January 9, 2019
After reading to their newborn in hospital for 4 months, parents find way to help others
Brandan and Sarah Gremminger waited years for a child. Once the couple found out they were expecting, they were thrilled. Kingston Ford Gremminger didn’t make them wait much longer, and arrived sooner than expected. Kingston was born Oct. 5, 2017 at 24 weeks and one day, weighing just 1 pound, 11 ounces. He faced a lot of obstacles...
Brandan and Sarah Gremminger waited years for a child. Once the couple found out they were expecting, they were thrilled.
Kingston Ford Gremminger didn’t make them wait much longer, and arrived sooner than expected.
Kingston was born Oct. 5, 2017 at 24 weeks and one day, weighing just 1 pound, 11 ounces. He faced a lot of obstacles.
“The whole time Kingston has been a fighter since he was born, but he is also stubborn and going to do things on his own terms,” Sarah said.
He conquered numerous challenges and treatments including chronic respiratory, GI, vision and neurological issues with IVs, medicines and constant care for four months while in the NICU at two hospitals in Springfield, Missouri.
In the midst of the scariest time of their lives, Brandan and Sarah came up with a way to give back and help others during this unimaginable time.
The Gremmingers created The Kingston Ford Library to allow families a way to bond with their little fighters while in the NICU and to begin their own library after heading home.
“This was our only way to bond and attach with him,” Sarah said of reading to Kingston.
When the situation limited them from holding their baby, Brandan and Sarah read to their son inside an incubator by the second day as a way to bond.
————
“I had an easy pregnancy leading up with no complications,” Sarah said.
Out of nowhere, she began experiencing severe pain and cramping.
“I knew something wasn’t right, but I never dreamed I was in labor,” she said.
Brandan and Sarah arrived at the hospital and found out she was fully dilated and their baby boy would be arriving in minutes.
“I was in shock,” she said. “It happened so quick I didn’t have time to process a reaction.”
She was admitted at 11:36 p.m. and Kingston was born at 12:06 a.m.
Kingston was immediately incubated to get his body temperature stable and intubated for respiratory life support. Brandan had a quick chance to see his little boy.
The new parents had to wait until their son was stable enough on life support to see him again.
After 2 1/2 hours, Brandan and Sarah were able to finally see their son together.
While they were filling out paperwork and receiving NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) orientation information, Kingston experienced a code blue event. A team of doctors and nurses rushed in to perform procedures to keep the small baby breathing.
The team needed to change Kingston’s intubation tube and had to “bag” him to keep him breathing.
“During the code episode the director told us they didn’t think they could bring him back where he needed to be to stay alive, so they wanted to give us an opportunity to hold him before we had to let him go for good,” Sarah said.
Kingston overcame this challenge as well as numerous others, including several more code-like events and staff assists.
————
Brandan and Sarah were not allowed to touch Kingston until he was about a week old and that was only through small holes in the incubator to hold his fingers and feet.
Kingston’s vitals were monitored closely by numerous machines while in the incubator and after. When in pain or distressed, the numbers would rise.
When hearing his parent’s voice while reading, Kingston’s vitals would decrease and he would become calm. His little eyes were still fused shut, so his parent’s voices were to credit for the soothing of their baby at about a month old.
“This is a reinforcement to us,” Sarah said. “That is a big reason for us to be behind books.”
The family spent the first two weeks at Cox Hospital in Springfield before Kingston was transferred across town to Mercy Hospital due to the possibility of needing emergency surgery on his digestive tract.
“The nurses noticed us reading to Kingston at Cox,” Sarah said. “They actually have a program where everyone gets a book with their baby’s footprint.”
Brandan began researching the importance of reading to children early in life. He found it not only served as a bonding mechanism, but decreases illiteracy issues and assists with speech and academics, especially with premature babies.
With a lot of time on their hands while in the hospital, Brandan said they began thinking about what they could do to give back.
“There were so many people who did so much for us,” he said. “We both have committed our careers to helping people, but the experience of having people help in such a profound way, it wasn’t enough and we thought we could do more.”
Mercy Hospital did not have a program to donate books to families in the NICU, so the Gremminger’s pitched the idea.
“We thought how can we help these families bond with their baby that was comforting to us like with Kingston,” Sarah said. “We wanted to help other families who couldn’t hold their newborn babies and encourage reading at home.”
————
After 3 1/2 weeks, Sarah was finally able to hold her son with the assist of several nursing and hospital staff.
It took five to seven nurses to help move the little 2-pound baby onto Sarah’s chest.
“If his intubation tube moved even a centimeter he would go into staff assist,” she said. “His heart level and oxygen level would drop without the help of his life support breathing machine.”
Kingston’s immature digestive system was also a major factor early on, which was the reasoning for the transfer from Cox to Mercy Hospital, where a pediatric surgeon was on site.
The doctors were afraid he would perforate, tearing in the intestines, since his system was not able to digest milk.
After hundreds of X-rays on his stomach and only able to receive an IV of nutrients, the doctors thought surgery might be the only option.
“It could kill him within minutes if he wasn’t able to be operated on in time, which was the reason for transfer,” Sarah said.
Kingston fought through his digestive issues and proved the doctors wrong and did not need surgery.
“At multiple times we were told he wouldn’t make it and he did,” Sarah said.
In addition to overcoming the serious digestive issues, Kingston has also fought back against seizures, a chronic lung disease and is steadily fighting to catch up to where he needs to be physically in size and mobility, such as crawling and walking as well as weakened eye muscles.
After receiving injections in his eyes, Kingston now wears glasses to strengthen his eye muscles.
“The doctor doesn’t think the glasses will be a permanent thing for him, but we won’t know for sure for a while. We just have to keep monitoring his progression with them,” Sarah said. “He is doing awesome with the glasses.”
————
Throughout everything, Brandan and Sarah never left their baby’s side. They lived in the NICU for four months sleeping with their heads at opposite ends of a small couch.
They lived their lives minute by minute, not day by day, both said.
They also formed close friendships with several of the NICU nurses who saved their son’s life numerous times and continue to keep in touch with the team.
After 145 days in the NICU, Kingston was able to go home and read with his family.
“He has overcome a ton,” Sarah said.
Originally from Malden and having lived in Springfield the last 15 years, Sarah said people she had not spoken to in years and even strangers were following Kingston’s story on Facebook and offering their support.
“The experience was such a strange thing with how much love and support we received during easily the most emotional and difficult time in our life,” Brandan said. “It’s just inspirational for us to do something, too.”
Brandan added tons of amazing people who offered their help, support and hope for the next day is what helped them be there for Kingston.
“We are exponentially grateful for everyone who came out of the woodwork to do things we didn’t even ask,” he said. “And especially to the nurses who helped develop and save our son’s life.”
After a whirlwind year, Sarah said the biggest lesson she has brought out of the experience is the value of life and learning the true definition of grateful.
While living in the NICU, she would see people complain on social media about returning to work on Monday or multiple errands or events to attend for their kids that week.
“What I wouldn’t have given to have those schedules,” she said. “I’m so grateful for every day and small stress is nothing compared to the value of life.”
————
Kingston celebrated his first birthday in October surrounded by family, friends and nurses from the NICU.
Rather than bringing gifts for Kingston, books were requested to donate to the NICU at Mercy Hospital to establish The Kingston Ford Library. Kingston received 160 books to be donated for his birthday.
A NICU reunion was held the day following Kingston’s first birthday party. Infants to adults reunited to celebrate with the staff who took care of them during their early stages of life.
The Gremmingers took a portion of the 160 books to the reunion for the staff to hand out to families still fighting.
One of the nurses who still keeps in touch with the family told Sarah she handed out 18 books immediately after the first donation.
The families were so grateful, Sarah was told.
Notes are placed inside each book explaining Kingston’s fight and ensuring hope to other families that they too can beat the odds.
One mother, smiling through her tears after reading the note, told the nurse Kingston was proof there is “a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Since the first donation, the family has donated between 40 to 50 more books and another 60 this week to help keep the library shelves stocked.
The soft launch of The Kingston Ford Library will be followed by a non-profit status and Paypal address for donations.
“When he is older I want to explain to Kingston about giving others the opportunity to bond with newborns is important and it started in the NICU with him,” Sarah said.
Now at 15 months old, Kingston continues to “slay the dragon” and thrive.
He is sitting up on his own and saying words every parent longs to hear, such as “momma,” “nana” and “hi.”
“We didn’t hear his voice or any sounds for a couple months because of the intubation tube,” Brandan said. “Some think the sound of a crying baby is frustrating, but I would have listened to it all day.”
————
While Sarah said she might be a bit bias, Kingston is so smart and plays so intelligently for where they thought he would be at this point.
“He has the best personality and 95 percent of the time is laughing and smiling,” she said. “His personality and smile is contagious.”
Kingston has also taught his parents the true meaning of strength.
After a day of numerous appointments, injections and tests, Sarah said her little boy continues to be the happiest baby.
“His happiness made him get through a lot,” she said.
————
Follow “The Kingston Ford Library” on Facebook for updates on how to make book and monetary donations as well as to view all the smiles Kingston’s story and library continue to bring to Mercy Hospital NICU.
Advertisement
Advertisement