Family Focus: The Whaleys

Timing, they say, is everything! So, what better time to anticipate the birth of their first child than during summer vacation, thought teachers husband/wife Kelly and Scottie Whaley from Johnson City, Tennessee. With the baby due in mid-July, there would be time after school let out to work on the nursery…with several weeks left before school began to spend quality time with their new son.

But newborns are notorious for their inability to tell time and little Jackson Whaley was no exception as he made his worldly debut 5 weeks early. And his grand entrance caused more than the usual excitement associated with a birth as he was in “full code” and had the doctors immediately scrambling. When things settled down a bit in the operating room, Jackson was also discovered to have a cleft palate and a lower jaw issue called Pierre Robin Syndrome.

Once the new parents realized that they’d be facing an extended hospitalization, they quickly ruled out the 200 mile round trip home as an option and turned to a social worker at Children’s for some guidance… where a quick phone call confirmed a vacancy at our House. Scottie recalls the day he and Kelly checked in, “We couldn’t believe how nice it was. The House was absolutely beautiful. What peace of mind it brought us not having to worry about a place to stay”.

Once settled, they were able to turn their full attention to the baby who was beginning to experience some breathing difficulties. Extensive testing revealed a rare condition…calcifications on the brainstem that were the cause of little Jackson’s respiratory issues. It was finally determined that a trach would greatly ease his efforts to breathe and almost immediately after surgery the result was quite positive.

Doctors even began to talk of every parent’s dream…going home…once the baby reached 11 pounds. Ounce by ounce, Jackson continued to gain as his parents sat by his side offering their love, hugs, and encouragement to help him on his way. Caring friends made the waiting easier to bear with their many kindnesses such as Scottie’s golfing buddies that held a golf tournament in the Whaley’s honor, sending the proceeds to a surprised yet grateful couple. “We just sat down and cried at how blessed we are to have such good friends,” Kelly said. The end of summer brought the beginning of school and with it, some tough decisions. Since Scottie had accrued more leave time at work, it was decided that he’d stay at the RMH and Kelly would reluctantly return to the classroom…opting to drive down for weekend visits.

But, hopefully, the end is in sight as Jackson has not only reached, but has exceeded the doctor’s prescribed weight requirement… with his final hurdle being his tolerance of a vent. Scottie and Kelly feel that if all goes well they’ll be heading home within 3-4 weeks ending a nearly 4-month stay at our House. “The RMH has truly been a blessing to us. You never realize how important a place like this is until you are the one staying here. Without it, we would have been driving 2 hours each way or sleeping in the hospital lounge. It’s a wonderful place and this entire experience has been so humbling”.