This site started as a baby blog, where we documented our pregnancy and those things related to it. We documented our medical care, our emotions and whatever else seemed interesting to us, including naming the baby.

Aiden Thomas was born December 10th, 2004 by emergency c-section at 10:46 am. As with the birth of any child, our lives changed forever at that moment. However, our lives changed in ways we never anticipated.

Due to placental abruption, Aiden was without enough oxygen for an unknown length of time. When he was born, he was not breathing, and had no pulse. They were able to revive him and brought him directly to the "Infant Special Care Unit">ISCU. Aiden had seisures and was given medication to help prevent them from recurring. This medication can cause the rest of the systems to slow down, so they kept him on a respirator and feeding tubes until they were sure that the risk of seisure has passed. Aiden's system never showed any recovery from this depression. After additional tests, it was determined that Aiden's brain function was almost non-existant. The prognosis was that the best we could ever hope for is that he would be able to breathe without a respirator. He would never speak, never walk, never eat without a feeding tube. He would spend his entire life dependant on machines. Our options were to leave him on the respirator, and force him to live as part of machines; or to let him go.

On December 15th, 2004, after Aiden had met all of his Grandparents and his two uncles, we removed the respirator, and spent four hours alone with our son. We told him about the world, the people who loved him, and how much we would miss him. He was amazingly strong. Even though, his lungs could not give him the oxygen he needed, his heart kept beating for four hours. Those 4 hours and those 5 days were more precious than anyone who has not been in this situation could possibly know.

Thank you, Aiden, for blessing our lives with every minute you could give us. We miss you every day, and are still learning from you.

We love you.