God still works miracles: Meet Aaron Wilson

This is the story of an amazing little boy from Gonaives, Haiti:   Aaron Justin Wilson, born 3-17-09.

On 5-21-09 Aaron's grandmother brought him to missionaries Emory and Mary Wilson in Gonaives.  He weighed 4.5 lbs (at 2 months!) and didn't have a name.  Mary is giving Aaron a bath in the photo below.  She and Emory gave him a name, too, their family name.

On 5-22-09 Emory and Mary brought Aaron to FHLIR:

•  5-23-09 My email to US doctor (no doctors were available in Haiti--- this was before the earthquake):  "He was born March 17, weighs 4.5 lbs., no fever, body rigid, trembling in arms.  head 33.5 cm  length 44 cm.  His mother died when he was 3 days old, no idea why.  His grandmother has been trying to care for him but decided to give him away.  His eyes don't focus.  he doesn't look ahead or towards anything.  He isn't frightened by dogs barking or other loud noises.  Ears seem small but symmetrical.  Limbs seem normal, just very stiff but better since i gave valium IM last night.
  I can't feel any suture marks in his skull, just a very small fontanel pretty far back towards the crown of his head, ... xrays this morning. ... no evidence on the xrays of suture lines.  The radiologist says he has craniosynostosis.
  Is there any treatment for this disorder or is he a hospice case?  His breathing is rapid, 51/ min.  Heartbeat is pretty fast, around 130.  He won't suck on a nipple so i drip milk into his mouth.  He swallows okay.  "
  
  
• 5-23-09 response from doctor:  "does he keep his limbs extended or flexed? i'm worried about more extensive intracranial damage given the  lack of tracking or focus. are his pupils equal round and reactive? any reflexes-stretch his arms out at his sides (pull them wide open) and then tell me what he does when you let him go. sounds like he doesn't have a suck. will he turn his head toward a stimulus if you touch his cheek with a nipple or your finger (rooting)? does he have any deep tendon reflexes (like when you tap his knee just below the knee cap does he kick his lower leg)? if you put your finger down toward the back of his throat does he gag/cough? absence of this reflex is a particularly poor prognosis.  ...  [explanation of craniosynostosis]   alternatively, he may be actively seizing which is why he remains rigid and with trembling and why he might have gotten better with valium. do you have phenobarb? if so, give him 20mg/kg as a loading dose and let me know if that makes a difference. otherwise try valium around the clock. ...
  my gut is that he is hospice case but we can be hopeful. 
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• 5-24-09 My email to doctor:  "...baby seems better.  I gave pedialyte diluted with water ...  Maybe he had an electrolyte imbalance that made him seem neurologically worse, is that possible?  ... 
  Might his screaming fits be related to seizure activity or pain, even without the tremors?  I think I'll try the phenobarb tonight.  ..."  

• 5-24-09  Doctor email to me:  "electrolyte abnormalities can definitely cause neurological abnormalities, including seizures. however, seizures should be controlled while electrolytes are normalized. good idea with the pedialyte (and/or formula if he keeps it down). any chance we can get a complete metabolic panel on him?
  i didn't know about the screaming, there is such a common thing known as a "neurological cry" when kids have intracranial damage. but maybe this guy does have tetanus with the flexion and screaming.
  it is your call regarding the valium vs the phenobarb."
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• 5-25-09 My email to doctor:  "Baby is pretty floppy, heart around 160 bpm, breaths 52.  Occasionally works his mouth like a fish out of water.  Don't hear anything but breath sounds in his chest.  Eyes were unresponsive this morning but a little more active now.  Heartbeat is strong, sometimes it is abnormal.  instead of ba-bump it will be ba-ba-bump.  I may know the answer to this question before you get to answer but, is this a dying baby?  Oh, and he won't swallow just a drop of water on his tongue.  no reaction.  I'm tube feeding 10cc every half hour.  he seems to be processing so slowly I don't want to drown him. " 
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• 5-25-09  Doctor email to me:  "i agree with you on the seizure assessment. given that we don't know the original insult that lead to his neurological issue, it is likely that he suffered a meningitis or other intracranial hit either before/during or after birth. He needs IV hydration and a correction of any of his electrolyte abnormalities. since labs and IV's are not really optional, just try to keep him hydrated via the GI tract. NG pedialyte should be given at 4-6cc/kg/hr (you are pretty close to this with your 10cc/half hour).
  At this point ... the only other thing that you could do for him, ... give him an antibiotic in case he is septic (IM ceftriaxone 50mg/kg every 12 hours) (fast HR, fast breathing, seizures--active meningitis?). beyond that, there isn't much more you can do for him medically, not without taking him to a hospital and even then, it might be too late.
  his heart rhythm could be the normal inspiration related split that we hear in the heart sounds or he could be having an arrhythmia (again, something that could be related to electrolyte abnormalities)."
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• 5-26-09  Doctor emailed instructions and questions, basically continue doing same things
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• 5-27-09  My email to doctor:  "His rectal bleeding is increasing,  feet are cool despite heavy socks. blankets, etc.  i think we're losing him.  i hope it's peaceful."
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• 5-28-09 Doctor email to me:  " yes, the GI bleed is a very bad sign. you gave it a shot. i'm sure you'll make him comfortable. "

THE MIRACLE?  Aaron survived!  The suture lines in his skull eventually showed up and his head has grown normally.  He is bright, affectionate,  personable, confident, active, mischievous and happy.  His only health problem is sickle cell anemia which was discovered a couple of years ago.  Without God's intervention in the beginning Aaron wouldn't have lived long enough to discover the anemia.

CREDITS:  Under the circumstances only GOD could have healed Aaron and made him so strong.  I did my part, asking for help from a qualified physician and trusting God to guide me.  The doctor did her part by being willing to stick her neck out to help a gravely ill infant based solely on communications from a former real estate paralegal:  no labs, images, etc.  But GOD is the healer!  I cannot look at Aaron or photos of him without my heart singing praises to God.

Aaron 5-21-09 when found in Gonaives, Haiti - 4.5 lbs

Christmas 2011

First day of school 9-29-12

Aaron at FHLIR July 2013 (Photo by SJ Bridgeman)