I have another great-nephew

My niece gave birth at 8:00 this morning to a 7lb 12oz boy, Joshua Thomas. We've known for a couple months there were complications with the baby. He was born with his bladder on the outside. The doctor's did want to do the surgery immediately after birth, but with the rough labor, they want to give the baby time to get stronger, so the surgery will be this Saturday. He has to have his bladder and penis reconstructed. He'll be in the hospital in traction for one month. He should have another surgery at 6 months, and maybe 2 more by the time he's 3 years old, and hopefully that will be it.

Please keep my niece, her husband, and Joshua's 2 year old big brother Christopher in your prayers.

Congrats and good luck, I'm sure all will be fine.

Is this A. Ruth's grandson??

(Congrats)

No, it's not. It's just her niece too. Her daughter is the one who was married 3 years ago, outside, in the rain. But she has no grand kids yet. But another one of our sister's daughter just found out she's pregnant. So Angel and I will be the only one's (along with our only brother) not grandparents yet. *knock on wood*.

Geez... its hard to keep track of that hillbilly family. :p

Congrats Beth!

Don't feel bad. I've lived with them my whole life and I can barely follow the score card.

Congratulations and good luck. I'm sure everything will go fine.

Beth,
Babette had extensive bladder and kidney reconstructive surgery when she was 4, and then again at 6. It's amazing what doctors can do! I will definitely keep the little one, and your entire family, in my prayers.

Congrats Bethie! I'll keep your family, especially the baby, in my prayers.

Congratulations BethE.

I will keep your little nephew in my prayers.


Don Cardi

Congratulations and all the best for the baby. He will be in my prayers.

Here is the latest on the baby. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayer. This will be a very trying time.

Joshua MAY have surgery on Sunday. His bladder is the biggest the doctor's ever seen and he's not sure it will fit! He's going to try Sunday. Please pray he is successful. Otherwise poor little baby will have to wait about 6 months until he grows enough for it to fit(and yes, he would have the bladder on the outside the whole time). Also he had an MRI last night to determine if they need to break his pelvis. Poor little guy. Chris and Laura are in good spirirts though. It helps to have a faith in God.

"Poor little guy" is right!

Congrats Beth! Hope everything turns out perfectly for the new little angel.


TIS

Please tell Chris and Laura that my thoughts and prayers are with them.


This little guy must be one tuff cookie.


Don Cardi

Congrats on the birth of your nephew. I will keep him and your family in my prayers.

Here are two pics of Joshua.

[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/3473783%3A%3...74%3B5348nu0mrj[/img]

[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/3473783%3A%3...B4%3C8%3Cnu0mrj[/img]

What a cutie pie.

If I were a praying man, I'd say that they're in my prayers, but since I'm not I won't.

But I'm sure everything will be fine.

Modern medicine does complicated things as easily as you or I go around the corner for a pint of ice cream.

Even though these people don't know me, give them my best anyway.

What a little sweetie pie!!

My best wishes to the baby and your family, Beth E. Keep us posted on his progress.

AppleOnYa

I want to give a collective thanks for all the well wishes expressed here. Hopefully I'll get to see the little guy today, and will definately pass them all on. They mean alot.

The baby is scheduled to go into surgery tomorrow. They'll put him under anesthesia, and if they find that the bladder is too large to fit, then they'll bring him out and schedule the surgery for 6-8 months. Let's hope that doesn't happen, because then the bones mature more and they'll have to break his pelvic bone to fit the bladder. Here are some pics. The baby is slightly jaundice so the doctors said to take him outside for awhile.

Me and Joshua.
[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/34737%3A%3B6...%3C4%3B96nu0mrj[/img]

[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/34737%3A%3B6...%3A732937nu0mrj[/img]

My daughter Nicole and Joshua

[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/34737%3A%3B6...35%3A%3B9nu0mrj[/img]

Aw, what an adorable baby!

I wish him all the best, Bethie! Hope everything will be OK.

Bethie, my thoughts and prayers are with little Joshua and your family - he's absolutely adorable.

I'm sure everything will be fine. Please keep us updated!

This pic here is special because my niece has another son who'll be 2 on July 2, and he's been missing his mom and dad because they've spent both nights so far at the hospital. When we got there Christopher would not go to his mom. He only wanted his daddy. My sister said it's just psychological warfare that my nephew is showing his mom he's mad at her. After awhile my niece took him aside for a little walk, and when they came back he was back to forgiving his mom. For the time being anyway..hahaha. The pastor of our church was there and he said a prayer for the baby, which got my niece very emotional. I gave her everyone's well wishes and she was very touched.

[img]http://images1.snapfish.com/34737%3B399%...A73294%3Bnu0mrj[/img]

What a sweet little thing! Poor baby... My thoughts are with your family, Beth. I hope everything goes well with the surgery.

By the way, that 2-year-old is adorable too.

Cute baby, Beth!

Congratulations!

The baby had the surgery today. It went well. He'll be on a venitlator tonight and will be in the hospital for about 4 weeks.

Great news Beth! Glad to hear all went well. I wish him a speedy recovery. He's a darling little baby that's for sure.


TIS

Thank you TIS. We're greatful it was done now. The downside is he'll be in traction for the whole time he's in the hospital and will not be able to be held. I think that aspect is the toughest of all.

I am glad that they were able to do the surgery now while he is a baby rather later when he gets a little older. I will continue to keep that precious in my prayers right along with you and your family.

Beth, Isn't it amazing what doctors can accomplish?? God bless them and the miracles that they perform for us. I am so glad that the surgery went well. Keep us posted on Joshua's recovery.

Great to hear everything went well Beth. I can imagine how hard it must have been for the parents.

Please pray for Joshua. He has been vomiting the last few days and now has fluid on his lungs. Thd doctor said something about RSV, a desease preemies sometimes get.

Beth:

He'll be fine, I'm sure of it. Have faith, my sister.

I will be praying for him Beth. I give you my solemn word.

My heart goes out to that little child. Please keep us posted on his progress and just keep up the faith my friend. That little guy is probably a lot tougher than you think.

Our prayers are with Joshua. May GOD watch over him through this tough battle.


Don Cardi

He's in my prayers, Bethie.

Keep the faith - I'm sure he'll be fine. God bless him.

I am so pissed. Joshua is at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Which is supposed to be rated the #1 hospital in America. Listen to this shit.

Laura is so mad. Joshua was moved to a regular room yesterday which means the nurses are all the way down the hall. When she got to the hospital this morning she found her baby lying in old waste with a pad covering it, throw up on his shirt and the stint that goes into his bladder was broken. He was tied down and his bed sheets were soiled. I told her she needs to file a complaint. She wants someone from the family with him at all times. She called and asked me if I could spend tonight there. And this is supposed to be a world famous hospital?

Fucking nuts. It's unfortunately not all that uncommon.

However, if you do have someone from the family with him 'round the clock, you can ensure that he'll be guarded 24-7. It's really the only way.

Best Wishes,
Double-J

I'll keep baby Joshua in my prayers. I would have a little chit-chat with the nurses on duty that night and let them know how disguted I was. Please keep us posted.

They took Joshua out of traction this morning. So naturally everyone (except me) all had to go to the hospital for a chance to hold him. He needs to have an MRI to make sure everything is ok. He's on the list for Tuesday release, but Laura's going to push them to do it sooner. If the MRI is fine he gets to come home! He may still have the feeding tube though. They'll teach Laura what to do. The reason for that is since he hasn't been feeding by mouth he needs to build up his sucking. He gets tired before he's full. Since he has been lying immobile so long he doesn't have much strength in his legs or neck so he's like a newborn. He'll build those muscles as soon as he comes home! Can't wait!

It sounds like he'll be just fine then. So glad to hear it. It's hard to see anyone you love go through things like this, but babies are so helpless and innocent that it really makes me feel extra bad for them.


TIS

I am so happy for you and baby Josh and your family.

Joshua had a bad morning today. My sister spent the night with him. All the doctors came in around 7:00 AM for their routine check ups. He's been moaning in his sleep and just crying, so you know he's in pain. About 8:00 AM my sister was trying to get him to drink out of a bottle. His oxygen level dipped to 50, (normal is about 100). The nurse had to rush in and lay him on the crib and give him oxygen. Plus he had a 102 fever. So they did blood gas tests and MRI's and chest xrays today. He was just miserable all day. I'm sure my niece was having a fit because she wasn't there. They're supposed to do another MRI on him Tuesday, so him going home Tuesday is out. Just knowing he's screaming in pain is enough to break your heart. At least he's out of traction so he can be held. My niece said later on that he's been ok today. So hopefully whatever it was will pass.

I'll keep baby Joshua in my prayers.

Joshua has another infection and has a high fever this morning. So much for going home soon.

Joshua is having trouble eating by mouth. He forgets to breathe with either the bottle or breast. The doctors are discussing the possibility of sending him to Children's Hospital in Washington. Please say a prayer. Laura is hysterical.

Beth, I am so very, very sorry. This is heartbreaking. Please tell everyone in your family that prayers are being said. Someone once told me that God pays closer attention to the prayers of children, so I will have my girls say one tonight.

How awful! At least you can take comfort in the fact that he is being taken care of. It may take a while for the little one to fully recover, but in the end thankfully, he won't remember any of it. I wish him the best.


TIS

All my best to you and the family.

My continued thoughts and prayers are with the little guy.

You have my prayers for the little guy and your family.

Prayers work!!!

Joshua did well from the breast so he should be ok. Good thing he's being breast fed, not bottle fed.

:)

Thank God he is doing better

Works for me.

Joking aside, I'm happy to read that the little guy is doing better.

Who wouldn't?

I echo my cohorts here at the BB, glad to hear the little guy is doing better.

What can I say, Joshua is all male.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone.

Glad that baby josh is doing better. How is his mom and dad doing?

Congratulations! Glad to hear things are getting better.

HOORAY!! Glad to hear things are looking up!!

Joshua may be coming home today (Friday). If he was a bottle fed baby he would have to go to Mt. Washington. However, the pediatrician said since Laura seems to be a good mommy and she's experienced at breast feeding they're not worried. As long as he keeps his weight up he can go home. My sister has already thanked God several times for giving women the ability to feed their babies.

Joshua is HOME!!!

Joshua has to have oxygen when he's sleeping deeply and he's still on medications, but he's home at last!!

Just bumped this up with an upaded pic of baby Joshua. My daughter is holding him. He's obviously off the oxygen, but still on meds. He's proceeding in his progress. He still has more surgeries in his future. Thanks for you prayers.

[img]http://render2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Y...C/of=50,590,442[/img]

He's a little cutie

I second that, you want to eat him up! :p Great to see him doing better.

What a cutie. And Joshua ain't too bad either.

I never realized the similarity between you and your daughter before.

Right down to our attitude and hillbilly accent.

So I'm not the only hillbilly on the BB?

Glad that baby Josh is doing good. How old is he now?

So I'm not the only hillbilly on the BB?

Glad that baby Josh is doing good. How old is he now? [/b][/quote]I for one would say you are the only hillbilly here, but others will swear that's not true.

Josh turned 3 months on September 15.

What a cute little guy! Glad to hear he's doing well, Crabcake!

Listen to me very carefully, Beth :

You take a big marker right now and add the following line to his apron :

"...and so do I. Big time."