Help for Baby Joshua and the Egan family

Our son Joshua George was born on December 31, 2022. Gail delivered Joshua 5 weeks early because of pre-eclampsia. Just 12 hours after his birth, Joshua became very sick and required a ventilator to breathe. Even with the ventilator, our little boy was unable to oxygenate his own blood, so on January 1st, Josh was airlifted to CHOP in Philadelphia and immediately placed on an ECMO machine with the hope that his lungs would heal. After approximately 12 days on ECMO, the doctors discovered a brain bleed caused by the blood thinners he needed to be on. Joshua was removed from ECMO and remained on the full support of a ventilator. However, an MRI revealed that bleeding in the brain was so immense, it caused the entire brain to shift and caused severe and irreversible damage to all areas of his brain.

Our family is still learning exactly what all this means for our son's future. It is hard to know what Joshua will be capable of as he grows. But the doctors believe he will always be dependent on a ventilator and feeding tube. Joshua is unable to open his beautiful eyes or swallow on his own, but his vital signs remain stable, and he has feeling and movement below the neck. However, there is extremely limited communication between his brain and the rest of his body.

We are now faced with the reality of raising a medically complex child. It’s going to take some time to figure out what our “new normal” will look like. Right now, it is a constant balancing act: being with Joshua in Philadelphia, being with the big kids in NJ, and making sure the big kids get time with their baby brother.

We have felt SO incredibly supported by our friends and family these past two months. From homemade meals to gift cards, to help with child care and after-school activities, to prayers, cards, text messages, and phone calls… it is our community that has carried us through.

People continue to ask how they can help and we’ve been hesitant to turn to crowdfunding for support because our friends and family have been so generous already. But it has become clear that we will continue to need help, in no small part because our ability to generate extra income will be limited as long as Josh requires continuous care. While medical bills are starting to come in, there are many other needs, including a second car (to visit Josh while keeping the kids in school), periodic 24-hour support for the big kids (our parents have been valiant in this role thus far), and food and gas when traveling to and from Philadelphia.

We invite you to join Joshua’s Village on Facebook for additional updates. And please continue to keep our entire family in your prayers. We thank you for all your love and support.

John and Gail