McCarty, Joshua Cameron

[left:5e6232a36a]http://www.cherubs-cdh.org/Album/new/mccarty-joshua.jpg[/left:5e6232a36a]My nightmare began five months ago. I got pregnant at 18 and gave birth at 19. All of my doctor visits were normal, even my ultrasound. I had one 2 days before I delivered. On November 13, 1994, seconds after the umbilical cord was cut, my son was laid on my chest for a split second until he turned blue. The nurse took him from me to the corner of the room where everyone crowded around. My son coded and was brought back. When I was allowed to see my son, he looked scared and we both felt helpless. He was full of tubes, wires, and everything else. He was taken away by helicopter to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. My family and I chose to go ahead with surgery instead of taking him off of the vent. He was on ECMO for 14 days until his brain began to bleed. On December 21, 1994, they made him a diaphragm out of Gortex. They gave a 5% chance. I was so proud of my baby, I traveled 2 hours every day to see him. My parents were always there. Joshua has had many ups and downs. I knew he was meant to be here for a reason. I thank God every day that he is alive. I was allowed to hold my son when he was 3 1/2 months old. At 3 months old he had a tracheostomy. He is still on the vent and soon he will get a G-tube. I have been told that he will be vent dependent for several years- I have had training and am ready and willing to take care of him. My son, Joshua, is now 5 months old and is the best thing that ever happened to me.



Update 1999:

He is now 5 yrs. old. Joshua came home on Bi-Pap at age 11 mos. Along with the G-Tube, nebulizer, and everything else imaginable. At the age of 2 1/2 he was taken off the vent at home. Eventually his trach was removed along with his feeding tube. Since that time the trach opening would not go closed. So back to Hopkins we went to have the track and the G-tube opening closed. He gets pnemonia and bronchitis every year usually in Feb or March. He now has hearing aides and asthma. We didn't know that he had a hearing lose until he went to Pre-K. He now is in kindergarten and doing well. He knows all of his colors, ABC, and is learning to read. He truly is amazing. His last name is now McCarty and he has a sister that is 2 yrs old. They are as different as day and night. It was much easier taking care of a sick child. I never had the bottles, nightime feedings,etc. that you have with a healthy child. Don't get me wrong I thank God that I had a healthy child. It's just a big difference.


Written by Joshua's mom, Misty McCarty (Maryland)
1995, Updated 1999