Thanksgiving tales: Hope and kindness

By MIKE HALLIDAY

The Mirror

It's late September and fall is making no pretense about its arrival with a brisk wind and the first gold and yellow leaves swirling around - but Colette and Jeremy Pearson have the air conditioning on anyway.

If they didn't their son's room would be a furnace.

Troy Pearson was born at 22 and a half weeks - four months premature - on September 7, 2003. He spent the first 10 months of his life at the hospital. He came home in July, but still has nursing care for most of the day. Alongside the toys and pictures in his room are machines more familiar to a hospital ward. He has a ventilator that supplies oxygen via his tracheotomy, a feeding pump the puts a liquid diet directly into his intestine, a concentrator that pumps oxygen into the ambient air he breathes, suction equipment to pull fluids from his lungs, a pulse oximeter to measure his heart rate and oxygen content, a sleep apnea machine, and a nebulizer to deliver medicines in an aerosolized form to his lungs.

The air conditioning is kept on night and day to keep the machines - and his room - cool.

Behind the walls the family invested in a filtration system to keep the air in the house clean and not compromise his weak immune system. Dust and dirt is scoured out of the house to add another line of defense to keep Troy safe.

For the young couple life has taken a dramatic turn in 14 months.

"I had trouble kind of from the start," Colette said.

A special education teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School, Colette used fertility drugs to get pregnant with Troy. She also used them to get pregnant with their first child, Sydney. There was some difficulty having Sydney, but she arrived on time and is a healthy, happy three-year old.

Troy was different.

Colette was in a lot of pain almost from the beginning of the pregnancy, she said. There were times she bled and at one point needed a transfusion. Her doctor prescribed bed rest in August of 2003. A week before Troy was born she had more bleeding.

On September 7, 2003 Colette and Jeremy were in bed watching television when she started having severe contractions. It was too early - the second trimester wasn't over. Jeremy called 911 over the protests of his wife, who wanted to take their car to the hospital.

"For once, I'm glad he didn't listen to me," Colette said.

Chris Burdyshaw and two other firefighters from the Federal Way Fire Department arrived. The emergency crew and Jeremy debated whether to move Colette to the hospital. Troy made the decision for his parents. While Jeremy talked to the medical crew, Colette had another contraction - and Troy was born.

Despite what the world of television leads people to believe, firefighters do not routinely deliver babies. The fact that Burdyshaw recently assisted in two deliveries within a month was noteworthy amongst his peers. The firefighters train once a year to refresh their delivery skills and learn new techniques. Along with learning how to put out fires and remove people from crushed cars, firefighters are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) trained to handle injuries and some illnesses. But neonatal deliveries are entirely different.

At first, Colette didn't know what had happened when Troy was born. Jeremy found their son buried in the sheets and not breathing. Burdyshaw remembered seeing the baby - who weighed one pound, one ounce - and noting it wasn't fully developed. The eyelids weren't quite there and the fingers still had a webbing between them. After getting him to start breathing, the firefighters pointed an oxygen tube towards Troy's face because all the breathing masks in their kits were too large. They also called King County Paramedics for help.

Heiko Stopsack, a senior paramedic, said the day had been uneventful to that point. When Stopsack and his partner, Rick Norwood, were called around 9 p.m. to help the firefighters all they knew was they were needed for a neonatal delivery.

Paramedics have significant training in dealing with traumatic injuries and illnesses. To get into Central Washington University's paramedics program, an applicant must have at least two years experience as an EMT along with other qualifications to be accepted. Then they have thousands of hours of practical training and classroom sessions to complete before being certified.

Stopsack and Norwood arrived and began working on Troy. He needed oxygen. They had a small tube that fit into Troy's airway and were able to deliver oxygen directly to his lungs. Later the Pearsons learned the emergency room didn't have a tube small enough to have fit into their son's trachea.

"The system worked beautifully," Stopsack, a paramedic since 1985, said. The event inspired him to learn more and train further for neonatal births.

A second ambulance arrived to take Colette - who was still suffering from the pregnancy - to the hospital. Stopsack and Norwood took Troy. The last ambulance left the house at 10:30 p.m., according to fire department logs. First they went the Mary Bridge Children's Center and the emergency room. Troy was then admitted into Tacoma General's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Colette's parents took Sydney to their home while Jeremy followed the ambulances in his truck. He talked to his mother on his cellphone the whole way to keep him company. He was shaking as he drove - in shock.

Troy came into the world weighing little more than a bag with three or four large apples in it. He was 11 inches long. His real age was not revealed by his parents.

Jeremy and Colette had lied about the age of their unborn son - they said he was 24 weeks old - because they had heard medical care was not given for children born earlier.

Despite the Pearson's concerns, Deborah Leander said Tacoma General treats premature babies as young as 23 weeks. Normal gestation is 40 weeks. But younger than 23 weeks and there is little medical experts can do because the baby has not developed enough to survive outside the womb, she said.

"Even with the best technology," said Leander, clinical director of the Tacoma General's NICU.

The unit has a proven record. Twenty-five percent of the babies born at 23 to 24 weeks do not have problems with vision challenges or bleeding in the head. Children born at 33 weeks have a 100 percent survival rate.

While not speaking specifically about Troy Pearson, Leander gave an explanation of what typically happens when a premature baby comes to Tacoma General's NICU.

Which actually starts before the birth.

If a mother goes into labor prematurely there is a special unit of Tacoma General whose mission is to halt the birth, Leander said.

The basic goal: keep the baby in the womb as long as it is safe.

The longer in the womb, the better the baby's chances of arriving healthy and further along developmentally.

A neonatalologist is with the mother as is a neonatal nurse, Leander said.

Once the baby is born and breathing the staff place them on one of three different ventilators that perform different tasks to help the lungs. The main vessel of the umbilical chord is tapped to introduce medicines. The Pearsons said Troy was given steroids to quicken the development of his lungs - a common procedure on premies because the lungs are the last organs to fully develop before birth.

The medical staff wrapped him in cellophane to keep him from losing moisture. His skin hadn't developed enough to retain the water in his body, Jeremy said.

Even a gentle draft is enough to dehydrate the baby and the cellophane offers a layer of protection to the delicate skin, Leander said.

A catheter is inserted to feed the child, although the medical professionals know what mom has is best, Leander said. Breast milk helps the baby combat infections.

Light, sound and the baby's position are also regulated. Since the baby should be in the womb at this time, the staff strives to recreate it as much as possible. A special pillow cradles the baby's head so the soft skull doesn't form a flat side. Light is not directed at them and sounds are kept low. It's all critical to development.

With all the modern machines and research working to keep the baby alive and developing, the professionals also rely on parental intuition.

As the parents they sometimes pick up on their child's distress better than the professionals, Leander said.

"We like to have a partnership with (the parents)," she added.

And while they labor to keep the baby healthy, the staff also wants the babies and parents to bond. Parents visit and spend time holding the premies on their chests - their heartbeats syncing together. Unseen are the chemicals passing between parents and children creating a bond.

"They're the ones who have to take the baby home," Leander said.

Troy was in the NICU for eight months and at first his parents were told he might be brain dead. But he didn't quit.

"(The doctors) said it was a miracle," Jeremy said. They kept telling the Pearsons it was a miracle for three months. After eight months Troy was moved to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). He was growing and dwarfed the newer premies at the NICU.

Once he was in PICU, Colette could breathe a little relief. She felt Troy was going to make it.

But it didn't mean their suddenly complicated life was going to return to something resembling normal. There were several doctors appointments to be at each week. Troy still needed medical attention during the day even though he was at home. A nurse was at the house 24 hours a day while both parents went to work. And, of course, all of the machines.

The Pearsons are happy to have their son home, and realistic to know even as he grows larger and gets older the potential exists for future challenges.

Some things they know.

The steroids will make him short, but Jeremy noted with a small smile that, "Dad's short. Life goes on."

His vision has limits - he can't see peripherally.

They don't know if he can hear, or if he can and how well. And he still is at risk for getting sick since his immune system is weak.

In October friends of the family held a dinner at the Auburn Avenue Dinner Theater to raise money to help pay medical bills. The Pearsons say the cost is in the millions.

Colette said the event was packed and among the guests were one of the paramedics and one of Troy's first nurses.

"It was a very fruitful night," Colette said.

That day was more stressful than usual as Troy went back to the hospital with a lung infection. He was there for several days before being released only to spend one night at home and go back for another 10 days after the infection sprang back.

He is home for the holidays and Colette said if Troy continues to stay healthy they plan to visit Jeremy's extended family in Lakewood and Colette's parents in Federal Way.

"We're looking forward to the holiday," she said.

Staff writer Mike Halliday: 925-5565, mhalliday@fedwaymirror.com

By ERICA HALL

The Mirror

As the skies grow leaden and brisk winds sweep the red and yellow leaves from the sidewalks, local agencies are preparing to serve the area's citizens a warm Thanksgiving feast to kick off the season.

Foundation House, a senior living community, is holding an elegant dinner with a chef and maitre d' from 1-5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Staff will be serving a traditional turkey with all the trimmings, baked ham, fresh cranberry relish, green bean almandine and three pies: pumpkin, pecan and cranberry apple.

Marketing director Mary McGoran said Thanksgivings are frequently full at Foundation House. "A lot of people bring their families. We have a full house," she said. "We're better than going to a restaurant."

The food will be served on a buffet in the courtyard lounge, and staff will set up extra tables in the library and entryway to accommodate the number of people expected to dine.

The Thanksgiving dinner is Foundation House's entree to the holiday season. Their Fourth Annual Dickens for Christmas Open House is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 5. Costumed carolers will sing to visitors and a horse and buggy will provide rides from the parking lot and around the building.

A huge Christmas tree will greet visitor and residents, McGoran said, and Foundation House will provide an espresso stand, Christmas cookies and hot wassail.

At the Multi-Service Center's food bank, volunteers have been making Thanksgiving baskets for clients who signed up in advance for appointments. The Thanksgiving baskets contained fresh fruits and vegetables, some canned fruits, cranberries, margarine, flour and other supplies, plus gift certificates for meat.

More than 1,200 low-income families made appointments for the Thanksgiving baskets this year. According to data collected over the past year, the Multi-Service Center's food and clothing bank served 13,111 people: 10,133 from Federal Way, 254 from Auburn, 948 from Kent and 1,776 from other South King County cities.

Spokeswoman Nancy Hohenstein said Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season for the Multi-Service Center, too: the day after Thanksgiving will be the first day people can begin leaving gifts for low-income families at the Giving Tree in the Commons at Federal Way.

For those who can't do Thanksgiving at home this year —  or for those who don't have a home at all — the Federal Way Community Caregiving Network will provide a Thanksgiving feast at Calvary Lutheran Church.

The congregation regularly hosts Thursday night dinners for the poor and homeless. Volunteer church member Jan Olson said the church provided Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years dinners last year because all three fell on Thursdays.

"We always have a community dinner here on Thursday, so it'll be the same," Olson said, adding this Thursday's dinner will be a traditional Thanksgiving affair. Planners expect that up to 90 people, many homeless, some very low-income, will arrive at the church for the 12th annual Thanksgiving dinner.

Many of the dinner attendees are from the immediate Federal Way area, but others travel by bus from other parts of the region. "Every year, there are more," Olson said. "Close to half are homeless, living in cars or very marginal shelters," she said. "Others are just low-income. Their money just doesn't stretch."

At 5 p.m. Thursday, the Federal Way Community Caregiving Network and Calvary Lutheran volunteers will be serving roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, asparagus, rolls and pies. Olson picked up three 25-pound turkeys from Top Foods for cost —  a volunteer paid for them as a donation — and Marie Callendar's usually offers three 4-pound turkey breasts at cost.

Marie Callendar's also donates 10 pies, and Carmen's Bakery in Federal Way will donate four more.

Olson said the caregiving network doesn't have any trouble staffing the holiday dinners —  "There's so many people from the community who want to help, we never have a problem staffing," she said —  but the organization does need volunteers to help cook, set up, serve, clean up and register guests during the rest of the year.

Anyone can volunteer as long as he or she is old enough to be productive —  Olson said 12 years old is probably the youngest —  but servers and cooks need a food handlers license from the state. The Federal Way Community Caregiving Network also asks for a commitment from volunteers because of the training investment the network provides.

The Federal Way Community Caregiving Network serves dinner every Monday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Steel Lake Presbyterian, Thursday from 5-6 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran and Saturday from 1-2 p.m. at the Episcopalian Church of the Good Samaritan. To volunteer, contact Jan Olson at 927-5339, or email communitysupper@yahoo.com.

Staff writer Erica Hall: 925-5565, ehall@fedwaymirror.com

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