It has been a year since a very successful fundraiser was held in Annandale to help the Hadfield family Nick and Melissa Hadfield and their two children Brady and Madalynn, who have severe health problems.
The fundraiser, held at Annandale High School, raised over $50,000 to help the Hadfields with astronomical medical expenses.
The Hadfields have been on an incredible journey. In an interview last year Nick Hadfield said, "I don’t know how many times my children have died in my arms and I have had to bring them back to life, once even on the side of the road on I-94."
Brady, a tough four years
In the first three years of Brady’s life he spent over 400 days in the hospital, underwent six brain surgeries and 10 major hospitalizations. Brady had a severe brain hemorrhage and a stroke while in the womb.
Because of the stroke most of the left side of his brain was injured and some of his right side as well. The additional pressure and fluid during the stroke also damaged Brady’s optic nerve and left him legally blind in the left eye.
"Brady’s vision problems can not be corrected with glasses," Nick said.
Brady had his first brain surgery in 2009, a shunt was put in to drain excess fluid and relieve pressure on his brain. The shunt is basically a gravity controlled valve with a catheter on each end to drain the fluid into his abdomen. Brady has had ongoing trouble with the shunts, but surgery done in 2012 seems to have solved the problem.
In his short life Brady has also had numerous respiratory infections, pneumonia, gastroenteritis and chronic ear infections.
Brady is getting better
Brady has made a great deal of progress in the last year. According to Melissa, Brady can now put seven or eight words together in a sentence and can even count to 100 (with a little help). "It is amazing to hear him be able to communicate these things. We were told he would never do many things, and to see all this progress is awesome,"
Brady enjoys reading books with his mom, bike rides with dad, he loves to jump, pick tomatoes, dance and play on the playground with mom and dad.
Brady is learning how to be a big brother to Maddie.
"One night he wanted Maddie to sit on the potty chair next to him, so when we put her on he rubbed her back and said ‘yeah’ clapped his hands for her and said ‘go sister’ He was so happy to help her and was showing he was proud of her in his own little way," Melissa said.
Brady is enrolled in pre-school and also goes to therapy three times a week. The Hadfields expect that Brady will start school in the fall of 2014.
Madalynn
Maddie was born in July, 2011. Three months before Maddie’s birth, Nick and Melissa learned that she had Congenital Heart Disease, which encompasses multiple heart defects. Maddie has had a rough time of it from day one.
This time last year, Maddie had only been home for 14 days since birth and she had undergone 12 surgical procedures, including seven open heart surgeries. She also had surgical procedures to correct severe reflux disease and the placement of her feeding tube.
In March, 2012 Maddie had major surgery at the Boston Childrens Hospital. It was a very complex procedure on Maddie’s heart. There were 90 cardiologists that were consulted prior to the surgery. Maddie and her mother spent four weeks in Boston, before returning to Minnesota.
The Hadfields are thankful that the surgery in Boston, was the last that Maddie has needed.
Maddy’s heart function has improved. In a test done for measuring heart function, the average is 650 points. A low number on the test represents strong heart function and the higher number shows how much failure the heart is in.
Maddie was measured at 985 points. "This is good," said Maddie’s mother, "the highest Maddie has been on this scale was over 57,000 when her heart was failing prior to her fourth open heart surgery."
The Hadfields realize that Maddie’s heart problems are not over.
"In the back of our minds we know it is inevitable that Maddie’s amazing heart has had too much damage through the first 10 months of life and most likely she will eventually need a heart transplant," Melissa said.
The heart does not reproduce cells as quickly as other areas of the body. Maddie takes 12 different medications daily to keep her heart functioning. The Hadfields are hoping that the medication will be effective for another 10 years.
Doctors have told the Hadfields that because of the operating room procedures and the times Madalynn was deprived of oxygen, she will have learning challenges throughout her life.
"We have been so blessed that Maddie’s heart withstood so many operations that corrected the plumbing of her heart. Many of our friends have had transplants, so all I can say is thank you for anyone who has chosen to be an organ donor and give life to someone that is in need; our Maddie may be in need someday," Melissa said.
Maddie is crawling
Maddie is crawling now and can stand while holding on to furniture. She has started to talk saying "hi," "bye," "ball," "mama" and "dada."
"It is amazing to hear her jabbering when we get her out of her crib in the morning," Melissa said.
Maddie does have weekly therapy sessions – physical, occupational and speech. Maddie is still fed through a feeding tube, but hopefully that will take care of itself with time.
"We already know she is a miracle to us, and we are just going to have to stay focused on getting her the best therapy and working with her at home as much as possible. We know that giving her the best chance at everything in life starts with us," Nick said.
What could have been
"We are grieving – that never goes away, wondering what could have been. Knowing that Brady and Maddie may never do what other kids can do. They will not have the typical childhood, but that is OK, they are very special kids," Melissa said.
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