Maddox Maxwell

Well, after a long, emotional journey...Maddox Maxwell is finally home. Maddox was born on Monday March 16, 2009. We went in Sunday Morning and after a long day of labor, he entered the world early Monday morning. Delivery went extremely fast. He was out in about 15 seconds. From the first time Jake brought him over to see me, we knew he didnt look right. He was blue and couldnt really cry or make any noises that didnt sound gargled. I paged the nurse back into our room, she took one look at him and took him away. We had no idea what we were in for. Jake followed the nurse out and didnt come back for 2 hours. He came to me with news that Maddox was having a hard time breathing. Not something you want to hear about your brand new baby. We had no idea the severity of the situation until the next few days unfolded. He was delivered at a hospital with a level 2 NICU and was in there immediately following his birth. I wont get into detail but I wil tell you that I have never felt the hurt in my heart that I felt there. I have never experienced anything like that. My husband and I were faced with feelings and thoughts that no parents should have to feel following the birth of their child. To be honest, we were unsure what was going to happen. They didnt know what was wrong. Finally after they had a cardiologist come, they concluded he had pulminary hyper tension and seperations of tissue in his heart. On Tuesday early evening, Maddox was transferred by ambulance to the level 3 NICU at Siena. He was on a breathing machine which did 100% of his breathing and on alot of medications to open up and clear his lungs. Again, I will spare the details, but it was a long and emotional 10 days in the NICU. The hardest parts were not getting to ever hold him until he was 8 days old, not getting to see his eyes open until day 8 as well because he was so heavily sedated the entire time, having to leave him there alone when I had to leave the hospital to be with my other kids, and just not knowing what was going to happen from hour to hour. I didnt sleep for a very long time and I was constantly worried that something would happen while I wasnt there. Aside from the other conditions he was being treated for, he also suffered from pneumonia, and a collasped right lung. Now for some good news. The drs were very impressed with him with how well and how fast he was recovering. Once they diagnosed him and treated him with the necessities he fought his way the entire time. We kept calling him our little fighter and our warrior. He continued to fight and recovered very well. He will have no long term effects from this which we are happy about. The Drs told us he is a normal healthy baby now and to treat him like as if it never happened. He is a wonderful baby and we are enjoying having him home. As you can imagine, we all battle who gets to hold him and we never put him down. :) We cant stop staring at him and we love him to pieces. The kids love him and do very well with him. We are overly protective of him and that will problably never change! :) Things are going very well for him. We definitely feel very blessed to have him home. We are closer than ever as a family and closer to the Lord. We had so many people praying for Maddox and our family, and we felt it. Maddox received many blessings and his name was put into 3 different temples. We know Maddox has a purpose here on earth and we are so grateful for a full recovery. Thank you for all the prayers, text messages, and the many wonderful meals that everyone has done for us. We have felt the love of everyone and it has definitely helped.
Below are a few of the many pictures taken in the NICU and some of his first days at home...