Trevor's Story

Trevor Addison Varner was born at 25 weeks gestaton on October 14, 1998, at 8:05 p.m. at Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA. He was 698 grams (1 lb 8 oz.) and was 12 inches long. He was such a fighter from day one!! We were blessed that he was only on the ventilator for 13 days, then went back and forth with C-pap and nasal O2. I look back and wonder how we ever had the strength to watch our little boy endure so much!! Trevor, at about 6 weeks, started showing sign of low protein absorptoin, and subsequently was tested for Cystic Fibrosis several times. We were SO thankful that Trevor didn't have CF . . .

Trevor had the usual ups and downs during his NICU stay. The week before Christmas we were so excited and happy with Trevor's progression. We were able to give him a bath, and he was taking more and more by mouth while eating. Then, on December 18, our world collapsed once again. Trevor contracted Bacterial Meningitis. I will never forget the horrible phone call when they told us. When we went to see our little boy, he was so still . . . lifeless . . . and back on the ventilator. It was now just a matter of waiting to see how Trevor would come through this. He was on the ventilator for 4 days, but all looked good when he started to be our sweet alert little boy again . . .

But, of course, our battles were still only beginning. Because of the Meningitis, Trevor developed Hydrocelphelus, and on January 19 he had a shunt put in. Trevor came through the surgery well, and we were looking at a possible week or more until we could bring our little boy home. We had days where we slept in the hospital to see how we'd do taking care of him on our own. It went very well. (It was at this time, however, that we noticed the Hemangioma that he was born with and grew with him was starting to break open and ooze.) We were able to bring our precious bundle of joy home from the hospital on his original due date of January 27, 1999 . . .

We were so happy to be home, but another scary journey began. Trevor's hemangioma had ulcerated and started bleeding profusely. We ended up going to John Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. Trevor went through a series of laser surgeries, which, after a year, finally healed his hemangioma. During this time, Trevor was re-admitted to the hospital, first for the bleeding, then because they felt he wasn't eating like he should be. After lots of testing was done, they discovered Trevor had a severe yeast infection in his esophogus ... VERY PAINFUL. So, alas, Trevor was put on an NG tube, and mommy and daddy's struggle with the NG tube began =( . . .

Poor Trevor had his NG tube for 4 months, until early August, 1999. It was a constant battle, but now Trevor has been eating more and more solid foods. He couldn't have any milk products, and was on a specialized formula ... first Neocate ... then Neocate One Plus ... and now Nutren Jr. I know there are more things I could say, but it would end up becoming like a novel! =) Trevor's pages give his updates, with photos, as well as what's new with him. Please check all his pages ... and come back often to visit ... don't forget to sign our guestbook ... *huggs to everyone* . . .

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