MICHAEL LEE HILT

A GIFT FROM GOD!

This page was last updated: April 16, 2009

Dearest Family and Friends,

There will never be enough words for us to thank you for all of the support we have received over the past 10 days.  With the help and support of Lareina Saindon we have been able to get this website up and running for all of you to keep somewhat updated on the progress of our little miracle, Michael Lee Hilt.

What Happened:

On September 26, right after school I began bleeding profusely and was rushed to the hospital where they had to perform an emergency C-section.  Michael was estimated to have been without oxygen for at least 4 minutes.  As a result every internal organ was affected, the brain being hit the worst.  I have been told that the condition was a “fluke”, not detectable by ultrasound and nothing I did caused the problem.  The issue was how the umbilical cord attached to the placenta in an unusual manner with blood vessels attaching in an odd place.  The blood vessels ruptured and, unfortunately, the blood loss was all the baby’s.  My doctor has since researched and found that this only happens in about 1 out of every 5,000 pregnancies.  The doctor who performed the C-section has only seen this 3 times in his 30 year career and our baby is the only one he has ever been able to resuscitate.

What Now:

PRAY.  The prognosis we have been given is extremely bleak.  The doctor’s refer to Michael’s death as “inevitable” and talk of hospice care as what lies in our future.  The only thing we don’t know is when Michael will die.  We believe, however, that these basic facts are true for every one of us.  It is inevitable that we all will die eventually, we will all need some type of care and none of us knows when we will go.  The real question is WHERE will we go?  This does not have to be an unknown.  The Bible states in John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but will have everlasting life.”  We believe this for ourselves, we believe this for our son, we pray this for you and yours.

Specific prayer reveals specific answers.  We encourage you to pray for an organ or a function in our child’s body each day.  The following are the systems and organs most in need of prayer:

Kidneys – One is believed to not be functioning at all.  The other is pushing urine, but not filtering out the toxins causing Michael to become extremely jaundice.  The normal bilirubin light is not an option to treat the jaundice because of how it would affect the liver.  If the kidneys do not function we will lose Michael.

Brain – The front and back lobes of the right side of the brain have both suffered from strokes.  There is additional swelling on the back of the left side of the brain as well as in the inner thalamus areas.  I am NOT a medical person as most of you know.  The translation is that every sensory organ is likely affected as well as gross and fine motor control.  We do not even know yet if Michael will be able to take a bottle.

Feeding – We know Michael can suck as he loves the pacifier.  We do not know yet if he can coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing.  Currently he is being given 4ccs of breast milk every 3 hours.  He is so far able to digest that without a problem, but needs to be consuming 40ccs before we can look at bottle or breastfeeding. All of this takes brain function which we are not sure he is capable of at this time.

There are many improvements for which we are thankful, but we are far from out of the danger zone.  As each day stretches on it is hard to keep a proper balance and perspective.  Pray that we get the rest we need.  I wish we were strong enough to return all of the phone calls quickly and keep you individually posted on a daily basis, but our energy levels just aren’t there right now.  Please pray that we do not get sick as that would keep us from being able to see Michael.  I fear this is turning into a book, so I must bring this to a close for now.  We will try to update on the website every few days so that you can keep up with events as they progress.  Thank you to the many who have already posted messages for us.  You will never know how much your encouraging words mean at times like this!!

With Much Love,

Becky and Perry

Please sign the guest book to let Becky, Perry, and Michael know that you are thinking of them and so that they have a keepsake for the baby book.

Also, please add the site to your favorites so that you can keep up on Michael's progress and continue to pray for him and his family.

Becky's online birthday card 10/16/06

MICHAEL IS WALKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE TOOK HIS FIRST STEPS 1/15/08 WHAT A MIRACLE BABY HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!