Mixed Blessings with first grandchild

[toenailridgesl]

Our sonTerry & his partner Hue' had their son Tobin this morning at 8:13am. Baby weighs 7lb.11oz.
Hue' is terribly tired (15 hours in labour) & badly torn but will be OK.
Tobin is in neo-natal ICU because he wasn't breathing at birth & the medics took 8 minutes to get him going. There is a possibility of neurological damage but the definitive diagnosis will have to wait until he is stabilized.
We wait with fingers crossed.
Phil

[tangerine-jack]

That is a mixed blessing indeed. I am praying for a rapid recovery for Tobin. I know how it can be for a child with a birth defect or difficulty, my two oldest, Laura (12) and Emily (10), were born with a degenerative retinal defect and are now mostly blind.

BUT, with that said, kids are a lot tougher than we give them credit for and they have a way of plowing through these obstacles like an Abrams tank. Tobin will be fine, don’t worry.

Is there any way I can help?

[Tom The Brat]

Father God, we bring Tobin to you and ask you to touch him.

[grandpopswalt]

Phil,

Congratulations to your son and his partner and especially to little Tobin. Congratulations also to the new grandparents. We're all praying with you that Tobin's prognosis will be positive. I can totally empathize with you at this time. My own grandsons were each born with problems that seemed huge and freighting at the time but eventually became much smaller and more manageable. But as TJ says, kids have a way of overcoming many of these problems so that the only one left feeling the pain and still worrying is grandpa.

I think you’ll find that you’re going to love and worry about Tobin as much if not more than you did your own. Grandpahood is a wonderful thing indeed, it gives you another chance to raise a child, only this time you can be relaxed and really enjoy it.

We’ve never met but we do have a common bond now. So if you find that you need a sympathetic ear, please e-mail me and I’ll gladly help in any way I can.

Walt

[Rene Schweitzer]

Phil,
You and your family will be in my prayers. He is in the best place right now, and I'm sure God is watching over him. Please keep us updated!

[gvdobler]

Phil

My son was born in the 26th week, at 860 grams (1 lb. 14 oz.) and was in neo for 9 and a half months.

There were many stuggles along the way.

He is entering college this month and other than being a little overweight, he is doing fine.

This can be a very difficult time for all of you so be strong and keep up the faith.

[Anonymous]

WOW!

Roger all that Phil. [;)]

Is this your first?

BTW: after a 1000+ medical runs, I never had to deliver one, always made it to the hospital in time. [:p]

Jeff [8D]

[Anonymous]

Phil

Congratulations, and wishing all the best for the little fella.

Clive

[Anonymous]

Phil Tobin and all your family are in our thoughts.

Blessings to you all from the UK

John

[kstrong]

You have our prayers as well. It's nervewracking enough having a newborn, with all the uncertainties which surround even the healthiest of babys. Throw a complication into the mix? I can imagine Tobin's parents nerves right now. Suzi was born with a deformed left hand, which threw Allison and I for quite a loop. Fortunately, that's not life-threatening. I can only imagine what's going through your and your family's minds.

We'll keep y'all in our prayers.

Later,

K

[BillBrakeman]

God watches over the small and the weak. Tobin & all of his family are in our prayers.

Bill

[ttrigg]

Phil:

I read you note earlier tonight. Took your grandsons name to the prayer group supporting my wifes cancer. By this time tommorrow Tobin will be in the prayers of over 500 here in San Diego. By Friday it will have spread to many more groups.

[tangerine-jack]

[#ditto] My motorcyle club is also praying for Tobin internationaly. That may be off garden railroad topic, I don't care. There comes a time when we have to band together as human beings for the greater good and ask God for help.

Phil, again, is there anything I can do or anything you need that I can provide?

[Gary Crawley]

Phil

All the best for Tobin, yourself and your family from my wife Bev and myself.
Hang in mate as he is in good hands.

We now have 9 grand kids and I know how proud you are.
Our prayers are with you.

All the best
Regards
Gary.

[Anonymous]

Tobin will naturally be in my thoughts as well. Those little ones can be pretty tough, though. Our son was born (over 24 years ago) way too small, and had to stay in hospital because he couldn't generate enough bodyheat by himself. By the time he was one year old he was ahead of the growth charts!

Please keep us informed.

[toenailridgesl]

Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts & wishes.
Tobin is now able to be fed (via nasal tube) as his gut has finally begun to work, the fitting is subsiding & he is much calmer. His body temperature has come up to near normal & he has not had to have any more drugs today.
Hopefully he was just suffering from an exaggerated birth trauma. He isn't out of the woods & will probably be left with some neurological deficit but the picture isn't as black as it appeared yesterday.
What a wonderful bunch you blokes are. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Good news Phil, keep us posted [;)]

Jeff [8D]

[toenailridgesl]

Good news & better news!
Tobin's brain swelling has decreased to the point where he is no longer having seizures, he's feeding normally, is filling his nappies (diapers) adequately & has been moved from ICU to SCBU Special care which is way down the list of seriousness & monitoring.
His granny & I got to hold him today for the first time, that's quite a thrill given that 3 days ago we didn't think we'd still have him.
Thank you all for your thoughts & wishes, Kathy & I aprreciate them very much & I'll forward them all to his parents when Hue' comes home from hospital.

[tangerine-jack]

EXCELLENT!

[kstrong]

Great to hear! Keep us posted on his continued progress.

Later,

K

[grandpopswalt]

That's wonderful news. Please do keep us informed on Tobin's progress, and again, he is in our prayers.

Walt

[Anonymous]

That's really great to hear, Phil. Good on the little bloke!

Clive

[Anonymous]

Sounds like he's on the right track. Please keep us informed!

[toenailridgesl]

Tobin had his brain MRI yest. morning, it showed a minor haemmorhhage in the right hind-brain. The Prof of Paediatrics says he expects a full recovery over time, worse scenario is possibility of mild epilepsy so possible long-term anitconvulsive meds.
He is having an EEG this a.m., if that's OK then he goes home tomorrow.

[Rene Schweitzer]

Phil, what great news! You must be thrilled and relieved.

[Tom The Brat]

Glad to hear! Thank you LORD.

[toenailridgesl]

Wonderful news!
Tobin has passed his EEG 100%, his symptoms have dissapated although he'll stay on anti-convulsive meds for a while, and he's allowed to go home!
Many many thanks to so many of you that wished Tobin & us well. What a nice bunch most of us LargeScalers are!
Phil

[Anonymous]

Phil, words fail me to say how happy I am for you.

[van buren s l]

Phil
I haven't posted on this thread until now because I've had my fingers crossed for the past few days. Now that you have posted the good news I can open my hands and breath a sigh of relief. God bless you.
Bob

[vsmith]

Thats very good news, epilepsy is a medically controllable condition. Hopefully he will continue to grow and thrive as he gets older and stronger. My niece-in-law's first was a premie also, very small and very weak at birth...the kid is an unstoppable whirlwind today!!!