Baby Brennan Eckert

This blog is devoted to Brennan Charles Eckert, born November 16, 2007, to parents Kim and Jeff and big brother Tommy. On January 25, 2008, 10 week-old Brennan was admitted to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital. He was severely dehydrated and eventually diagnosed with Slick Gut Syndrome. Brennan's doctors tell us he will be here about a month with a lengthy recovery at home as well. This blog is meant to update all those who are loving and supporting us and our sweet Brennan.

UPDATE: Brennan spent 21 days at TC Thompson and was discharged from the hospital on February 14, 2008. He began receiving food by mouth on February 18. His oral feeds were gradually increased as his tube feedings were decreased until he was shifted to 100% oral feeds on February 29. His feeding tube was removed on March 3, and his central line was removed on March 6. According to his doctor, Brennan is now a "normal baby with a recovering gut." He is home with us and doing great! 

Although we never could have prepared for this experience, we are more grateful than we ever could have been for the gift of our son. We have been so blessed by a community of folks who walked with us on this journey. Some were people we hardly knew, and others were lifelong loved ones, but we were given to abundantly at a time when our needs were great. And we are so thankful for how God met us in our need through the hands and feet and love of so many of his people.



"Let the Great Rabbi hold you silently against His heart. In learning who He is, you will find out who you are: Abba's child in Christ our Lord."
-Brennan Manning


Wednesday, February 13, 2008

if it's not one thing...

...it's another. today henry (our dog) was limping everywhere - wouldn't put any weight on his front left paw and was just pitiful. Henry was our first baby and so in my afternoon home while tommy was napping, our babysitter Emily came over and I took Henry for a ($100) vet visit, in which the vet gave him some painkillers and said it's probably a sprain. It reminded me of our first ER visit in which we were sent home with tylenol for brennan. nothing but medical bills for the baby and dog in our family...

more importantly, Brennan is doing well. The scale they weighed him on on Sunday was wrong; Brennan actually weighed 14 pounds 11 ounces yesterday, so he did gain weight (yeah!). He is now off the nutrition through his central line, which is a big deal, and we are continuing to increase his feeds. The goal is 40 ml an hour into his feeding tube and he's at 32 right now (up every 8 hours). He did have sugar in his stool yesterday, indicating he's not absorbing things properly, but hopefully that will improve. We are waiting and hoping to start oral feedings soon, and we are REALLY hoping for an early hospital discharge.

tommy is hanging in there. he's having more of a rough time now that the week has begun and he's not with Jeff or I as much, but he's not showing the same level of anger or anxiety as he did last week. We are very very eager to get home and be able to return to more of his structure and routine. He did, however, think he had gone to heaven today after his extended playdate with his friend Benjamin who has over 80 Disney cars. Benjamin even gave Tommy 2 of his cars, and they have not left his hands since (he's sleeping with them even now). we're so thankful for friends like this who are stepping in to help us with tommy.

thanks again for your continued love and prayers. we continue to be overwhelmed and grateful!
kim & jeff

1 comment:

stephanie said...

let's hope the doggie issues are over with this first vet visit!

sounds like some good progress in the right direction for both brennan and tommy!

still praying....