Wiggs, Samuel Austin

[left:fe76a7c817]http://www.cherubs-cdh.org/Album/new/wilson-h.jpg[/left:fe76a7c817]Samuel Austin Wiggs was born on January 11, 2000. He was due to arrive on February 2, 2000. My labor lasted about 21 hours. When he was born, he didn't cry like most babies do. He sounded like a kitten; then he just stopped. The nurse handed him to me, and I held him, not knowing that anything was wrong. He was so beautiful. After a few minutes, he started turning blue and grunting, so the nurse rushed him to the nursery. I was alarmed, but did not expect it to be anything serious. Four hours later, the pediatrician came in and told me I had a very sick little boy. My heart sank to the floor. He went on to explain the birth defect, but I don't remember his words, only that I thought my baby would not make it through the day. They were sending him to a children's hospital, so the transport team brought him in to see me. I thought it would be the last time I saw him. I cried and held his hand, telling him to please be strong for me. I don't ever remember a time when I was so broken-hearted, to see my child hooked up to tubes and scared.

The next day I left my hospital to see him. I walked in the NICU, not knowing what to expect. To tell the truth, it sounds horrible but I didn't want to see him, because I was so scared. I walked in and a group of doctors, social workers, etc., came up to me. I looked at him lying on his little bed, and I just wanted to hold him. The doctors explained that he was sedated and could not feel any pain. They were going to wait until he was stable to do surgery. Every night we called to check on him. One morning the hospital called and told us to hurry, that he might not make it through the day. I went and held him, thinking it would be my last time holding him. I have never cried so hard. I went into a room by myself. I wanted to be alone. I thought to myself that it was meant to be, so I had to accept it. I somehow found peace and went back in to see him. Much to my surprise, his oxygen levels went back up. The doctors told us he could not go on ECMO because he had a level 4 bleed to the brain. So the vent was his only option. We were just happy that he was alive. He had his surgery; that went great. He was extubated on Valentine's Day. Because of his bleed to his brain, he got hydrocephalus and had a shunt put in. Samuel came home on March 6th, 5 days after my birthday.
He is now 16 months old. He has cerebral palsy due to the brain damage. Also, he has seizures and cortical blindness. He is the light of our lives; he is such a blessing. He has the biggest smile that will warm anyone's heart. Seeing him now, you would never think he was so sick at one time. I learned to never underestimate a baby.

Written by Samuel's Mom, Elizabeth Gwaltney (Virginia)
2001