Gatlin's Medical Expenses

Updated May 29, 2023. This Go Fund Me is for Emilie and Eric Turner to help with Medical Expenses and travel to Texas for their son, Gatlin Turner. They will be there for almost a month. So many people in our community and beyond have been following Gatlin's story for over a year now. As expected, this medical journey is ongoing. However, his heart surgery will hopefully leave the worst of it in the past. You can read about all this little heart warrior and his journey below. The latest is.....

Gatlin Update (5/25)

After nearly 18 days in TX, we left today to make our way home! After Gatlin’s release from the hospital, we continued to stay in TX for a few days until Gatlin’s post-op apt. We are so thankful that our family drove 12+ hours to bring Wren and Hux to TX to see us so that we could finally all be together! But it seems our sweet little Wren brought the stomach bug with her…and proceeded to share it with most of us, EXCEPT, Gatlin! Thank God! We left Houston this morning and plan to stay in Arkansas tonight. We will continue the trip home tomorrow.

Gatlin continues to heal beautifully. Looking at him, you wouldn’t think he just had major heart surgery. He doesn’t understand why he has restrictions and can’t play with his brother like normal, but beyond that…he acts like a typical kid his age. He truly is a miracle! God led us through another battle and we are beyond thankful!

We will never get over how good our family, friends, coworkers, church, and perfect strangers have been to us. People have gone out of their way to show us love and support and there are just no words to describe how thankful we are! We appreciate all of the continued prayers for Gatlin’s recovery! #Gatlinstrong ❤️‍

Gatlin Update (5/20)

On Tuesday, the amazing surgeons and medical professionals at TX Children’s operated on our Gatlin for almost 7 hours to correct his innominate artery compression. Today, just 5 days later, he was released. Thank you, God! To say we are relived and thankful would be an understatement. We can’t say enough about his surgeon, the anesthesiologists, and his entire team!

Gatlin has a post-op apt on Monday and will follow up with his STL cardiologist in the next couple of weeks. Gatlin has a long list of restrictions for the next 6 weeks. Prayers for continued healing are so appreciated! ❤️

There aren’t enough words to express how grateful Eric and I feel for all the support and love that we have been shown. We truly believe in the power of prayer and we know that it’s the prayers and petitions of many that have carried us through these hard times. They have given us tremendous comfort and strength. We can’t wait to one day share with Gatlin how many people prayed for him and supported him! People have truly blessed us in ways we could never imagine, and for that, we are forever grateful! ❤️‍ #GatlinStrong

Gatlin Update (5/19)

We have had some good moments in the past 24 hours, but this hospital stay seems to be a bit of a roller coaster. One minute we are good, and the next minute we are backtracking. This can be typical for heart kiddos, but it’s exhausting and frustrating for Gatlin, and worrisome for Eric and I. We just want him to progress and feel better.

Gatlin is still dealing with some extreme urinary retention. His team attempted to treat it using several different methods and used all of their tips and tricks with no success. Due to this, we took a few steps back in the recovery process yesterday. This issue is preventing him from progressing in his healing and it’s extending our hospital stay. If you could say some prayers for that to resolve, we sure would appreciate it! #Gatlinstrong ❤️‍

Gatlin Update (5/18/23)

Gatlin turned a corner yesterday evening after his team found a good drug combo to help his pain. He is getting some much needed rest and we are so thankful! As heart parents, this isn’t our first rodeo…but watching your child suffer is excruciating and it never gets easier! Eric and I are SO thankful that he is currently comfortable. Gatlin’s next goals include:

-keeping food down

-going potty (meds have caused urinary retention)

-lots of PT and OT.

If he continues to progress, we will be moved out of the CICU and to the regular floor today! Thank you all for continually praying over our warrior! The love and support is more than we could ever expect or ask for, but we are so thankful! #Gatlinstrong ❤️‍

Gatlin Update (5/17/23)

Gatlin had a really hard night and morning. He is struggling with pain and the results of weaning off of sedation meds. Lots of sweating, vomiting, crying. His team is attempting several things to get his pain under control but he is extremely uncomfortable. Please say a prayer that they are able to get him in a good spot in regards to his pain level. We sure appreciate it. #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (5/16/23) 3:52pm: God brought him through another battle! Praising God for our miracle boy! We are SO thankful for the brilliant surgeons and medical staff here at TX Children’s. They were able to successfully do an aortapexy to lift the innominate artery off of his airway. He is extubated and resting.

The prayers this morning/today were a constant comfort for Eric and I. Knowing so many people were flooding heavens gates with prayers for our boy, gave us a peace that is hard to find in these types of situations. We are forever thankful! ❤️

Please keep the prayers coming! Gatlin just faced down a giant, but he still has a long recovery ahead of him. Specific prayers include:

-his vitals remain stable

-he heals swiftly and with good pain management

-remains infection-free

Thank you for pouring out your love and support for our family. We are grateful beyond words! #Gatlingstrong

Gatlin Update (5/16/23) 8:30am: Gatlin just now went back for surgery! Please be praying! #Gatlinstrong

Tomorrow, Tuesday (5/16/23) Gatlin will have heart surgery at 7:15am. This surgery is to repair an innominate artery that comes off of his aorta in the wrong direction and lays over his airway. He will be in surgery for approximately 5 hours.

Tomorrow morning, we are asking people to please take a moment to stop and pray for our boy. If we could ask anything, it would be to please call out Gatlin’s name to the Father in prayer. This means more to us than you know. Here is a list of specific prayers:

-The hands of his surgeons, wisdom for his anesthesiology team, and all of the medical professionals in the room with him

-that the procedure go even better than anticipated with an excellent outcome

-That he extubate successfully and remain stable

-That his recovery be swift and his pain be managed well

-pray for strength for Eric and I as we walk this path with our Gatlin again. We are struggling with the PTSD of it all, but we are believing that this is the last surgery for our boy. That this is will be a turning point for his health! #Gatlinstrong

“So fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Gatlin Update (5/10/23)

Big news first: Gatlin’s surgery has been moved to Tuesday (5/16). After meeting with his surgeon, they want multiple teams in the OR to complete not only the surgery, but several tests via scope. We are disappointed that is has been pushed back, but we are thankful that all teams are on board to do what is best for Gatlin. We really like his surgeon and are extremely impressed with all involved in G’s case.

Thank you for all of your support and prayers. We have been through a roller coaster of emotions today and we really miss our other babies at home. Please keep the prayers coming! We will especially need them on Tuesday. #Gatlinstrong ❤️

Gatlin Update (5/8/23)

We are in route to Houston today and tomorrow. Plan to stay in Texarkana this evening. Gatlin’s pre op is on Wednesday and surgery is currently scheduled for this Thursday.

Please be praying for our family this week if you think of it. It’s been a really hard morning dropping our other kids off at school and daycare. We won’t see them for two weeks and as parents, we feel like our heart is in two different places. Our family will bring them to Houston for week 3 of Gatlin’s recovery so that we can all be together. Really looking forward to that day…when this is all behind us. Thank you for all of the prayers. We truly appreciate them. #GatlinStrong

Gatlin Update (4/13/23)

Unfortunately, Gatlin tested positive for strep throat on Monday. Strep bacteria can be rough on heart kiddos so he immediately started antibiotics and I notified his surgical team. Anesthesiology feels that in order to be safe, he needs to be at least four weeks out from diagnosis. His surgery is now postponed until May 11th. We will leave for TX on the 8th.

Thank you for following along on Gatlin’s medical journey. At times…it feels like a roller coaster, but we know that we are on the right track to getting our boy healthy! We trust that God is making a way for us. We appreciate all of the prayers and support! ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (4/6/23)

Gatlin is officially scheduled for surgery. We leave for Texas on the 17th, pre-op on the 19th, and his heart surgery will be on Friday the 21st. He will be inpatient for at least a week. We will remain in Texas for an additional week after discharge not only as a precautionary measure, but due to his post-op appointments.

As parents of a medically complex child, you would think that preparing for these surgeries and hospital stays would get just a tiny bit easier, but in all transparency, they just don’t. Every time you hand your child to a surgeon, it’s excruciating. We know this is needed, but we would give anything if we could just take his place. Eric and I really appreciate your prayers for strength and peace as we mentally prepare.

We are trusting that this surgery will be the improvement that Gatlin has needed for quite some time and we know that he is being treated by the best in the nation. We know that God is with Gatlin every step of the way. We greatly appreciate all of the prayers and encouragement. More than you know. ❤️#Gatlinstrong

The beginning of Gatlin's story starts here.....

Gatlin went in for bronchoscopy/laryngoscopy and ear tube placement surgery on Thursday, January 19, 2022. Things did not go as planned, and they had to intubate due to a vessel pressing on his airway. He is in need of aortopexy surgery. However, he tested positive for MRSA and developed pneumonia and they had to post-pone surgery until they got those under control. Her most recent update is posted below.

 

 

 

EMERGENT GATLIN UPDATE! (1/28/22)

 

  Gatlin started vomiting black in the middle of the night. His potassium skyrocketed, and his levels were all over the place. He never spiked a true fever and the full picture was not making sense. The doctors were stumped and expressed how worried they were. They did an emergency CT this morning and called in the general surgeon.

The general surgeon walked in the room and asked to meet with Eric and I. He showed us the CT and our entire world stopped as he told us, “If these images are correct, most of his bowel is dead. Which is not compatible with life. We have no idea why. If I can save him, he will have a colostomy bag and a feeding tube the rest of his life”. The docs/nurses cried with us and told us to call our families. We kissed Gatlin for what we thought was the last time and he was rushed into emergency surgery. Eric and I waited for an hour while we sobbed, prayed, and begged God.

  WE JUST WITNESSED A MIRACLE! Gatlin made it through surgery! When they got in, it wasn’t as bad as it appeared on the scan! They took a foot of small intestine, 2/3rds of his colon, and we certainly aren’t out of the woods yet, but he is ALIVE! THANK YOU, JESUS! YOU ARE THE GOD OF MIRACLES!

   He has an open stomach cavity that they have to monitor the next few days while they try and figure out how this happened. If no other bowel dies (which we are claiming it won’t!) then they will take him back to the OR to close him up. We don’t know what his life will look life in regards to how his bowels will function, but it doesn’t matter!

HE IS ALIVE! PRAY PRAY PRAY!! Please! We are not out of the woods! And praise! Because we just witnessed a miracle! PRAISE GOD

 

 

Gatlin Update (1/29/22)

Gatlin has spent most of today recovering from the major emergency surgery yesterday. Considering everything that happened, he has been pretty stable today. His kidneys were slow to bounce back, but that has been resolved. The nitric machine was removed today which is another plus.

Eric and myself, along with his entire team, are still trying to process what happened yesterday. Dozens of doctors are involved and have yet to come up with a clear answer. Make a long story short…part of his bowel and colon went necrotic within a few hours-for no evident reason and with no obvious symptoms or indicators. Doctors aren’t able to determine if it was bacterial or vascular related due to the placement of the necrosis. This is really hard for Eric and I because we want confirmation that this will never happen again. Several surgeons have told us that we, unfortunately, may never have an answer.

One thing we do know for sure, is that it is a miracle from God that Gatlin is still with us! His surgeon (who is great) was very honest with us that based upon the CT, he didn’t see any viable tissue that might be able to save him and he feared that everything was dead. We literally said goodbye to our child yesterday as he was wheeled into emergency surgery and he came out of it alive. I can’t even put into words how we feel. (I can’t even type it without sobbing.) God is faithful and we are so thankful. 

The plan is for Gatlin to go back into the OR on Monday to make sure that all of the remaining tissue is alive and viable for repair. The surgeon can’t tell us if Gatlin will have to have a colostomy/ileostomy bag, or if they will have to resect more tissue. We are praying that they can repair and reconnect without doing any of those things!

Please be praying for:

-no more necrosis! Ever!

-for Monday’s repair to go even better than expected

-for Gatlin to heal and remain stable

-for consistent and stable lab results.

Eric and I can’t express how much your prayers and support mean to us. They are what keep us going. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

 

Gatlin Update (1/31/22)

REPAIR SURGERY IS TODAY!! (Monday 1/31) We don’t have a specific time. The surgery team will call the ICU team about an hour beforehand. It could be as early as 7am or it could be sometime this afternoon. The surgery is to:

1) check for any more necrosis. (We are believing and praying there won’t be any!)

2) reconnect and close his bowels/intestines/abdominal cavity. They are unable to know how they plan to do that until they actually get in there and see.

PLEASE PRAY! Things we are praying for:

-that the surgeons will not find any other dead tissue

-they will be able to reconnect his bowels/intestines better than they had originally hoped/planned

-that he will come out of surgery better than anticipated and will remain stable

-that his vitals/labs will maintain stable during recovery

I will do my best to update everyone on a surgery time as soon as we know more. The biggest blessing from this horrific experience is that Gatlin has an army of people praying for him and claiming his healing. I know he is going into surgery covered in prayer. We can’t thank everyone enough! Your prayers are what get us through!  

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

UPDATE: surgery had been postponed. The anesthesiologist said his lungs are not well enough to operate today. They will try again 2/1 morning. Please pray for his lungs to clear!

 

Gatlin Update (February 1st-10:45am) GATLIN JUST WENT BACK TO SURGERY! Please pray!

Gatlin Update (2/1/22-Post Surgery)

Gatlin is out of surgery and did even better than the doctors expected!! He is totally closed up, they found no more necrosis, they were able to reconnect his bowels/colon, and he has NO ostomy bag!  I can’t even express to you what a miracle from God this is!

On Friday, the surgeons told us that they weren’t optimistic that they could save him. IF they did, he would be what’s called, “short bowel”, need IV feeding, and have some sort of ostomy bag. Gatlin is alive and fully reconnected and closed! Thank you, God! 

Prayer warriors-we are forever in your debt! Please keep praying for his healing and pain management. We are believing in a full recovery so we can focus on his heart surgery! He has a long road ahead-so please keep the prayers coming. Thank you so much for praying/claiming healing over our son!  

Gatlin Update (2/2/22)

12 days. That’s how long it had been since we had seen our sweet boy open his eyes. 12 days of Gatlin in a “coma” like state. Last night, after his paralytics wore off, he “came to” a bit and we got to talk to him and tell him what a good job he was doing and how much we love him.  

Today, he has been more “awake” and doesn’t seem too uncomfortable. He squeezes our hands and looks for us when we walk around the room. He also shakes his head when he doesn’t like something (there’s our Gatlin!) We are able to sooth him for the most part but when he gets uncomfortable, more meds are given and he is able to rest/sleep.

He still has a lot of healing to do and we are still looking at a heart surgery during this hospital stay. We are unsure when that will be, if they will be able to extubate him beforehand, or if they want to keep him intubated until the procedure. Right now, there are a lot of unknowns and it really just depends on how Gatlin continues to heal.

But for now, we are taking yesterday and today as a massive win. Eric and I feel such a weight lifted off of us. Our strong boy is a miracle and we are so thankful! 

Please pray:

-That he quickly and comfortably heals so that he can be ready for his next surgery

-for a quick and successful extubation when the time comes

-strength for Eric and I. We are emotionally and physically exhausted, we miss our 4 year old, Hux, and going through this while 33 weeks pregnant is difficult.

Thank you to our prayer warriors. Your prayers give us encouragement and strength when we have none left. We can’t thank you enough! #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/3/22)

Our strong boy this morning! Please keep praying! We have some decisions about surgery and extubation that need to be made today. We are praying that God guides the doctors/teams/surgeons in making the right decision for Gatlin. #Gatlinstrong.

Gatlin Update (2/4/22)

Gatlin’s CT surgery team feels that his heart surgery needs to wait for another couple of weeks while his abdomen heals. We agree, as we want him to go into that surgery as healthy as possible. Gatlin had a great night and today they are going to try and extubate him! This is a BIG deal! There are a lot of factors that play into this due to the compression that is still on his airway and the tracheomalacia. Please be praying that his team can do this safely and successfully! We really appreciate your continued prayers and support!! We couldn’t do it without you all! 

Gatlin Update (2/4/22)-Our baby is safely extubated!! The first time I have held him in two weeks! Please pray that he stays stable and continues to breath well on his own! Thank you, Lord. 

Gatlin Update (2/6/22)

First and foremost: Our boy is still extubated!  

Gatlin spent yesterday titrating down off sedation and pain meds and is experiencing some really uncomfortable withdrawl symptoms. Crying, shaking, sweating. They are keeping him comfortable as best they can, but his days and nights are all messed up and he is pretty agitated. His platelets are pretty high right now and although the doctors don’t seem overly concerned about it, they are keeping a really close eye on it as they continue to increase.

Now for more good news: Gatlin has maintained stable oxygen saturation’s since being extubated! His lungs sound better everyday! It is so good to see even more of his sweet face without the breathing tube! He was weaned off the heliox yesterday. This morning, he was even weaned down on his oxygen! His arterial line was taken out last night so there is one less line/cord to deal with! We are taking all this as a massive step forward!

Today he is starting pedisure to see how his bowel tolerates it which is a huge step!

Specific prayers for today would be:

-an answer for the increased platelets or for them to go back to normal range

-Prayers for Gatlin’s comfort as he struggles with withdrawl symptoms

-that his gut tolerates feedings

-that Gatlin continues to heal and get stronger. He is really weak from being intubated and in a medically induced coma for 2+ weeks.

The support and prayer we have received is astounding. We can’t get over how kind people have been to us. We really couldn’t do this without the army of people praying diligently for our boy! We know that God hears your prayers. Thank you so much!  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/8/22)

Today is our 20th day in the ICU and one week since Gatlin’s bowel repair surgery (technically, his 3rd surgery during this stay).

His little body has gone through so much, but Gatlin has made HUGE strides the past 48 hours! He continues to wean down on his sedation and pain meds. He is almost weaned totally off of his high flow oxygen. They removed his repogal tube from his nose, and he seems to be tolerating feeds well! His withdrawal symptoms also seem to be improving! 

Over the last 24 hours, we have seen more and more of our boy come back to us. He has smiled, giggled, and thrown the ball back and forth. He is still VERY weak and has a hard time holding his head up…but PT, OT, speech, and music therapy are all involved to help get him back on track. It is just going to take some time.

Gatlin still has unusually high platelets that the team can’t explain. Hematology, Surgery, and Cardiology were all consulted and no one seems to have a solid answer at this time. Due to this, he is being closely monitored.

Gatlin still has another big (heart) surgery to go. We are unsure of when that will be as it is all depends on his healing.

Specific prayers:

-Lower platelets or an answer as to why they are high

-healing and strength for Gatlin as he works hard to gain his muscle tone and physical stamina back

-prayers for Eric and I. It’s been 17 days since we have seen our 4 year old son and our hearts are so torn. We wish we could be in two places at once. 

The continued support, prayers, and encouragement Eric and I receive on a daily basis is astounding. People have been so good to us. We can’t explain how much it renews our strength and helps us face the day ahead. We are so thankful that Gatlin’s story has touched so many people’s lives. We know that God has big plans for Gatlin.  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/10/22)

Gatlin had a great day yesterday! He:

-was weaned down on his sedation med (have to go slow to reduce withdrawal symptoms)

-was taken off of oxygen! And his O2 saturation is stable!

-Bowels started functioning and responding to NG feeds

-Did an amazing job with PT and OT and is gaining his strength back faster than anticipated!

-His voice started coming back and is getting stronger daily!

However, this morning, he started vomiting up his feeds. His team paused them and suggested that we try a little food by mouth. He did ok with it until this afternoon and then he started vomiting again. His platelets continue to increase and are now in a range that hematology is taking a deeper look. These hurdles are what are holding us back from being moved out of the ICU and to the regular floor.

Please pray:

-for the vomiting to subside and for his stomach/bowels to tolerate food

-for his team/hematology to figure out these high platelets or for them to start reducing

Thank you for riding this emotional rollercoaster with us. Thank you for having our back. Thank you for standing in faith for our boy.  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/12/22)

Today is our 24th day in the ICU. We were told yesterday that at one point, Gatlin was the most critical patient on the entire floor for several days in a row. He was considered a “hot spot” and all coming on shift had to be notified of his status. His reputation proceeded him.

Today…nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists stop by his room because they can’t believe that he is sitting up in the bed, extubated, on no oxygen, no ostomy bag, and playing and laughing. He has an entire fan club that stops by daily to see his progress for themselves. He is a miracle from God and we are so thankful. 

In regards to next steps: Gatlin’s team decided to slow down on his feedings and start over. They are slowly increasing the frequency every 12 hours. They believe he was vomiting due to the fact that his stomach had been “asleep” for so long and sometimes it takes time to come back from that. His labs this morning showed that his platelets have gone down!! Thank you, Lord! They are still high, but not near as high as they were.

There is talk of Gatlin possibly moving out of the ICU on Monday and going to the regular floor! Please be praying that:

-his platelets continue to normalize

-that he continues to tolerate his feedings

-that he is able to be moved out of the ICU

We are so thankful to everyone that has rallied around us. I feel comfort knowing that people are continually praying for our boy. Thank you!  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/14/22)

After 26 long days in the PICU, we were moved to a regular floor today! We received the BEST care in the PICU and we are so very thankful to the amazing care teams who invested in Gatlin and did everything in their power to help him get well. We are forever grateful for them. 

After speaking with G’s Cardio Thoracic Surgeon today, he feels that Gatlin is too weak to go into his heart surgery at this time. We agree and will readdress this in the next few weeks as Gatlin continues to heal.

Gatlin is currently on a lengthy wean schedule with his meds. We found out tonight that this schedule will keep him here in the hospital longer than we anticipated. We hate this for our boy because we know that he is so ready to get out of here and go home to heal/play for a little bit before his next surgery. Unfortunately, there are no set plans until he can successfully wean off of these medications. This takes time and close monitoring.

We have no real idea of how long we might be here and this makes us a bit nervous considering I am due with our daughter in a few weeks. Not to mention G’s upcoming heart surgery and the recovery process that this entails. Plus-we really really miss our 4 year old, Hux. Our hearts are so torn in all different directions.

There are still many unknowns ahead…but we are thanking God for what we do know…Gatlin is alive. He is a miracle. He is getting better everyday. God is in control.  When we get discouraged, we focus on these truths.

Please pray:

-that Gatlin continues to heal and tolerate his feedings

-that he weans off of his medications better than expected

Thank you for your continued prayers. Eric and I are so tired…but we are strengthened by your prayers and support.  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/17/22)

Gatlin has transitioned to the regular floor well and has an awesome past couple of days! Here’s what has been happening while on the floor:

-his PICC line was removed

-he got his first bath in a real bathtub in nearly a month and smiled and laughed the entire time!

-he continues to grow physically stronger daily and is currently relearning to walk

-he has been able to leave the room and go on cart rides throughout the hospital

-today, he had his NG tube removed after 24 days!

We have so much to be thankful for! We were recently told that Eric and I would be able to wean him off of his medications from home! This will greatly reduce our stay here before returning for his next surgery at a later date. Gatlin continues to work on feedings and keeping his food down. He is struggling to have an appetite but the docs/nurses/dietary say that is to be expected considering all he has gone through. It is a slow and steady process.

Please pray:

-that his stomach/bowel/intestines can tolerate his daily food intake

-that he regains his old appetite soon

If these things hold steady, then there is talk of us going home soon so that he can continue to heal and get stronger before his next scheduled heart surgery.

As always, Eric and I want to say thank you. We don’t know what we would do without the army of people behind Gatlin. We are blessed beyond measure and we are so thankful for all of your support and prayers.  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/18/22)

30 days ago we walked into STL children’s for Gatlin’s routine ear tubes and a same-day bronc procedure. After 3 surgeries (2 major), 17 days in a medically induced coma, 2 infections, 2 new diagnoses, a massive new scar, and a slew of medications to wean, today WE ARE GOING HOME!  

3 weeks ago, Gatlin randomly went necrotic overnight and after viewing the CT, his general surgeon told us that we needed to call our family in because he feared that the damage in G’s bowel/intestine was “incompatible with life”. Today, we left the hospital with our happy boy in our arms. God has done the miraculous and our lives will never be the same.  

Gatlin still has a long road ahead of him. He is relearning to walk, weaning off of narcotics, and trying to regain strength and heal. He is looking at another heart surgery in the next month or two that will greatly help his quality of life. We have no doubt in our mind that God has a calling on Gatlin’s life and that He is on the journey with us…directing our path every step of the way. We trust Him.

We can’t tell you what everyone’s prayers mean to us. I really believe that the primary way God comforts people is through other people. You all have showered us with love, support, encouragement, comfort, and prayer. Please keep them coming! We are forever grateful.  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/26/22)

We have officially been home for about a week and we are SO thankful! Gatlin’s strength and ability to walk on his own have greatly improved just by watching/playing with his big brother. Hux and Gatlin really missed one another and it’s amazing to have our boys back together and playing under the same roof!

We had a few speed bumps this week with withdrawal symptoms and continual vomiting. There were a couple of times where we were very close to going back to STL. After several visits to the doc, some tests, and tweaking the med schedule, he is acting so much better! He should be totally weaned off of his medications by March 6th.

We can’t say enough about the medical teams that continue to advocate for Gatlin. His Cardio team is amazing and the PICU team at Children’s became like family to us. They cried with us, celebrated with us, stayed late, called colleagues at other hospitals, and did everything they could to make sure Gatlin recovered.

We will forever be thankful to his surgery team. These gifted individuals used their God-given talent and intelligence to save our boy and thank you just isn’t enough. The surgeon that did his emergency surgery came back in the next morning on his day off, in his street clothes, to check on G because he was so worried about him. He hugged us and was so relieved that Gatlin’s outcome was going to be different than what he initially anticipated. We are so grateful for all of the brilliant medical staff that have been placed in Gatlin’s life.

We also want to thank the army of people that continue to support our family and pray for us. God knew Eric and I couldn’t do this alone. We are thankful to our friends, family, coworkers, our church, and the kindness of strangers who have blessed us beyond measure.

Gatlin is still healing and has lots of follow up appointments in the future to figure out next steps. But for now, we are just so thankful for the bit of “normal” that we have been given. He acts more and more like himself everyday! As always, we are so thankful for you all!  #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (3/4/22)

Gatlin is being admitted into STL children’s again. He has been continually crying, listless, and not wanting to eat well the past 48 hours. After a follow up with surgery this morning, they think it is best to readmit to try and figure out the problem. We are praying this is just withdrawal symptoms but we just aren’t sure. Please pray for him to feel better and for quick answers. Thank you!

#Gatlinstrong ❤️

Gatlin Update (3/6/22)

Gatlin was released last night and we are now home. He is struggling with some bowel issues but they seem to be resolved. Navigating his new bowel/intestine situation will take some tweaking of his diet. He has lost weight and his appetite has diminished. He is still a little weak and lethargic, but today is his last day on Methadone so hopefully the withdrawal symptoms continue to improve. Please pray that he continues to eat and drink well so that he can gain his strength back!

As always-thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your prayers and concern! If you would like to throw a little prayer in there for Wren’s impending arrival, that would be much appreciated. I am due any day now and will be induced on the 15th. We would love for Gatlin to be healthy and strong before little sis makes her grand entrance!

Gatlin Update: (3/22/22)

Gatlin has been healing from home and is doing great! His incision healed up nicely, his appetite is back, he has put some weight back on, and he weaned off all medication a couple of weeks ago. He has follow ups in STL in the coming weeks with neurology, GI, and Cardio. These updates will give us more information on next steps and if his second surgery is needed at this time.

Gatlin has been struggling with sleep and is terrified to fall asleep/stay asleep. Which is pretty understandable due to all that he has been through. Hopefully neurology can give us some suggestions on how to help. If you could say a prayer for his sleep, Eric and I would really appreciate it! Thank you to all who have messaged, called, and checked on us. Thank you for all of your continued support. We are so blessed to have all of our babies home and to have a sense of “normal”. We can’t thank you all enough for the continued prayers! #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (4/7/22)

We are officially a month out of our last hospital stay and Gatlin is doing really well! He had a follow up with neurology and his GI team and both appointments went great! Neurology instructed us to start melatonin to help him sleep and to help with his night terrors. He is still struggling, but we are praying that this continues to improve and that he can start getting some restful sleep. His GI team said that thanks to his great appetite and weight gain, he is “the best case scenario” for being considered short gut! We were so happy to hear this and to actually go to an apt in STL without being admitted or receiving bad news. We have PTSD every time we walk into that building with him, so this was a huge blessing!

He has an apt with Cardiology next month to determine how his heart/breathing are doing. Since his last surgery, he has not struggled with any noisy breathing or strider issues and this is really a miracle in itself! His cardio thoracic surgeon said that there is a slight chance that his last surgery could have moved or changed the position of the vessel laying on his airway. We are praying that this is the case and he will not need his next surgery at all!

Wren has a Cardio apt in STL with Gatlin next month to rule out any congenital heart defects. I did a fetal echocardiogram with her while 7 month pregnant, but they want to take a closer look now that she is here. Siblings of CHD patients have a 10-15 percent chance of having CHD as well. Hux received an echo when Gatlin was first diagnosed and got the “all clear”. Please pray that Wren does as well!

Thank you for all of your support, prayers, and encouragement. We can’t tell you how much they mean to our family! They have kept us going the past several months! ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (5/2/22)

This past weekend, Hunter Grounds hosted the 2nd Annual Tim Grounds 4 Man Memorial Bass Tournament in honor of Tim and to fundraise for Gatlin. We can’t even express how much this means to our family. Seeing all of those people support us was a true blessing. We want to thank Hunter Grounds for hosting and organizing the tournament, all of the teams who participated, all who donated to the cause, and to those that worked hard behind the scenes to make this all happen for our family. We can’t wait to show these pictures to Gatlin when he gets older and tell him how many people rallied around him and supported him. It’s moments like these that make us so thankful for the good people God has brought into our lives. May we always continue to pay it forward and honor God with Gatlin’s story.

Today we are in STL for a Cardiologist apt for both Gatlin and Wren. Wren will receive an echo to hopefully confirm that she has no congenital heart defects. Gatlin will receive an echo as well as other testing to assess the status of his heart and to determine an updated treatment plan. G continues to really struggle with sleep and balance. We are going to be asking about those issues today and will hopefully receive some guidance.

In regards to his compression of his airway, Gatlin’s breathing has drastically improved since being home. However, he still has moments of wheezing when exerting himself or eating. We will be asking about next steps today at his apt. Please pray that we have a good apt today and that we receive good news for both Wren and G.

Side note: thank you to those that prayed for Wren. After multiple doctor visits, an ER visit, a straight cath, and bloodwork, it was determined that she had rhinovirus and a UTI. The antibiotics worked wonders and she is much better.

As always, thank you for your continued prayers, support, and love. It’s what keeps us going. ❤️ #Gatlinstrong Hunter Grounds Earnie Ross Earl Sigley Krystal Myers

Gatlin and Wren Update: (5/6/22)

Both Gatlin and Wren had cardiologist apts in STL on Monday. Based on Wren’s echo, it was determined that she has NO congenital heart defects! She is heart healthy and we are SO thankful! ❤️

Gatlin had a great cardio appointment and the results of his echo are unchanged since his last imaging—which is great. As heart parents, we always have anxiety/PTSD walking into these appointments. It was awesome to walk out with a good heart report!

In regards to his sleeping and his balance, there is a chance that this could be a neurological issue due to what happened to him or from his time in a coma. We have to monitor him for the next month or so and look for improvement. If there is no noticeable improvement, then we will be doing more tests with neurology as well as a sleep study.

In regards to his airway, his doctor was pleased that he has not experienced any significant breathing episodes, stridor, or labored breathing since being released from the hospital. We know that he has a vessel laying over his airway, but the only real way to tell how severe it currently is, would be to do another bronc procedure. Considering this was the exact procedure that sent him to the PICU, we, as well as Gatlin’s doctors, do not feel comfortable doing that since his breathing has improved. We will continue to monitor him to see how he does and will intervene if he becomes more symptomatic. We are praying that he will not need a second heart surgery.

Thank you for loving our family, for investing in G’s story, and for taking Gatlin’s name to the Father in prayer. Your love and support continues to encourage us daily. #Gatlinstrong ❤️

Gatlin Update 5/18/22:

Our little warrior started back to “school” this week (part time). It is such a blessing to get back to “normal” activities, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous/terrified. I woke up sick to my stomach on Monday morning at the thought of dropping him off or being away from him…but then I remembered all of those prayers I prayed in the hospital. I literally begged God for Gatlin to rise from his sick bed and to walk out of that hospital. For Gatlin to be healed and whole and for him to go back to being a “normal” active boy…playing with friends and going to “school”. And here we are…a walking miracle. Even though I can’t control tomorrow, I will continue to rely on the one who can…and lay it at His feet daily. ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update 10/25/22:

Our Gatlin is 2 years old! Two years of loving this amazing boy. Every birthday is significant, but this one especially. To put it plainly-Gatlin almost didn’t see this birthday. But every milestone is a reminder of our miracle. ❤️ Gatlin has battled like no other in his second year of life…and he deserves to be celebrated. We will spend a lifetime thanking God and celebrating our special boy! We can’t wait to see all that he does in this next year. Happy Birthday to our warrior! We love you so much, G! ❤️

Gatlin Update 12/6/22:

Gatlin and Eric are at Children’s for G’s scheduled sleep study. We have waited for this study for months and are SO thankful that he was well enough to do it. Patients can’t be sick or have any respiratory illnesses because the results would be skewed. He has had back-to-back viruses/illness since September. It is a miracle that he is healthy this week and that we didn’t have to reschedule! We are beyond excited to get this done. Please say a prayer that they are able to collect the data that they need so that we can figure out next steps for G. And pray for this Momma’s heart. (I may or may not have sobbed when they left.) I know that this is just a simple test, but Gatlin being back in any hospital setting brings back lots of tough emotions. Thanks for the prayers! ❤️

Gatlin Update 1/20/23:

One year ago today, Gatlin went in for a same-day, simple, diagnostic, procedure that would ultimately result in him fighting for his life. We have learned a lot this past year and are still on a medical journey with our G.

Yesterday, Gatlin was seen by neurology and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. He will be placed on at home oxygen at night until he is old enough (and stable enough) for surgery to fix a few unresolved issues.

Please be praying that he tolerates the oxygen at night and that it helps him sleep. We can count on one hand how many times he has slept through the night. He deserves restful, good quality, sleep.

Thank you for riding the roller coaster of this crazy medical journey with us. Instead of being sad, we are celebrating this day. Today marked a year since Gatlin won the fight of his life! We are so proud of our little warrior! ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update 2/22/23:

We would really appreciate some prayers. Gatlin has been admitted to children’s. He has had several choking episodes over the past two weeks and had another this morning. Looks like we will be here into early next week, at least. All teams have been consulted and are running a ton of tests to try and get to the bottom of this. Good news is that he is in good spirits right now.

We know this isn’t our first rodeo in asking for prayers for our family…but we ask because we know that prayer works! It means more than you know. We truly appreciate it! ❤️‍

#Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (2/15)

After several tests and lots of discussions with his teams at STL, it has become apparent that all roads lead to the OR for a scope procedure. GI and ENT both need a scope to proceed with a diagnosis or treatment option. However…this time last year, a simple bronchial scope procedure led to a 20+ day coma and necrosis. His teams are cautious in proceeding and Eric and I are not comfortable in proceeding with a scope at this time.

After lots of discussion and research, we have decided to get a second opinion at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Gatlin’s a unique case. Their cardio program is ranked #1 in the nation, otolaryngology program is nationally ranked, and their G.I. program is top 4 in the nation. All of which Gatlin needs.

Gatlin’s swallow study came back normal so we felt comfortable taking him home (on a modified diet) to wait for his TX apts. We were released yesterday evening.

Please continue to keep my family in your prayers as we get our affairs in order to get Gatlin the best care that he needs. This will be difficult, but we know God is with us. Thank you for all of your continued prayers. They mean more than you know. #Gatlinstrong ❤️‍

Gatlin Update (2/27)

After hours on the phone with both TX and STL hospital, we officially leave for Texas Children’s this weekend. Gatlin will have his first two appointments on Monday and another on Wednesday. We aren’t sure what next week will hold for us, but we are praying for answers for our Gatlin. We have been praying that God directs our steps to get Gatlin the best care that he needs. We would greatly appreciate all of your prayers! ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update 3/6/23:

Had a great first day of appointments! We are extremely impressed with TX Childrens and their facilities! Lots was discussed today and a plan is in the works. We meet with GI on Wednesday to get their input. We truly appreciate all of the prayers! #Gatlinstrong ❤️

Gatlin Update (3/9/23)

Our trip was successful in establishing care at Texas Children’s. We met with all of his care teams and discussed options for moving forward. ENT feels that a scope is necessary to clearly diagnose what is going on. GI would participate in this combo scope to collect biopsies to check for EOE. Cardio presented Gatlin’s case to the 2nd opinion/referral team and they felt his case warranted a full presentation to the entire Cardio team to discuss the innominate artery that lies over his airway and how to address it.

We heard several times during our time here that Gatlin’s case is “unique”. (As parents, we all want our kids to be unique…but in this case, we would really just like Gatlin to be normal! ‍♀️). Cardio will be in contact with us in the coming weeks after his case is presented to the team and they have a game plan.

We are super thankful and blessed that some of the top physicians in the nation are reviewing our son’s case while actively working towards a plan to get him well.

We head back to STL Children’s tomorrow evening for another sleep study so that he can finally get his home oxygen at night. (He is really over hospitals and the car so we appreciate the prayers. )

Thank you for all of your prayers. We believe in the power of prayer and appreciate them more than you know! #Gatlinstrong ❤️

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” Matthew 18:20

Gatlin Update (3/27/23)

TX Children’s had a very “meticulous and detailed” conference over Gatlin’s case last week. The doctor I spoke with said they looked at every medical detail from his birth until now and discussed for about 45 minutes to an hour. A team of talented physicians, radiologists, ENT’s, and the “Micheal Jordan” of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery (how blessed are we?) all deliberated on what is best for Gatlin.

They unanimously agreed that Gatlin’s is in need of another heart surgery called an aortopexy to lift the innominate artery off of his airway. We will do the operation in TX and are currently waiting on a call from scheduling to get him on the books.

According to TX, he has to have this surgery in order to prevent further damage to the trachea and a potential “total airway reconstruction” later down the line. There is a 56-87% chance that this will improve the compression and not operating isn’t an option based on the severity of his airway. We are trusting that God has led us here and are praying that this procedure will finally give Gatlin a better quality of life and the ability to be a “normal” kid.

We have peace knowing that so many people are praying for our boy. Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support. ❤️ #Gatlinstrong

Gatlin Update (4/6/23)

Gatlin is officially scheduled for surgery. We leave for Texas on the 17th, pre-op on the 19th, and his heart surgery will be on Friday the 21st. He will be inpatient for at least a week. We will remain in Texas for an additional week after discharge not only as a precautionary measure, but due to his post-op appointments.

As parents of a medically complex child, you would think that preparing for these surgeries and hospital stays would get just a tiny bit easier, but in all transparency, they just don’t. Every time you hand your child to a surgeon, it’s excruciating. We know this is needed, but we would give anything if we could just take his place. Eric and I really appreciate your prayers for strength and peace as we mentally prepare.

We are trusting that this surgery will be the improvement that Gatlin has needed for quite some time and we know that he is being treated by the best in the nation. We know that God is with Gatlin every step of the way. We greatly appreciate all of the prayers and encouragement. More than you know. ❤️#Gatlinstrong