Bradly Michael Campbell
I found out I was pregnant with our third child on July 25th 2004.The reason I remember was because my family was having a huge family reunion. I was on my way out of town with my boys, Trentyn who was 3 and Hunter who was just barely 1, and Greg my husband. I was so excited I had to call my mom and she was excited too.
I found out I was pregnant with our third child on July 25th 2004.The reason I remember was because my family was having a huge family reunion. I was on my way out of town with my boys, Trentyn who was 3 and Hunter who was just barely 1, and Greg my husband. I was so excited I had to call my mom and she was excited too.
As the weeks rolled on, everything was going well. I felt fine besides normal everyday pregnancy woes. I went in to my first doctor appointment and found out I wasn't 10 weeks along like I thought, but only 6 weeks. Looking back I am happy I got a month back. By 16 weeks I found out we were having our third boy and we decided his name would be Bradly Michael (Michael is after Greg's dad).
Right after I had Hunter I found out I had gallstones, and I began having issues again. By 19 weeks I was really having a hard time, so I went into my OB and he said that I could have my gallbladder removed. I hesitated to do it because I was worried something bad might happen, but I went ahead and had the surgery. The surgeon said all was well and as a 21 year old I believed him. I had no reason not to. I was supposed to feel better after a week, but instead I went downhill. The surgeon told me I was fine, that it was probably gas. Bradly seemed to be doing fine. I felt him kicking more and more. I just got sicker but I never thought it was that bad. I was so sick that I couldn't even sleep in my own bed because I hurt so badly. I finally had my OB appointment on December 5th. My OB walked in and saw how yellow I was and ordered lab work immediately. Turns out my surgeon had nicked my common bile duct. I had bile everywhere in my body besides where Bradly was. By Friday I was sent to Medford (3 hours from my home). My mom flew in from Utah to be with me. When she saw me, I was so bloated she said I looked like I was 9 months pregnant.
I was admitted to the hospital. The doctors were worried about the baby. I was too. The first day we were there my mom walked into my room and all of the sudden she saw my stomach move from a huge kick. That is one of my favorite memories of Bradly because to me it meant he was fine. The gastroenterologist did a procedure and fixed the hole. I also had to have 8 liters of bile removed from my body. My mom went home after several days since we thought I was getting better and would be able to leave on Tuesday the 14th or Wednesday the 15th. Well that didn't happen. I didn't get home until January 15th.
The night I had Bradly was a normal day from what I can remember. I was sleeping off and on and Greg was with me (he had been laid off from his job a few months earlier). All of the sudden I heard this popping sound like a water balloon. It was so loud that it woke Greg up. I figured that it was my catheter that had somehow popped out. I called the nurse, who came in to look and told me that I was in labor and that my water had broken. From then on it was a whirlwind.
I wasn't in the maternity ward so they had to call a code blue and 20 minutes later at 12:58 a.m. on December 15, 2004, Bradly was born. He weighed 1 pound 9 ounces and was 13 1/2 inches long, born at 24 ½ weeks gestation. He was born alive and I thought he looked just like my oldest son. I vividly remember looking at Greg and knowing that this wasn't good. It happened so fast that Greg was across the room. He couldn't even comfort me. I told him to go with Bradly and I would be fine.
The night went by and I have no memory of it. I am not sure if it was shock or grief, but I just can't remember details. Greg called his mom and stepdad, and they came right over. My mother in law stayed with me and Greg's stepdad went with him. Sometime during the night I was told that Bradly's lungs were so underdeveloped that the tubes in his lungs came out and they almost lost him, but they were able to save him so that I could see him.
The next morning the doctors who were taking care of Bradly came in and gave us the worst news a parent ever has to hear. They said that because my water broke so early, Bradly ended up getting my infection, which in turn gave him a brain bleed. They said even if he made it he would be severely handicapped and would probably only live until he was 2 or 3. Also he was only holding his oxygen saturations at 75% and he was already trying to go. I knew in my heart what we had to do I couldn't prolong his life knowing he was in pain and would probably die anyway.
They moved us down to a room near the NICU and they brought him to me at 1:00pm.They asked if we wanted to have him on the tubes or without. We said without. They brought him in and he was so small and bruised (although I didn't see it) and his eyes were still fused shut. Not being able to see his eyes was so hard. I did pretty good holding him until they said I should put him on my bare chest. I did that and I lost it completely. I just couldn't believe this was happening to me. My boys never saw Bradly because they were with family hours away from us. I held Bradly as he took his last breaths. He passed at 1:32 p.m. I was so sad, but in my heart I knew he was safe and not in any pain anymore. Greg's mom and two aunts were in the room with us. I asked Greg if he wanted to hold Bradly after he passed. Greg said no at first but then after his mom held Bradly, he took him too. I have a vivid memory of this and I know if Greg hadn't held him he would have regretted it. We spent a little more time with him. His color was getting bad. I held him one more time and gave him so many kisses. My biggest fear was that he wouldn't know me. The nurses took him back to the NICU and did a cast of his hand and foot. I keep those in my window to remind me of him.
He was buried on December 31st. The funeral home waited to bury him hoping I would be able to go. Greg's dad and uncle arranged the whole thing. I am thankful for his dad taking over because I know Greg and I couldn't have done it. I missed his burial by a week. I am still sad to this day I wasn't there.
I ended up having to have major surgery on December 24th. They had to clean the rest of my body out. In all I had 22 pounds of bile in my body and a broken heart. After a long road to recovery, I was blessed to know that I was lucky enough to have a special little person in my life for 12 and half hours. We just added to our family in September 2007, a little girl named Lora. I know that I will see Bradly again and I know he watches out for his family. Without my loss I wouldn't be the person I am today.
