembered Aidan, and that made the prayers you gave up to him stronger. At least they were easier for God to hear being as you were all so close to God today.

Kimmie and I worked at the annual street fair tonight for The Friendly Center of Orange in their beer booth. It's amazing how much a vice as alcohol can be so helpful to so many kids and families in need. Before we went to our scheduled time in the booth, Kimmie and I walked around the street fair and stopped in to see some of her friends at the Citrus City Grill. Kimmie took out the pictures of Aidan and passed them around for everyone to see. No matter how bad he looks in those pictures she is still so proud of him. She looks past the wires and tubes to the little person behind them all. I was proud of her for showing them to her friends, because he deserves to be known and remembered for his ordeal and his soon to be victory.

Thanks to you, 5 weeks have come and gone and Aidan is still with us, please keep it up. All of you who have prayed for him and are local, you will be holding your child (Aidan) in a very short few weeks. You others around the world, although far away and might never meet him, will be holding him in your hearts for the rest of his life.

Monday, September 6th - Happy 6 week birthday Aidan!!! Sorry you missed the street fair last night. Actually you didn't miss much. It was to hot to walk around and there was no place to cool off. You were probably much better off playing googly eyes with the nurses at the hospital.

Today was a goods rest for you. No major problems and your infections are getting better. The nurse told us tonight that by the end of the week you might be off of the oscillator. That will make you much more comfortable. And if everything goes perfect this week Daddy might get to hold you for the first time this coming weekend. What a picture, great big Matt with little tiny Aidan.

Tonight when Matt, Kimmie and I were there visiting you I watched your monitor for a long time. When Matt and I talked to you everything stayed normal. But when Mommy talked to you and read to you those three books, your respiration went sky high. You tried to wake up and listen to her. I pointed it out to the nurse about your respiration shooting up so high and she said it was because you were getting excited and trying to breath on you own. By doing so you were fighting against the oscillator. Anyway, she had to come in and give you a shot to calm you down. From now on I promise I won't talk to you until you are much better. I don't want you to have to get a shot just because of me.

They weighed and measured you today. You have grown an inch and now weigh about a pound and a half more than at your birth. Of course the weight is just fluid retention because you can't eat yet. I am not sure the surgery you had fixed your problem completely. But I am sure that they are trying everything they can to figure out how to get you healthy.

So today was an easy day and an easy writing for me. No crying people all over the world tonight. Aidan has survived 6 weeks now. Miracle or science, I don't care to debate it, just as long as it keeps you walking that straight line towards the day you will finally get to come home. You have fallen a few times but you always seem to get up and keep going. Aidan, I think if I were in your position I would have given up a few times ago. Your a stronger man than I, and I am very proud to be your Grandfather.

To all of you, thanks for thinking of him over your busy holiday weekend. Some kids in the hospitals are the forgotten ones on family holidays, but you all must have thought of Aidan because he had his own vacation away from surgeries or other painful problems over the weekend. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Wednesday, September 8th - I am sorry for not writing any sooner to you all, and to you also Aidan. But the last few days, mostly Tuesday, things didn't look so good, and you can't think about words when life gets in the way sometimes. On Tuesday Aidan was having the most problems with his infections and he had to be helped with suctioning of fluid from his lungs on a regular basis. It looked like organs were shutting down and he was just getting tired of fighting. His eyes were so full of fluid that they were bulging out of his little head. There was no way he could open them. He was put on the paralytic drug again to ease his pain but it also shuts most of him down. He was put on higher doses of Nitric Oxide and Oxygen and the oscillator was turned up to its highest since he has been there. I don't understand how his little heart can take all of this punishment. It seems so fragile and has been worked so very hard. Today, Wednesday, he was somewhat better as far as the infections go but on the whole he is not improving. A new surgery will probably be discussed on Thursday which will drive me nuts. There is no place left to cut him open. I, as only a grandfather, am not allowed to get any information from the doctors or nurses because of privacy issues and laws. But I really would like to schedule a conference with Aidan's lead doctors and find out what they are thinking and what the prognosis for Aidan is. Let him rest, operate, let him rest, operate, let him rest, operate. That doesn't cut it with me anymore. I want to know what is happening and why. Maybe the doctors do know best, but at some point I would like to hear what their best ideas are at this point. Do I sound frustrated? Imagine what Matt and Kimmie are going through. I don't see how they have both kept their cool as much as they have through all this ordeal. For all of you out there who want to know, Matt and Kimmie are holding up very well. The councilors at CHOC have talked to them and they understand pretty much everything they are feeling at this point and are dealing with it. I went with Matt to an Angel game tonight and Kimmie went out to dinner with Clarky and Becky. Then they both met up back at the hospital to say goodnight to Aidan. I wonder what their talks are like on the drive home to Costa Mesa from Orange every night? I wonder if they pray together and I wonder if they cry together. I think every moment of the day and night about my grandson, so I can only imagine how this has to be playing in their minds. I thought about unplugging my phone tonight as to not have to face the call I have been dreading. But that wouldn't be fair to Matt and Kim to face any crisis alone so I will keep it plugged in and just pray that it doesn't ring. I know I ask a lot of all of you to keep it up for Aidan, but if you have anything left, please use in now. He needs it very badly.

Friday Morning, September 10th - Aidan is still under heavy sedation for his pain so he has not been able to know when anyone is with him.******* Good news for a change.******* All of his infections have been cleared up! I hope this problem, being taken care, of will lead to faster recovery of his other problems. It's sort of silent time around his room these days as the doctors and nurses want as little stimulation as possible to Aidan. That has to be the hardest part for Matt and Kimmie. Not being able to hold your child after all of these weeks is bad enough, but now your told not to even talk to him. Outside of the infections being cleared up, there are still no major improvements in Aidan's health. He continues to fight the strong fight and we hope this weekend he will show so much improvement that he will give us all renewed hope. We need the boost for our spirits sake and any improvement, no matter how large or small, will give us all the shot we need. I just started to read the posts that you all are sending last night. I really had forgotten about them until then. I was shocked to see how many of you keep writing with well wishes and prayers and good thoughts for Aidan's improvement. Kimmie and Matt could never begin to answer all of them with thanks at this time in their life, but be assured that Aidan will see them all someday and he will thank you all for his life and all of your blessings. Thanks again,

Friday, September 10th -Aidan continues to rest and heal. He is not being taken off the oscillator this weekend so Daddy Matt won't get to hold him just yet. The doctors are saying baby steps are how we have to think of Aidan's recovery. What do they think we are thinking after six weeks of this? Baby steps? Even baby's keep going forward when they begin to walk? Aidan takes two steps forward and then three steps back. Frustration is the word of the week. I'm sure Kimmie and Matt feel it even more than me. Why can't the doctors just get him better? Why can't the kids just take Aidan home? Why does anyone feel that Aidan deserves this? Venting, its the only way to stay sane through all of this. Forgive me for laying this on any of you reading this. I don't mean to do that. It's just what my mind throws out at this hour of the night after another day of zero progress. Kimmie and Deniece walked from the hospital three blocks to meet some of our friends late this afternoon for a beer. It was really good for her to get away with her mom and forget for a few minutes all of the bad stuff back at the hospital. Matt joined them later for pizza and then they both went back to say goodnight to Aidan. It would be so cool if Matt and Kimmie wanted to go out for pizza some night and they called us up and asked us to baby-sit Aidan. Dreams are a part of faith, aren't they?

Saturday, September 11th - Aidan had a fairly good day today. There was a painting party for our family and friends at Matt and Kimmie's new house, which took all day, so Aidan had some well deserved peace and quiet. Aidan's room at the new house is almost done. By next week Matt and Kimmie could be moving furniture into his room. Matt has devoted every extra moment of every day he has to getting this house completely remodeled and finished in time for Aidan's homecoming. He could be hiring a lot of the work out to sub contractors, but I think he uses the self sacrifice and hard work to compensate for his fear of the unknown future with Aidan. Everybody deals with that reality differently, as I do with these writings, Kimmie does with a strong face forward and constant vigilance over Aidan, and Deniece does with devoting every minute she has away from her job to helping Kimmie and Matt's daily life be a little easier.

Kevin and Natasha and kids, Johnny and his daughters Tenaya and Kelsey, Claire and Nima, Sharon and her daughter Christina, Matt Monford, a friend, who Kimmie used to be the nanny for his family in Northern California, and myself, all showed up to help get Aidan's house ready for him. Maybe that's why he's taking so long to get better, because the house isn't ready yet.

Matt and Kimmie came up to our house for dinner and then all four of us went over to see Aidan to say goodnight. He had experienced a pretty decent day. The doctors are talking about taking him off of the oscillator by maybe Sunday or Monday. His ex-rays showed that his weak lung is growing and getting better. The one problem that came up today is that he has now caught a staff infection in his neck. Most of the time people, when they would hear that news about themselves or their loved ones, would really fear the worst. With Aidan, it's just a normal everyday occurrence in his life. God, throw what ever else you want to throw at Aidan. My money is on Aidan. (That's not being sacrilegious, just jokingly confident) I always fear the worst for the little guy, but he always proves everyone wrong, including all of the doctors and nurses. It's like he really is Clark Kent, Superman. Nothing can hurt him.

There is still no guess to the when of his getting back to half way normal health. I guess he will do it on his own time. To all of you out there who have been spreading the word about Aidan, it is really, really working. We all hear from people from all over the world about their prayer groups and thoughts of good wishes. Keep it up. You are all Aidan's Army and we have to win this war. Luv ya all,

Sunday, September 12th - Aidan continues to rest and build up strength. His staff infection in his neck is being treated with antibiotics. His fluid output (pee) is getting better. He is still draining a lot of fluid from his chest tubes, but the doctors say that is the normal course of a baby coming off of the last surgery that he had. Monday should be an important day in Aidan's recovery because they are going to try to take him off of the oscillator. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well. I'll try to give you a half day update once I find out how things go for him on Monday afternoon. I know this is a short on today but just keep it in the back of your mind that the shorter these writings get the better Aidan is getting. Someday, I won't have to write a single letter on a page. That will be a sad day for me in that I will loose contact with all of you, but also the day I will cherish the rest of my life, because Aidan will be home, where he belongs. Aidan's Army will have won the war.

Monday, September 13th - O.K. I confess. I messed up last week when I said it was Aidan's 6 week birthday. I can't add or spell. Today is Aidan's 6th week birthday. He was born on Monday, August 2nd. Happy Birthday for a second time Aidan! Aidan had another day like yesterday. Calm, cool, and collected. Small problems continue to keep him on the oscillator but they were going to try again tonight to take him off of it. His infections are in check except for the one staff infection but the nurses are working on that one very hard. He's peeing more. I never thought I would think that was a good thing but in this case it is very good. It looks like one more week until Daddy Matt gets to hold Aidan as long as everything goes like it has the last few days. Aidan's little roommate, from when he was first in the hospital, finally got taken off of the ECMO machine today. That is a miracle in itself. I never thought she would make it and I don't think her parents had much hope either. But they all hung in there together and now she is pulling through. I think some of your prayers filled Aidan's room up so much it over flowed into her. Remember their first child died after just a few days. So this is a very exciting time for this other family. We will take pictures this coming weekend and post them so you will all see how much Aidan has grown and how much better his scars look. He still will have to go through that terrible withdrawal stage when he gets off the narcotic pain killer. That takes a long time in itself and is very hard to watch. Your faith and the word that you have spread has amazed a lot of people. You don't even know Aidan, yet you have brought him close to your hearts and held him. Matt and Kimmie cannot thank you enough for what you all have done for their first child. You all will always be in their hearts. Aidan's Army has marched right to the doorway of heaven and pleaded with the Almighty to let Aidan stay on earth and so far he has granted your wishes. Keep asking until he throws up his hands in the air and just says, “If he wants to live that bad, and you all want him to live that bad, go ahead and keep him." Wouldn't that be something?

Tuesday, September 14th - Aidan started out having a very good day. He was taken off the oscillator and he was doing so well he was just using the respirator. But, like always, Aidan's luck ran out again and his blood gases showed that he was not expelling his bad gases as he should naturally, so he was put back on the oscillator. It was very scary for Kimmie again because here she is thinking Aidan was really improving and then bang, the nurses are bagging him to get him breathing again. Matt and I were called by Kimmie to come to the hospital because Kimmie was really upset at this major set back for Aidan. When we both got there at the same time Aidan was already back to normal and we both got to play with him with his eyes wide open. The sad part about the whole situation was when Aidan would start with the silent tears again. I had not seen those for a few weeks and it was very disturbing for me, so I can just imagine how bad it was for Matt and Kimmie. When Aidan's doctor finally came in at about 6:30 P.M. he told Matt and Kimmie that the doctors were contemplating putting in a shunt that would take fluid from his chest cavity and deposit it directly into his stomach. That way, his body can absorb the good things in the liquid and eliminate naturally, through urine, the bad things that are affecting him now. It's either that procedure or another operation like the one last week. After that there are no further options for Aidan. I am going to talk on-line to some doctors that I consulted with before this all started, who work in San Francisco and Boston, to see if they can come up with any alternative plan of attack. Then I have to get them to agree to confer with Aidan's doctors. And that's only if there is anything else they think can be done. What the hell can happen on Wednesday? When does it all stop? Is life ever going to be normal again? It seems like our lives have just stopped for the last 6 weeks and I don't have a clue as to what to do. I wish somebody would take these handcuffs off of me. Or at least give me some insight into which way Aidan's life will turn. Remember, just venting. Don't think anything else about all of this stupid writing. Next week softball starts again and I will be able to go out and hit something for an hour to take the pressure off. And hitting softballs is legal. You guys know the routine, I don't have to ask you any more. Just keep it up. The few battles we have won keep us moving slightly forward, and I'm praying now that we really will win this war.

Wednesday, September 15th - Aidan started out having a good day today. One I.V. was taken out of his head and another I.V. was taken out of one of his wrists. His staff infection in his neck continues to get better. The hospital was bringing him down all day on his oscillator in anticipation of trying to get him off of it again. Kimmie was with him most of the day and everything was going fine. She came over to our house at about 3 P.M. and rested for a while and then went back to the hospital at about 5 P.M. While she was away, Aidan had an episode of fighting the oscillator and trying to breath on his own, and it sent his heart rate dropping very rapidly. It took the doctors and nurses longer than usual to get him back to a normal rate in all areas. It's really a good thing that Kimmie wasn't there to see that because it really shocks her to see him and not know if he is going to pull out of it. I went to visit Aidan tonight at about 10:00 P.M. and he was doing fine. Just lying there as peaceful as could be. I didn't know that during the day when he was having a bad episode the nurses had given him a paralytic drug that paralyzes him. But at least he will get a good night’ sleep. The doctors told Kimmie today that they are planning on inserting a shunt into his chest on Friday. That will take all the fluids that are building up now in his chest and empty them into his stomach. That way his body can absorb the good medicine and nutrients and eliminate the bad stuff naturally through his urine. While I was alone with Aidan tonight in his room, the nurse on duty mentioned to me that she was one of the members of the team that had been in Aidan's birthing room the day he was born. The team she was on was from CHOC and they were there because they knew that Aidan would not be able to take one breath by himself. They worked their natural everyday miracle that day, and thought nothing of it. She told me tonight that she cannot believe that Aidan is still with us. She said that he has gone through more in 35 days of life than most of the people in the world go through in their entire lifetime. She couldn't believe how strong he is to have pulled through all of this. I told her he takes after his Dad and his Granddad and he's not about to give up. I was saying that jokingly and she laughed. But than I told her that Aidan had a lot of people, all over the world, with their hands on him and Aidan's Army were breathing life into him whenever he needs it. One last thought. In that ward, which is called the NICU ward, it is strangely quiet. All there are in that ward are babies, and yet you never hear a cry. Yesterday, Aidan had silent tears for the first time in a long time and it hurt to see that. Imagine all of those babies on that ward who are silently crying and only they know it. How alone they must feel compared to all of the normal babies that go home right after birth, start crying, and are picked up by their parents and loved. I have been selfish in asking all of you to pray strictly for Aidan. Pray now for all of those silent teared babies who just want to be loved. There's enough prayers to go around, so Aidan won't feel left out.

Thursday, September 16th - Aidan was supposed to have the shunt surgery on Friday but his vital signs were so bad today that the doctors decided to wait until he is more stable. He is resting comfortably but that is because he has be paralyzed by the drugs they give him. Kim spent all day there at the hospital hovering over Aidan. Matt came in tonight before he went to his softball game which was the first one of the season tonight. I am going out of town for the weekend mainly to get Deniece away from all of this pressure that she is feeling wondering about Aidan. I am torn between leaving and staying because of the situation with Aidan. But we will only be 3 hours away and if anything drastic comes up Kimmie will call us and we will be home in a heartbeat. I won't be able to write these updates for the next few days so don't think anything bad has happened. I will talk to Kimmie every night, and if I can, I will write something from a rental computer place. Just don't be shocked if you don't see anything until Sunday night. I doubt that will happen though. I'll make every effort to keep you all informed. Aidan, don't do anything drastic during the next few days. I know you will be pissed off because I didn't come to see you, but I will be with you in thought and mind. Aidan's Army will be in charge while I am away and they will never let you down. Watch over him you guys, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to him while I was away.

Friday, September 17th – Aidan had two of his chest tubes removed today. He is still on the oscillator and is still having a bad time with loss of fluid from the one remaining chest tube. He is still on the drug that keeps him paralyzed. The doctors told Kimmie today that they are wondering how long his little body can take all of this stuff being done to him. I am 300 miles away from Aidan today and feel very far from him. I am usually only four blocks away. I hope Saturday goes better for Aidan and I hope his fluid stops draining. I don't want him to go through any more pain. I really want Matt to be able to hold Aidan if only for one time. He deserves that privilege and I hope God gives him the moment. Good night Aidan. I usually say that to you personally every night, but tonight you will hear it from far away. I'll pray for you and I know Kimmie has given you a goodnight kiss for me. I'll see you for sure Sunday, so be there for me. Pray hard you guys, I don't like the way the doctors are talking.

Saturday, September 18th – Aidan had another uneventful day. He has become very sensitive to noise and light. The doctors have started putting cotton in his ears. Kimmie has been talking to other people with CDH babies and they don't think the shunt is the best way to go for Aidan. I am coming home on Sunday and I will check with the specialists in Boston and San Fransisco who know all about CDH. These shunts are usually for old guys, like me, so I don't see why a little kid should have to have one put in. Kimmie reads these four little baby books to Aidan every night before she leaves to go home. She has read them so much she has them memorized now. It's ironic that now the books she has been reading to Aidan cannot be heard any longer, because of the cotton. His favorite book was about a little bunny who wants to run away from his mother, but the mother bunny loves him so much that every time the little bunny comes up with a new plan to run away from the mother, she comes up with a better plan to keep him going, because she loves him so much. Kimmie loves Aidan so much she will never let him go and she will think of everything she can to keep him safe and secure with her. It'll be Sunday by the time you all read this. As Aidan's Army, most of you will be going to Church. Please ask HIM to give Aidan a little extra time to heal naturally, so he can't run away from mother bunny.

Sunday, September 19th - Aidan was doing fine all of last night and today. At around 4 p.m. Kimmie called and asked us to go over to the hospital with her and Matt. When we walked we were not expecting to see what was going on with Aidan. He had red blotches all over him and his heart rate was over 200. The doctors and nurses were all trying to figure out what was going on and what they could do to correct the problems he was having. It was a very traumatic time for Matt, Kimmie, Deniece and myself. After talking it over among themselves the doctors gave Aidan some drugs that would slow his heart rate down. That was after they called for an Echocardiogram to see what was going on with Aidan's heart. One of the valves in his heart still is experiencing pulmonary hypertension. And as a last resort they gave him a shot of Viagra. It seems that this drug has been found to help correct the hypertension. That will be something to tell Aidan when he grows up. He was probably one of the youngest men in the world to take Viagra. Poster Boy maybe? Anyway, all of the drug therapies seemed to work, because when we left the hospital at around 9:30 all of Aidan's vital signs were almost back to normal. Kimmie and Matt are still there, fearing the worst, and wondering what can go wrong next. I have faith in Aidan that he will make it through the night and on Monday doctors from all over the country will be writing to us, and calling us, and conferring with Aidan's doctors about any and every therapy they can come up with. This can't be the last thing available for him. Somebody, someplace, might just know what might work. Please God, give us at least one more day to figure this terrible problem out. I know you want us too, or you wouldn't have put us all through this nightmare for this long. Give it all you got my friends, he needs it very badly right now.

Monday, September 20th - I don't know what to write tonight. It has been one of the worst days of my life. Kimmie called this morning and asked me to meet her at the hospital because things were not looking to good for Aidan. When I walked in I saw he priest praying