DARLINGTON - Following the ambulance that carried her infant son Landon to Madison early one winter morning, Vicki McGuire of Darlington kept thinking she couldn't lose him. Not now, she thought. Not after all we've been through.
And Landon, born Aug. 22 at Upland Hills in Dodgeville, had already been through plenty in his young life. Born six weeks premature, he was diagnosed shortly after birth with Necrotizing Entercolitis, a gastrointestinal disease that caused the 4-pound baby to become deathly ill.
McGuire said Landon's condition was caused by a bacteria that attacked his small intestine, leaving a portion of it dead. Doctors still aren't sure if Landon contracted the bacteria in vitro or after he was born.
"They said they have no information about how or why he got it, that it just happens sometimes," she said.
Landon's condition was a surprise to McGuire and her husband Ryan. Landon is their fourth child, and her pregnancy was normal, McGuire said. Doctors initially planned to keep the preemie in the hospital for about a week. McGuire said two of her other children were born several weeks prematurely, so she wasn't overly concerned.
"He came out fine. He was small, so they didn't want him going home until he gained weight," McGuire said.
But by his fifth day, Landon was vomiting stool. A team from St. Mary's Hospital in Madison came down and transported him via ambulance, driving 110 miles per hour, to its Neonatal Intensive Care unit.
There he underwent upper and lower GI studies to determine the problem. When his stomach ballooned to the size of a beach ball, they took him in for exploratory surgery and discovered the damaged intestines, McGuire said.
In all, Landon underwent three surgeries to remove the damaged part of the intestine and reattach the remaining third before he came home Dec. 4.
It was hard on the entire family, McGuire said.
Her three other children, Alayna, 7; Aidan, 5; and Max, 2, had a hard time understanding why their mother was gone so much: During Landon's stay at St. Mary's, she drove 90 minutes each way, every day, to see her baby. She missed only four days, days when Alayna was sick with strep throat.
"I wasn't going to stay away," she said.
The ordeal wasn't over when Landon came home. The baby had two more setbacks.
First, he was hospitalized for five days with pneumonia. Then, despite having two of the series of five vaccinations against RSV, Landon developed the dangerous respiratory disease and had to be taken by ambulance from Upland Hills to UW Children's Hospital in Madison at 4 a.m. one morning, with McGuire following behind, thinking they couldn't lose Landon after the overwhelming ordeal the family had experienced.
Thankfully, they didn't. Landon survived and is doing much better now. Doctors are pleased with his progress and don't expect serious long-term health ramifications from only having a part of his intestine.
"The main thing until what he has left (of the small intestine) learns to compensate for what was taken, is he can't have sugar," McGuire said. Doctors think it may take another 12 to 18 months for that adjustment to take place, but don't expect Landon to require more surgeries.
But now, the family must face another obstacle: In addition to hefty medical and hospital bills, the predigested formula Landon requires is a financial hardship. Although it's a matter of survival for Landon, the McGuires' insurance company won't pay for the special formula, and the cost is more than $800 per month.
To add to the family's problems, Ryan McGuire is not working for health reasons and is on disability.
"For four months, we had no income whatsoever," McGuire said.
Happier days may be on the horizon. The Darlington community has rallied to help the McGuires by planning a benefit for Landon from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at The Ranch House Lanes and Supper Club, 17096 Wisconsin 23 in Darlington.
Billed as a Family Fun Day, the event will include family bowling, bumper bowling and food, McGuire said. A silent auction, with 50 items including a football autographed by the Green Bay Packers, is also planned. The event is being organized by the National Mutual Benefit Branch 4870, which will match funds raised up to $2,500, and individuals Carol Barnard, Mary Jo Erickson, Maggie McGuire and Dana Wedig. The event is open to the public.
McGuire said she appreciates the efforts to help offset some of the family's burden.
"Darlington as a community has done an awesome job," she said.
And Landon, born Aug. 22 at Upland Hills in Dodgeville, had already been through plenty in his young life. Born six weeks premature, he was diagnosed shortly after birth with Necrotizing Entercolitis, a gastrointestinal disease that caused the 4-pound baby to become deathly ill.
McGuire said Landon's condition was caused by a bacteria that attacked his small intestine, leaving a portion of it dead. Doctors still aren't sure if Landon contracted the bacteria in vitro or after he was born.
"They said they have no information about how or why he got it, that it just happens sometimes," she said.
Landon's condition was a surprise to McGuire and her husband Ryan. Landon is their fourth child, and her pregnancy was normal, McGuire said. Doctors initially planned to keep the preemie in the hospital for about a week. McGuire said two of her other children were born several weeks prematurely, so she wasn't overly concerned.
"He came out fine. He was small, so they didn't want him going home until he gained weight," McGuire said.
But by his fifth day, Landon was vomiting stool. A team from St. Mary's Hospital in Madison came down and transported him via ambulance, driving 110 miles per hour, to its Neonatal Intensive Care unit.
There he underwent upper and lower GI studies to determine the problem. When his stomach ballooned to the size of a beach ball, they took him in for exploratory surgery and discovered the damaged intestines, McGuire said.
In all, Landon underwent three surgeries to remove the damaged part of the intestine and reattach the remaining third before he came home Dec. 4.
It was hard on the entire family, McGuire said.
Her three other children, Alayna, 7; Aidan, 5; and Max, 2, had a hard time understanding why their mother was gone so much: During Landon's stay at St. Mary's, she drove 90 minutes each way, every day, to see her baby. She missed only four days, days when Alayna was sick with strep throat.
"I wasn't going to stay away," she said.
The ordeal wasn't over when Landon came home. The baby had two more setbacks.
First, he was hospitalized for five days with pneumonia. Then, despite having two of the series of five vaccinations against RSV, Landon developed the dangerous respiratory disease and had to be taken by ambulance from Upland Hills to UW Children's Hospital in Madison at 4 a.m. one morning, with McGuire following behind, thinking they couldn't lose Landon after the overwhelming ordeal the family had experienced.
Thankfully, they didn't. Landon survived and is doing much better now. Doctors are pleased with his progress and don't expect serious long-term health ramifications from only having a part of his intestine.
"The main thing until what he has left (of the small intestine) learns to compensate for what was taken, is he can't have sugar," McGuire said. Doctors think it may take another 12 to 18 months for that adjustment to take place, but don't expect Landon to require more surgeries.
But now, the family must face another obstacle: In addition to hefty medical and hospital bills, the predigested formula Landon requires is a financial hardship. Although it's a matter of survival for Landon, the McGuires' insurance company won't pay for the special formula, and the cost is more than $800 per month.
To add to the family's problems, Ryan McGuire is not working for health reasons and is on disability.
"For four months, we had no income whatsoever," McGuire said.
Happier days may be on the horizon. The Darlington community has rallied to help the McGuires by planning a benefit for Landon from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at The Ranch House Lanes and Supper Club, 17096 Wisconsin 23 in Darlington.
Billed as a Family Fun Day, the event will include family bowling, bumper bowling and food, McGuire said. A silent auction, with 50 items including a football autographed by the Green Bay Packers, is also planned. The event is being organized by the National Mutual Benefit Branch 4870, which will match funds raised up to $2,500, and individuals Carol Barnard, Mary Jo Erickson, Maggie McGuire and Dana Wedig. The event is open to the public.
McGuire said she appreciates the efforts to help offset some of the family's burden.
"Darlington as a community has done an awesome job," she said.