6:10am: Terran Mercury Stambaugh Smith is born! He comes out crying and Mom, Dad, and Grammy are ecstatic!! The care team is quick to relieve his swollen belly by helping him to the care bed where he immediately expels a good amount of bile before the nurses suction another cup out of him. Terran is immediately visibly relieved and is given to Mama for quick snuggles before whisked off to the NICU with Daddy.
11:00am: Mom and Dad are given brief moments of skin to skin before Terran is taken into surgery. It’ll be several days until they can hold him again.
12:00pm: After a series of tests to identify the location of the bowel obstruction, Terran is taken into surgery. He’s found to have an extreme case of “short gut” which in a nutshell means he’s missing a portion of his digestive tract (if you Google – beware, there are a lot of variations and the internet is full of outdated information). In Terran’s case, he’s missing most of his jejunum to the beginning of his transverse colon (and everything in between). Functionally speaking, that means he can’t absorb the nutrients he needs to survive on oral food. Care wise, that means he’ll need IV nutrition indefinitely.
2:00pm: Mom & Dad are given the news and cry together. They commit to giving Terran everything he needs to live a full and happy life. He will never be without love and care.
Terran is settled in the NICU with amazing nurses and doctors. Mom and Dad are part of the “care team” and given 24/7 access to his bedside, which they take full advantage of. Mom is pumping and storing breastmilk for Terran’s feeding program that will begin after his long surgical recovery, so she has a great reason to visit him in the middle of the night to drop off milk for the freezer.
This day has felt like a month. Mom and Dad had been waiting so long to discover the reason for the blockage that was picked up on an early ultrasound. They hadn’t dwelled on any individual possibility since there were so many. Turns out, Terran’s case is one of the worst possible scenarios. The emotional weight of Terran’s situation dampens what should be a joyous day. The room that Mom and Dad are staying in feels empty without Terran there. They keep reminding themselves that he’s in the best possible care. When they are by his bedside, his personality shines and his condition fades ever slightly… First observations: (1) he recognizes his parents’ voices immediately and looks towards them, (2) he’s so strong he overpowers nurses holding his arms down for care checks, (3) he only fusses for legitimate reasons and is consoled by Mom and Dad’s touch, (4) he’s, objectively, THE CUTEST.
Transferred from Caring Bridge 8/19:
Kathleen Stambaugh : I am sorry we had already left Seattle and were not with you when you received the news. You are a MEGA strong team though, and Terran is an angel.
8/7/21
Courtney Scherting : I’m so happy you’re here, Terran! It is so wonderful to see you and such a gift to hear your story. You definitely picked the right Mama and Dada! I am inspired by your strength, stoicism, and sweetness. Let’s do this thing, Terran! Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! I/We love you SO MUCH and YOU GOT THIS!
Thank you to Mom and Dad for the thoughtful updates. I am relishing each word of delight and keeping you safe in my heart.
8/6/21