An update on our newest arrival

[John Etherton]

In case you missed our social media blitz, Carrie gave birth to Colt Wesley Etherton on November 11th. Carrie is recovering nicely and is now home, but Colt has had a bit of a rough start.

When he was born he had labored breathing. This happens on C section babies occasionally because all the amniotic fluids didn't get squeezed out like in a vaginal birth when passing through the birth canal. His breathing continued to be labored after getting some oxygen through a mask, so he was admitted to the NICU where he has been on a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine every since. He has slowly shown improvement and is now breathing much easier, but is still on the CPAP machine and being observed.

While being observed the doctors discovered that his white blood cell count have been decreasing, which compromises his immune system. The doctors told us that something is either killing off Colts neutrophils (the particular type of white blood cell he's running low on) or he's not producing enough. In the killing them off category are things like an infection, which could also explain the lung issues, or issues with the remnants of mom's immune system not liking the immune system Colt inherited from me. In the not producing enough category is things like the general shock of being born causing his immune system to skip a beat, the immune suppressant drugs that Carrie takes for her ulcerative colitis suppressing his immune system, or a genetic defect affecting his neutrophil production. The doctors told us they are doubtful it's the last option because it is extremely rare and his neutrophil levels would be even lower. We're hoping it's any of the other options as they are all temporary. 

For the moment we just have to wait and see. We can visit him any time, but holding him while wearing masks and gowns with all his tubes and wires in place just isn't the same. 

We wanted to keep you updated. We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,

John, Carrie, Charlotte, and Colt.