Cinco de Mayo--The Camster's 2nd Birthday!

Two years ago today, I was in the middle of preparing some
killer enchiladas to take to a Cinco de Mayo party with my
Sunday school class.

But, the Camster decided it was his day to enter this world a little
ahead of schedule. Not too big a deal—but the plan was that his
mother be induced on a certain day, to ensure she’d be in B’ham,
1-1/2 hours (100 miles) north of us, when she gave birth.

See, Cam was born with gastroschisis, meaning that, while
developing, there was a hole in his abdomen, and his intestines
were growing outside of his body. He would need immediate,
specialized attention in order to survive. So, being born in B’ham would
allow him to be whisked immediately over to Children’s Hospital for
care.

The local ER doctor felt safe in saying that we could make it to
B’ham before Cam’s mom was ready to deliver. We would
just have to head immediately to B’ham with no stops along the way.

Well—we fudged on that just a bit. We went home, threw some stuff in bags,
I gathered up my half finished enchiladas, dropped them off at my mom’s house (can’t
waste food!), and then headed on up the interstate.

We had some dramatic moments along the way, like when my
daughter was yelling that the baby was coming. “Ok---Is the
baby in fact literally coming out of you at this particular moment?!! Or are
you being a bit dramatic? We still have about 35 miles to go. I need to
know if I need to pull over and call 911 and prepare to deliver a baby!”

Turns out she was just kind of panicky. Yeah! The driver was too! But, thank the Lord that the traffic was light, there was no construction, and no accidents. We made it
to the hospital and were greeted by a whole team of doctors, who were
needed to assist in the delivery. Cam didn’t make things too difficult on his mom, and it wasn't too long, before he made his debut.

He was able to see his mommy for just a moment, and then, with tubes
and wires attached all over him, wrapped in a special bag up to
his chin, to protect
his intestines, he was wheeled out to a waiting ambulance and whisked
off to children’s hospital.

There were no major problems with the intestines, which is always
a concern with gastroschisis. That was a great blessing!
And, about a week after he was born, he was able to have surgery to
have the intestines put back in his abdomen.

While his intestines were healing and starting to function properly, he had to be
tube fed . At almost two months, he
was finally having little sips from a bottle, but still being tube
fed until he could work up to having 3 ounces at one time, and
keep it all down. Once he got a taste of the bottle, he didn’t like
It when he couldn’t have more. He literally started out with a couple of
teaspoons at a time! That was just enough to make him mad!

All this time, his mommy stayed at the Ronald McDonald
House, nearby, so that she could see him every day. I know it was a very tiring and
emotional time for her. She was very much anticipating the day she
would be able to take him home!

He got to come in time to celebrate the 4th of July. Despite having
to be hospitalized two more times after coming home, he has done
quite well. Looking at him now, you would never know he had any
complications when he was born. It is amazing to think that for almost the first two
months of his life, he didn’t even know what a bottle was. That all his nutrition was from
from a tube. Because if you saw him eating now-------with his seemingly bottomless
pit of a stomach, you would never know he ever had any kind of intestinal problems!

Thank you God for all your blessings! Thank you Children’s Hospital,
and Ronald McDonald House! And thank you to Cam’s mom.

Of course, I never made it to the Cinco de Mayo party. And I think
it would have been the first time I ever celebrated that holiday. But,
now every year, Cinco de Mayo will be special to me!

Happy Birthday Camster! (aka stink bug) Grandmama loves you!