I was released from the hospital in Nashua the following morning and we immediately drove up to Dartmouth to be with Tyler. I knew that he would be hooked up to all kinds of monitors and machines but nothing really prepared us for the first time we saw the little guy in his bed. The lack of oxygen at birth caused a condition called Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Because of this condition and the damage it had done to his brain, he met the criteria necessary for a treatment called 'Whole Body Cooling" where they actually place him on cooling blankets (blankets with cool water running thru them) to keep his body temperature cool and prevent the brain from swelling and causing any further damage to the cells. The temperature of the blankets are controlled by a temperature probe placed in Tyler's esophagus keeping his internal body temperature at a cool 91 degrees for 72 hours. During this time he had sensors on his head for his EEG to monitor brain activity, a respirator to help him breathe, along with IV's, catheters, and all kinds of monitors for his vital signs. Between his low body temperature and the medication they had him on, he really wasn't moving too much. Tyler was also having some seizures which the doctors said was to be expected with the type of brain injury he sustained. We weren't able to hold him but we could rub his arms and legs. I have to say, I will never forget how strange it was to touch his little arm and feel him ICE cold :( We just had to keep telling ourselves that this was necessary to help him recover.
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