The passion behind WEE came as a result of Bryan spending a great deal
of time with the fine folks at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.

Bryan's Story – My Life in a Glass Box

you know, an incubator...

My memory of that experience isn't quite as clear as that incubator was. After only 25 weeks gestation, my under-developed body was on display for the world to see. Ok, so that world mainly consisted of the fine men and women who staffed the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children circa 1978 – but that WAS my world nonetheless. See (1)

The following was comprised of accounts I obtained from my folks about what I, they and the hospital staff went through during my stay there.

Weighing only 2 lbs at birth, my lungs were not yet developed so I was placed on a ventilator and required 24 hour nursing care. Unable to suck a bottle, a tube had to be placed through my nose into my stomach as I could only ingest small feedings of 3mL at a time. The nurses had to check the status of my oxygen levels often to determine the functioning of my lungs and because of this I required blood transfusions. I had an intravenous in my head for hydration, a temperature probe in my belly button. Throughout my stay my reflexes, vital signs etc. were constantly monitored. So you can imagine how many nursing hours this took! See (2)

After more than a month they were still unable to wean me off the ventilator as I would stop breathing and my blood oxygen levels would fall drastically. A CT scan was done revealing that I had some bleeding at the base of my brain. They didn't know if my lungs weren't ready or if the respiratory centre in the brain was affected. The Doctor spoke with my folks and asked them to take me off the machines and let me go as he was 99% sure I would be cognitively challenged.

They had given my folks 10 days to think about it. In the meantime probably 7 days after that I started to breathe a bit more on my own. Once I was off the breathing machine I was still in the incubator, still being fed by a tube, and still would stop breathing. The nurses or my folks would have to stimulate me by flicking my feet or rubbing my back to make me breath. The nursing staff and doctors were excellent to me. Eventually I was moved to a step down ICU where I still required continuous oxygen and gradually started feeding out of a bottle little bits at a time. See (3)

After I came home we went to Sick Kids for the next 7 years for check-ups, for myself, research purposes and as a way to thank the hospital that saved my life. What I went through and what they did for me may have helped another baby in the future since being born so early poses so many health risks including: Hydrocephalus, Down Syndrome, blindness (from the oxygen), deafness, jaundice, pneumonia and lung scar tissue (from prolonged ventilation and use of oxygen).

They also assessed my physical capabilities and my thought processes. I was extremely fortunate, I had no residual effects at all. In those days they lost more babies than they saved.

All I DO know from this time is from the pictures I've seen, the stories I've been told (like how I fit the palm of my grandfather's hand) and the marks still left on my body from the countless needles and tubes. But who cares because I'm here! I beat a lot of odds to get to where I am today and I'm grateful and proud of that. The same must be said for my parents, family and the wonderful staff who were all on my side fighting right along with me. This is for you guys and this is for kids like me.

Bryan McCloskey, Founder

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