From The Beginning...............

Kaden was born March 16,2009 weighing 5 lbs 15 ounces. He was born emergently 3 weeks early by emergent C-section. Kaden's complicated birth and breathing issues left him on a ventilator and in the NICU for 12 days. Even though he was only on the ventilator 1 day many more obstacles lay ahead for our tiny miracle.
After 12 days in the NICU we took our beautiful baby home and lived happi;y ever after right?..........we tried. I knew something wasn't right from the beginning. From the first few days home for four and a half months Kaden cried and cried. It broke my heart not knowing what to do and that something was wrong and I couldn't fix it. We took him to the pediatrician many times even to the ER a few times. We were always told it was colic and it would go away soon. The stress was high in our home. Our older kids also struggled with Kadens constant crying.
Around four months we started noticing every once in while he would look to the right and his eyes would kind of go back and forth for just a second or two. I really just thought it was a case of newborn eyes that were still a little uncoordinated. I did mention it to the doctor who suggested we see a neurologist. So we made an appointment. But before we even made it to the appointment I took Kaden to the ER after along day of crying. I was adamant they do something. Run some tests do something! I knew it was not colic. After I told them about the eye movements he had been doing several times a day they decided to do a CT scan of his brain.......................................Here is where my world crumbled,spun, and crashing to the ground. My life forever changed with that one picture of my sons brain.
We were told Hurley could do nothing for my son. I held my baby in my arms on the stretcher as a ambulance took us to Detroit Children's Hospital.
We spent 11 days at Children's Hospital. Kaden had to undergo a battery of tests. From EEGs, EVPs, Echos and MRIs. So many tests and specialists it wasn't even funny. Our days were emotionally exhausting and our hearts were heavy. Actually, heavy doesn't describe it! I felt like someone ripped my heart out of me. I was devastated. I sobbed constantly. If I wasn't listening to a doctor talk to me I was silently praying up a storm in my head.
When all the tests were in we were told Kaden had severe brain damage. The eye movements we had been seeing were actually seizures. He was diagnosed with a rare type of epilepsy called infantile spasms. Kaden was also diagnosed with severe spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, heart arrhythmia's(SVT), GERD, anemia, hearing and vision impairment.............................This is where I don't know what to say.............this is where my friends and family don't know what to say to us...........this is where we crashed and burned for a little while.
The first few weeks after learning all of the above is a bit of a blur. Like a bad dream. I cried every single day for a month and a half. I specifically remember the first day I did not shed a tear. I was happy that day. Unfortunately there have been many more tears since then and I know many more lie ahead of me. I'm still not completely out of this dark place yet, but things do seem to be getting better for Brandon and I. Kaden is teaching us things everyday. Our way of thinking has changed as have our priorities.
I know God is in control and that Kaden is here for a purpose. I am so very blessed to be his Mommy and we are so blessed to have him here with us.



I created this site to keep so many friends and family updated on our ever changing life with Kaden. The outpouring of love and support from our family, friends and coworkers had been overwhelming and amazing. Please know that from the bottom of our hearts we are forever thankful.