When we went to IMC on Friday morning, the idea of being in a helicopter several hours later did not cross my mind. My dad sent out this email update to family members, and he did a great job of detailing the events of the day:
Yesterday was a very rough day. In the morning a wise nurse was watching discoloration in Cooper’s stomach area. An X-ray was ordered to look for a tear in the intestines. This test came back negative. The tenacious nurse ordered the X-ray again and found the suspected perforation in Cooper’s bowel. Repairing the tear requires surgery, which Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) does not do on Neonates. Chloe and Cooper and a life flight team traveled via helicopter from IMC to Primary Children’s Medical Center.(PCMC) at 4 PM. Taylor traveled by car and set some new and very impressive driving records. The four grandparents were alerted and we all arrived at PCMC at the same time at 5 PM. Taylor’s two sisters, who are both nurses, also came.
The surgeon gave us very grim statistics about the severity of this operation on a Preemie: a 40% mortality rate. Prayers and blessings were offered. The surgery was expected to last from 1.5 to 3 hours. Instead, the surgery lasted one hour with a positive outcome. The perforated bowel has been brought to the outside of Cooper’s body (called a colostomy). Another surgery will be performed to return the bowel inside the body in several months when Cooper is stronger. Everyone went home emotionally exhausted about 10 PM.
This update came from Taylor this morning (Saturday) at 9:30 AM:
Cooper had a good night. They say he's really stable and that they are probably going to switch him to a conventional ventilator rather than the rapid breathing one he's on now. Also, his blood pressure is doing very well and they are taking him off the medication he was on for that.
Cooper will remain at PCMC for the duration of his hospital stay, which could be several months.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated and very effective! I will share with you one beautiful miracle out of many: the weather yesterday was overcast and rainy. Then the clouds suddenly parted with sunny skies. The life flight nurse told Chloe that the helicopter could not have left for PCMC in the rainy weather one hour before. The sun came out at the right time so that Cooper could be transported at the right time. God is happy to change the weather (and do a lot of other amazing things) for this boy!
Cooper will likely have more difficulties through his development. One analogy we heard from Taylor’s sister is “three steps forward, two steps backward.” It’s a bumpy road. We will take all of it in stride and trust in God’s will, coupled with the power of the priesthood, the faith of many wonderful family and friends, and the benefits of modern medicine.
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