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Amazing birth story

This update is from GCI pastor George Hart who reports on the recent birth of his granddaughter.

Grandpa George with Elle
Grandpa George with Elle

The good news is that we have wonderful and precious new granddaughter, Elle Jolynn Dobson, born to our daughter Erin and her husband Craig Dobson of Nashville, Tennessee. However the blessed event wasn’t without some anguish and distress.

On Friday morning, August 16 at around 9:00am Erin was almost completely dilated, so the expectation was that baby Elle would be born in the early afternoon. However time continued to pass and it wasn’t until after midnight that Erin started pushing. She pushed for a couple of hours, but the baby’s head was turned to the side, and she would not rotate. They tried forceps, which only bruised and cut her head.

After 30 hours of being in the birth canal, baby Elle went into stress and the doctors did an emergency C-section. They would not let Erin see the baby and rushed her out of the operating room. The doctor’s comment to Erin was, “You have a very sick little girl.” Elle’s heart was in distress, she could not breathe on her own and there was cerebral hemorrhaging. At that point the doctors were not certain she would survive, and what damage would have been done if she did.

Elle was immediately placed in NICU, where she received therapeutic hypothermia to reduce the risk of brain injury. Her body temperature was lowered to 92 degrees for 72 hours and she was sedated with morphine to limit stimulation to her brain. My first view of my granddaughter was lying nude on a cooling blanket with electrodes attached to her head, IVs in her navel and arm and a rectal thermometer. They had just removed the oxygen tube in her nose, running to her lungs.

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Grandma Vicki (George’s wife) with Elle

After 72 hours they gradually warmed her to normal body temperature and began to step down the treatment. For the first time, her mother could hold her. She began to display normal responses to touch and stimulation. But at this point they were still concerned about possible brain damage and seizures from the hemorrhaging. Each day you could see improvement in her responses and overall condition.

The last hurdle was an MRI which was performed this past Saturday, day eight of her life. They were looking for any dead brain tissue. The MRI showed a normal healthy brain! There is still blood between her brain and skull but the doctors said that if she hasn’t had seizures at this point she won’t and the blood will dissolve into her body.

On August 25 they kicked Elle out of NICU and sent her home!

It is amazing how God works. The mother of one of Erin’s best friends is the resource nurse for the NICU. She was able to assign the “best” nurses to care for Elle and checked on her frequently. The therapeutic hypothermia procedure used was invented by a doctor at the hospital, so they have a great deal of experience. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital is one of the best at dealing with infant trauma.

I was so moved this past week with the faith of Erin and her husband Craig. There were times when I would hold Elle and tears would form in my eyes. Erin would comfort me with a pat on the shoulder and say, “Dad everything is going to be fine. She is in God’s hands. Don’t worry about it.”

Though I’m feeling a bit emotionally drained, I also am feeling the pride of a grandparent and the love of a loving and caring Heavenly Father. I apologize to all grandparents I’ve made fun of for their comments about their grandchildren. Now, I understand!

10 thoughts on “Amazing birth story”

  1. Wow — thanks for sharing this, George. Congratulations to you and Vicki on becoming (fellow) grandparents…
    We will pray for your precious Elle, and for Erin and Craig.
    Blessings,
    Ross and Tammy Jutsum

  2. GOD SHOWED HIMSELF MIGHTY AGAIN. THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR OUR GREAT ALMIGHTY GOD. WE JOIN YOU IN THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE FOR HE IS GOD AND BESIDE HIM, THERE IS NONE ELSE. TO HIM BE THE GLORY!

  3. George and Vicki – Thanks for sharing and your family is in our thoughts and prayers. Grace and peace to all of you, especially Erin, Craig and Elle.

  4. Thanks for sharing your beautiful story about your beautiful granddaughter! May Elle someday know fully the depth of God’s love for her and all humanity, even as you, Vicki, Erin, and Craig do now.

    And on a lighter note…to borrow a line from the movie Legally Blonde, “Snaps for Elle” (and snaps for God, too!).

  5. Dearest George,
    I am so proud of Erin and Craig. Isn’t it amazing
    When our children comfort us? It is a compliment
    Proving what wonderful parents we have become!
    Little Elle is a new birth of faith, to your family
    Our church, and well the world . I cannot imagine
    The worry u all experienced . The look on Vicki s
    Face certainly expresses the joy! Yes our Lord
    Has big plans for Elle and we all get to watch
    Them evolve. PS No doubt your own NICU nurse
    Was a big part of the plan ; )
    Love, Michelle Bosse xxoo

  6. Erin, Craig and baby Elle (and George and Vicki),

    We cannot imagine the stress you must have gone through over the last 1.5 weeks. Your courage and faith are a testimony to God’s love. We are thrilled to see these beautiful photos and we’ll be praying for you all. And we look forward to many more beautiful stories in the years to come. Congratulations!

  7. Thank you so much for sharing this very inspiring event in your life. Reading it made my eyes watery as it reminded me of our second grandson’s experience who is healthy now (6 years old) but almost died in his first and second year of life. I will tell my wife and we will thank and praise God for his wonderful intervention in your life.

    I am so happy for you and your family that God has intervened in such a graceful way.

  8. What a miraculous story on top of the story that is always a miracle when a child is born to someone and enters the world that belongs to God and is in the image of him to whom we all belong. May Elle fulfill all of God’s purposes for her being in him and share much joy with all of her family through the blessings of God. Praise God for miracles on an hourly and daily basis.

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