Many of you know that Justin Tyson (Dodgy Loner on the Forum) is my son. I don't think he has mentioned it on the forum, but he and his wife are expecting a baby boy. A few months ago at one of their doctor's appointments they were informed that the baby has spina bifida. As you can imagine, these past few months have been difficult for them as they worry about their unborn son and the unknowns that lie ahead.
Justin called me this morning and Casie has gone into labor. They are headed to New Orleans this morning and hope to deliver sometime later today. Because of his condition, the baby will need to have surgery almost immediately and will probably be in the hospital for at least a couple of weeks.
Both Justin and Casie need prayers for strength during this difficult time. I know Justin considers many of you good friends and he comments frequently how the forum is like a big family. If you are of a mind to, I hope you will take a moment sometime today and say a prayer for them.
RCH
Rest assured that Me and my wife will say prayers for Dodgy and his family. They will have a long and trying road ahead, but with Gods guidance and his extended family here, they will be ok. If anything else is needed, message me with info on my profile. Andy
Prayers sent, and will continue, for the whole family from our family.
Our thoughts are with them. We pray for a good outcome.
Absolutely. As odd as this may seem, Tammy and I consider Justin and Casie some of our extended kids. We follow them on facebook as friends and they mean a lot to us personally ands I know they do to the rest of the forum as well.
My thoughts are with them.
Will Do on the prayers and I hope all turns out well.
Same here. Hope for the best and good luck to them.
Thoughts and prayers for all 3.
You got it. Let Dodgy know we're surrounding them with prayer and love.
Prayers are up from here. I'll be looking forward to a good report on the surgery results.
We are doing that right now.
Great to know that information ahead of time and have the Doctors lined up to handle it early.
Amazing what can be done in pediatrics these days.
Will keep the family, including the grand parents, in our prayers.
Thoughts and prayers for all.
Prayers from here, God's blessing on the little one.
May all do very, very well.
Our thoughts and prayers as well. With 4 boys and a young "princess", we know how challenging it can be. We wish the best of outcome with the surgery.
Ours are on the way.
Prayers for the Tyson family. We wish comfort for all involved. So sorry to learn of your challenge, Dodgy.
Norm
Our youngest grandson, Chance, has spina bifida. He is doing quite well at two years of age. He has had several surgeries and it has been tough on the family, especially on his parents.
But Chance is one of the greatest blessings I have ever seen in a child. He glows with the joy of living.
I hope and pray that everything goes well with the delivery and the surgery. Our thoughts and prayers are with them now and will be daily.
Herb
On our prayer list at home and at our church.
So very sorry to hear it. Family will be in my thoughts.
Our prayers as well, may God bless them all. Prayers for the grandparents and other family also.
Thoughts and prayers for all.
All our Prayers for Dodgy and Family going to the top of our list. Thanks for the heads up Red Clay Hound.
My thoughts and are with them.
Saying prayers for the baby, and his Mom and Dad.
Have added them to our prayer list.
I am with y'all in spirit.
Your in my Thoughts and Prayers
Prayers and good thoughts from here as well!
May all things with the new baby and family be nothing but good health. bg
Prayers and best wishes.
Thoughts and prayers for Dodgy and family!
Will keep ya'll in prayer. Please keep us updated.
My thoughts are for Dodgy and the new addition to the family..
You are all in my thoughts. What is the name of the baby boy? I do hope all is well now.
At 5:49p.m. central time today Elam Isaiah Tyson made his appearance! And he is quite a handsome boy! I admit, I may be a little biased. :) Mom and Dad are doing fine and little Elam is getting ready to go into surgery. We still don't know the extent of the physical challenges little brother will face, but as Justin (Dodgy) said when he called me this evening, "he's just as God intended him to be". Here's the picture that Justin sent me right after he was born.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30211/Newborn_Elam.jpg)
I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We feel like our prayers have been answered!
That is some mighty fine news. ;D
Our prayers will continue for Elam as he undergoes his necessary medical procedures.
Justin's statement is amazing and inspiring! Sounds like our creator gave him the perfect role as a parent first and foremost. :)
We are all pulling for you good folks from our humble home here in Michigan.
Thanks for including us in your lives!
Hound, my wife is a retired surgical nurse, among other titles, and, I asked her about this condition. She says there should be no problem with excellent results from the surgery.
Your hospitals are better equipped than ours, and, the technology doesn't filter down here for 10 years or so. 8)
Tell the kids not to worry. That youngster is in good hands, all around. 8)
He's so handsome and such a blessing. Thank you for the picture. Prayers will continue.
Thank you very much for the picture and update, still praying for the best! As Fla.Deadheader stated my wife is also a nurse among other things and has the exact same thoughts, we're still praying and hope by now a lot of concerns have been lifted for the entire family.
Welcome to the forum Elam! What a handsome boy! 8)
Good to hear. Our pryers are with your family!
The Seamans
That is one fine looking boy (favors his mother :D).
A mighty fine off bearer. :D
RCH we are with you as well.
Naming Elam after Noah's grandson certainly is giving him a great start in life, and may God bless bless him always. My grand babies are named Miriam and Jacob; I love biblical names.
My prayers and thoughts to your family! What a good looking grand son you have there!
My thoughts are with you all.
Allan
That sure is a mighty handsome young man you have there!
Congratulations all the way around!
Our prayers and thoughts are with you as you face a few more obstacles in life!
He looks mighty fine. So far so good. You all will remain in our thoughts.
I truly appreciate all the thoughts and prayers that have been offered on our behalf over the last few months and especially the last two days. Elam is scheduled to have surgery to close the lesion on his back at 4 PM this afternoon and we are very confident in our team of surgeons and in our Lord to give them wisdom and sure hands. Elam is doing well and so is Casie. She couldn't have been more of a trooper during the delivery. We are already so in love with our son we can hardly stand to watch him in NICU and not hold him. But this time will pass and, soon enough, our lives as a family of 4 will settle into the new normal.
For those of you who would like to know more about our story, my wife has chronicled our journey on our blog (http://www.justinandcasie.blogspot.com). If you are on Facebook, feel free to friend me, as I am posting regular updates there. I will let my Dad post updates here as he would like, but I will probably be scarce for a while as I take care of my family.
Thanks again and God bless.
Thank you for updating us, Dodgy. We will be prayerfully following Elam's progress.
Good looking little fellow. More thoughts and prayers sent.
Our prayer's are with you and your family.
Congratulations on a fine little bloke and welcome to parenthood.
Just read this. Amazing. Prayers are working. Will send some more. Take care Dodgy, Casie and Elam. Hope all keeps going well.
I hope everything goes well. It's tough watching your child suffer.
Mark
Just checking in. Hope all is well. :)
We are praying and hoping for the best.
I read today in Dodgy's wifes Blog that Elam came home Wed, June 26, after several days in the hospital.
That was a blessing to read.
Will continue to pray for Elam and family.
Blessing indeed, Beenthere.
Thanks for posting, I've been wondering, but you know how it is, "afraid to ask".
Glad Elam is home.
It helps make life feel more normal, versus the hospital visiting. Prayers continue.
Prayers will continue for them from here, too. :)
Quote from: Chuck White on June 30, 2013, 09:55:05 PM
Blessing indeed, Beenthere.
Thanks for posting, I've been wondering, but you know how it is, "afraid to ask".
My thoughts exactly Chuck, prayers continue from us as well.
I do hope the little guy is doing well. ;D
I appreciate the prayers and support that have been offered on our behalves. Elam was released from the hospital last Saturday, and we are very happy to be home, slowly adjusting to our lives as a family of 4.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam5.JPG)
My wife and I have known since week 17 of the pregnancy that he would face some different challenges from most other kids. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal column doesn't close completely, which leaves the spinal cord open to amniotic fluid, causing irreparable damage to the spinal cord. His neurosurgeon did surgery to close the opening the day after Elam was born.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam4.JPG)
The severity of the problem depends mostly on where the lesion is located along the spine. The lower the lesion, the better. Elam's lesion was relatively high. Not as high as it could be, but most cases are lower. We expected, based on his lesion level, that he would have minimal movement and feeling below his thighs. About 10% of children with similar lesions are eventually able to walk. The great majority are wheelchair-bound. Elam has "club feet" (I hate that term, but that's what it's called. His feet do not look like clubs – they are normal feet that are turned upward due to the lack of nerve signal to the muscles in his lower legs), a common defect in children with spina bifida. He will require months of casts and surgery, and years of braces and therapy before we can even think about whether or not he will be capable of walking.
In addition to impairing the movement in his legs, the lesion causes other problems. He will probably always suffer from bowel and bladder incontinence. He may eventually require frequent catheterization if his bladder doesn't drain completely. He will probably not be able to have children. There is also a lot of tension in the spinal cord due to the defect in his spinal column, which pulls the back of the brain into his spinal column. This is called an Arnold Chiari malformation. It blocks the flow of brain fluid into the spine, which causes fluid to build up in the brain. Elam had a moderate case of hydrocephalus when he was born, so three days after the surgery to close his back, Elam had a shunt placed that gives the fluid in his brain an alternate route to drain out. The shunt is basically a tube that runs from his brain to his abdomen.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam2.JPG)
In spite of all of this, Elam is a rather handsome boy, with a healthy appetite. He is good-natured and rarely cries. Most children with spina bifida have normal intelligence. The biggest risk of cognitive problems will be if his shunt stops working, and the fluid builds up in his brain to such an extent that it inhibits development. Of course, we will be monitoring this constantly throughout childhood. And of course, even if little Elam is never able to walk, we are thankful to live in a time when there are so many opportunities for those in wheelchairs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam3.JPG)
The outporing of prayers and support that our family, friends, and ever perfect strangers have showed to my wife and I during the last few weeks has strengthened my wife and I beyond what we were capable on our own. The medical technology is so advanced today that Elam will have the opportunity to live a pretty normal life. In my granddad's day, he probably would not have survived for even a month. Until the day I was born, my parents didn't even know whether I was a boy or a girl, much less whether or not I had any problems that would require specific care from the moment of birth. We are so thankful to have had so many months to deal with the grief and doubt that comes with the news that something is wrong with your child. When the moment of his birth finally arrived, we were able to revel in the joy of welcoming our son into the world, rather than being blindsided by the news of his condition.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam6.JPG)
We were anticipating a minimum two-week stay in the neonatal ICU when Elam was born, but he healed so quickly from his surgeries, he was released on June 29 – only 9 days after birth! We know that Elam has been placed into this world for a purpose. He has already strengthed our marriage and created new friendships for us. I can only imagine what our Lord has in store for him.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Elam7.JPG)
Thanks for letting us know. We all wish the best for your boy and all your family.
Dodgy-
Wonderful, honest, hopeful post. Elam has very good parents. All the best to the three of you.
He's looking good! And you are right about modern medicine. And even better, the medical care just keeps improving.
On a side note, my daughter has three boys. The first two are smart as whips. The third was born with too little white matter in his brain. He just turned four. He can't walk or talk but guess what. I love that little guy to pieces! :)
Justin, I am so proud to be able to call you and Casie my friends. God and Elam have picked the perfect parents.
That big smile from Elam says so much. Prayers for you all. !!
Beautiful smile on that little boy! ;D Prayers sent from MT!
What a handsome little man. :) He is fortunate to have such loving parents. God will continue to look after him and we will continue to pray for your family.
Thanks for the update Justin. What a smile on that little guy. You are both special parents. Casie's blogs are truly works of art. Prayers and thoughts will continue. Proud to know you both.
Norm
Prayers go out to you and your family. May the blessings and good news keep coming your way as he grows older.
Reading your post makes me forget about all the "troubles" in my own life. I'm inspired by your attitude and will say a prayer for the little guy. God bless all of you :)
He is a cute little booger and has wonderful parents! May God bless your family!
All the above posts x 2!!!!
Jan and I have been sending our prayers. God always knows what's best even though sometimes we have difficulty understanding.
Justin,
You are Casie are true Champions.
That's a beautiful baby! I have a young cousin, female, that was born thirty years ago with similar problems. She is now married, and has given birth to a child she was never supposed to have. We are living in a time of medical miracles, and with medical costs to prove it. ;D
God bless you and yours.
Mark
I think his smile says it all. Thoughts and prayers sent from here.
It must be good to have young Elam home, he's certainly a happy looking little bloke with a beautiful smile :)
Nothing tears at my heart more than to see a little one hurting. His smile sure is beautiful to see.
You have a handsome young man there with a great smile. He is a lucky guy to have some great parents who will give him all the best.
I missed this post the first time around. He sure is a cute kid. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers.
He is a real blessing and inspiration! You have our prayers and thoughts.
Hope everything is going well. We're thinking of you and your family. Good looking young man you've got there 8)
So glad to read your update, thank you for sharing that in with such a positive outlook, and judging by that adorable smile little Elam has the same positive outlook. Prayers as always for all of you.
He is such a beautiful baby! God bless you all!
He's amazing, Justin. And so are his parents. God bless you all.
Thank you Justin for the "upfront" explanation of Elam's physical/medical condition and prognosis of his future. You, Casie, and God will take good care of him. Our prayers are for your entire family.
Thanks for all the encouraging words/prayers guys. I have been in Wyoming the past two weeks with limited internet access so I couldn't reply. Justin and Casie are doing a great job with little Elam. I was able to go down to New Orleans for a few days while he was still in the hospital. If all goes as planned, I will go to Mississippi next week to try and help out for a few days and hopefully get to hold my grandson! :)
They will be in me and my wifes prayers.
Every time I read this thread and think about any troubles I have it makes me realize how insignificant they are.
Let them know how much we care when you do see them RCH.
Quote from: Norm on July 12, 2013, 07:20:44 AM
Every time I read this thread and think about any troubles I have it makes me realize how insignificant they are.
Norm - I correctly and totally agree with you. Bruce
Thank you for the update on things. That is a beautiful happy little man you have there and was definitely born into the right family.
Allan
I seem to be late here, and did not notice this thread until this morning. Been living in the bush I guess. ;)
Just wanted to let Justin and family know that I'm wishing for the best for your little man Elam and his journey ahead. He's certainly got some challenges as he grows up. I also know that he's in good hands with loving family and great doctors. Take care all.