Axton's Story 5 - Much More Than Coincidence

Before I move on to where things are at now there were some pretty incredible coincidences that took place throughout this time.  Reg and I are confident that these were not actually coincidences, but signs of God's hand within the situation, taking care of us and our little man.  We never doubted once that God wasn't in control and here are just a few reasons why -

1.  The fact that I made it to the hospital in itself is a miracle!  Had my water broken while we were driving in the storm Axton would have been born in our car during a blizzard!!  I would have been that person you see on the news!  Reg was led completely to get me in the car and get me to the hospital ASAP even though my labour was almost non-existent.  I honestly don't like to think about what would have happened had we left home just a few minutes later...

2.  The fact that I didn't get discharged on the 3rd as the doctor originally said I would.

3. The fact that I noticed Axton's seizures.  Seizures in a baby are very hard to spot because newborns make all sorts of spontaneous movement.  I had several people tell me how amazing that was, as it's even difficult for nurses and doctors to see.  We could have easily gone home without realizing this "twitch" was a problem.  Mother's instinct is a VERY real thing :)

4.  The NICU team came in so quickly and took Axton away - it probably took less than 2 minutes for this to go down.  The original nurse who took Axton from me as well as the nurse who was caring for me that day both came back to talk to me before I left the hospital.  One had worked for 10 years in the ward the other for 14.  Neither had seen a transfer from the ward to NICU so quickly.  They couldn't beleive it!

5.  One morning we came to find Axton was getting a head ultrasound.  The tech. doing the test was the same person I had had two weeks previously for a routine ultrasound during my pregnancy.  He (yes he!) & I had really hit it off.  He was a woodworker, and I sell woodworking products so we had lots to talk about.  He was a great ultasound tech and I was so happy to walk in that morning and see him working with Axton.

6.  The most important test Axton would undergo was an MRI.  This would confirm the suspisions of the doctors that he did indeed have a stroke.  We were in the NICU when the neonatologist booked the MRI.  He went away to book the test & came back ecstatic.  Axton's MRI would happen sometime that same day.  He said to us "Do you realize how incredible this is?  MRI's can take up to a week to get booked!  Never have I seen an MRI get booked so quickly!"  Reg & I were extrememly happy as we knew getting this test done was one step closer to getting Axton home.  Talking with the nurse a little while later she asked us "Did Dr. M say when the MRI was going to be?"  We told her later that day and she said, "No that's impossible, let me go find out..."   The nurse came back just as flabergasted as the doctor.  Axton did indeed get his MRI that day!

7. Way back when we were in youth group at our church, approx. 14 years ago, our youth leaders Mike and Melri had a baby boy, Matthew who also had a stroke around the time of birth.  Mike & Mel were also the leaders of a team I was on right after high school which travelled around to different churches working with youth groups.  When Melri heard (via Facebook) of Axton's stroke she hightailed it to Mac to see us.  Strokes are rare among infants, so to have someone in our life as close as Melri who has shared this experience has been great.  When we shared in the Family Meeting about M, M and M the doctors were surprised and happy for us, that we knew of someone that this has happened to. Axton & Matthew are following a similar path.  Melri's insight was able to prepare us for the journey which laid ahead.

8.  I certainly can't leave out my Crohn's here :) - if it were not for my Crohn's I would not have been given the opportunity to deliver my babies at Mac.  Axton was born at the hospital he would have been transferred to anyways.  Rather than an hour long ambulance ride, he had a quick jaunt across the hall.  This got him the treatment he needed much faster than if he was born elsewhere.  I can't imagine how life would be different if I didn't have Crohn's!

This experience definatley knocked the wind out of us, but as you can see it was impossible for us to ever think we were alone.  We KNEW God was in control!  Not just in these days following Axton's birth, but he was preparing us and others literally YEARS ahead.  Just like Psalm 46 says... ¹ God is our refuge and strength,  an ever-present help in trouble. ² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way - BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!