28/08: Micro Preemie Baby TJ - Update and Thanks

I am going off topic here but it is important, and the easiest way for me to reach everyone who may wish to read it.

Both Nikki and I wanted to express publicly our thanks to everyone who has sent words of encouragement and prayers for Baby TJ. The last three months have been a rollercoaster ride for me and Nikki and although the ordeal is far from over, we do not have the words to express our appreciation to countless people who have been there for us in innumerable ways.

So many kind and generous folks have offered up prayers and support that it is almost impossible to know where to begin. We owe huge debts of gratitude to the people of the Cayman Islands for their fundraising efforts on TJ's behalf - particularly to Geraldine Morgan and Steve Byars of the Morgan gallery for their tireless and selfless work in organizing TJ's raffle and the upcoming art show fundraiser. Also to Luigi for his amazing contributions by way of the sunset cruise and his unstinting support of TJ's cause. To Nassaria, Randy and all our friends who have been there for us all the way, to all the artists in Cayman who are contributing work, time and effort to the show and to the amazingly generous response of all the good people of the Cayman Islands. To the Cayman press and television stations who have rallied round and broadcast news of our story to such a wide audience and to every single person back home who has offered a prayer or even a passing thought to our son's struggle.

Thanks to all of our family members who have shown such love and concern for our welfare and that of our baby. The gifts, both small and large have been beacons of happiness as we continue on this unexpected journey. The phone calls, letters, emails and messages on Facebook etc. have given us cause for much joy and we feel truly blessed to know you all. 

Our thoughts are with everyone back home on the island in the face of approaching tropical storm or hurricane Gustav - you are now in our prayers too and we are hoping that everyone will come through safe and without loss of any kind. Please stay safe.

We also owe a debt of thanks to the Cayman Islands government, the medical and administrative staff at George Town hospital, the air ambulance pilots and doctors, the staff at Canadian Insrance Company CINICO and the wonderful help and advice we received from Child and Family services on the island. 

In Florida we cannot praise highly enough the doctors and nurses at both Mount Sinai Medical Center and Miami Children's hospital for their expertise, their care and their love. We could not have asked for more wonderful or caring people to be looking after our son'e every need, as well as those of the frazzled parents. Also the administrative staff at both hospitals for all the fighting you have done in our corner and all that you continue to do to ensure that TJ thrives and grows. To Doctor Ramon Ferra who delivered TJ, to doctors Adams and Zabbaletta in the NICU at Mount Sinai and to the nursing staff - thank you all so much for everything - your caring goes way beyond a job.

the staff at Dollar Rent A Car in Miami Beach have been hugely accommodating, going way beyond the call of duty and customer care to ensure that we have stayed mobile throughout our ongoing stay and managed to show the caring face of car rental :-) 

We are hugely indebted to the United States of America and its people and care systems, without which our micro preemie baby could simply not have survived. Also to the people of Florida who have shown us such a welcome wherever we go. 

Special thanks are also due to Ernie and Nanlin who took us in over three months ago and have allowed us to live under their roof for so long. Without their help we simply could not have stayed in the US and been in a position to visit our baby every single day. These are the acts of kindnes that can never be repaid or forgotten.

The list of names, people and places is long but we believe that every act, small and large, has contributed to the survival of baby TJ as well as going a long way to maintaining our own sanity and sense of perspective. The birth ofd any child is a life altering event, and yet we feel that our little miracle, conceived and born against such insurmountable odds, has been the catalyst of so any blessings for so many people, and has shown us a side of the human spirit that leaves us speechless. 

As you can guess, we feel humbled by the experiences of the past three months and we have seen so much evidence of the goodness in the hearts of so many. God bless you all. We cannot wait for the day that TJ can come home to Cayman and take his place in such a great country and community of generous and kind people.

If I have forgotten to mention any individuals or entities in this post, please excuse my ommission, as you can tell, we owe so much to so many: family, friends and strangers alike.

And so to the star of the show......baby TJ (Terrence James) who was born at just one pound and four ounces on 31st May. After three months, heart surgery and huge medical bills, the little fighter now weighs 3 pounds and 6 ounces. Last Saturday he took it upon himself to remove the tube from his ventilator and is now breathing for himself with the benefit of extra oxygen. He continues to grow and has become loved by the staff who have nurtured him in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Our dream of taking him home comes closer with the passing of each and every day, and although he still has mountains to climb, our faith and hope sustain us in the belief that he was meant to be here all along.

For anyone who has gone through anything similar, or indeed is going through it right now, we hope our story so far will inspire you, and that this small measure of thanks will get to the people who so richly deserve our praise and appreciation. The road long and the worries and concerns sometimes seem insurmountable, but we view the rewards as priceless and the lessons learned have lifted us in spirits and filled our lives beyond measure. 

So, thanks from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has seen fit to bless our little family.

Much Love, Bless

Mo, Nickola and TJ

FOOTNOTE - You can also read The Caymanian Compass article on Baby TJ's story recently published online.