Baby Brandon

Ladies and gentlemen....there is a new baby that entered this world who needs all of the prayers, good vibes, positivity, and well wishes that y'all can muster.  This baby, Brandon Oliver, was born to one of the sweetest, most loving, and amazing women I know.  Katie is the older sister of my best friend from high school, Jenny.  I spent countless hours at their house as a teenager and loved every hour i was in the presence of these strong, passionate women.

When Katie got pregnant I was overjoyed!  She had been waiting for a baby for so long and this baby was going to get spoiled!  Well, life threw her a curve ball and she spent the majority of her pregnancy on bed-rest.  Katie is a hard-working, busy, passionate woman and sitting still for a long time was not really part of her life....but for her baby, she made it part of her life.  Brandon was born on Monday, October 19 at 11:24 pm....and life threw her another (BIGGER) curve ball.

Here is the email Katie sent out shortly after Brandon was born:

Hello All,

As many of you know, Brandon was born on Monday night, 10/19/2009 at 11:24 PM. He was 7lbs 6oz and 20 3/4 inches long. We are so excited to have him.

Unfortunately, there were some complications in the baby's health that made things difficult. Although the birthing process was going really well, his heart rate decelerated during the process and failed to come up. I was sedated and he was born via emergency c-section (Dr. Strebel saved B's life,and I am so grateful for him!). He was immediately intubated and taken to the NICU. Dino was able to see him a few times and take some pictures. A few hours later he was taken by air to a hospital in Salt Lake City where he could get a higher level of care. I was able to see him for a less than a minute before he left, but he was really cute!

Currently, Brandon is intubated and they have completed some brain studies, including an ultrasound of his brain. They have noticed an area that seems to have gotten less blood flow than the rest. However, he kicks a lot and seems to know his Daddy (Dino is in Salt Lake City with him). He is very very cute, with blonde hair and green/blue eyes. We are waiting for a brain MRI to be completed on Friday so we can get a better idea of how healthy he is.

I will be with the baby on Monday, whether he is in Salt Lake City or Vegas. I will send a new email and more pics as soon as possible.

Thank you for all of the love and prayers you have sent our way! We appreciate all of you!

Love,
Katie, Dino and Brandon

As of late, God and I have been on a break.  I have been trying to figure out where i fit, what i think and believe about God, and which kind of pew i should sit in....Catholic, Jewish, or something else. When I heard from Katie and Jenny on Tuesday morning, i found myself pacing through my apartment, wringing my hands, and praying.  I know that my prayers, well wishes, good vibes, and positivity need to be echoed.  It would mean so much to me if you could all send some love towards that tiny baby and his family.

Brandon Oliver