Kaden has lost his battle with CDH

KADEN ALEX KUEHL---APRIL 3RD, 2009 - APRIL 20TH, 2009. WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!!!



Kaden Alex Kuehl has passed on and went with God to be with the Angels this evening at around 6 PM. He lost his battle with CDH after a hard 17 day fight. Kaden went peacefully in his mommy and daddy's arms.

This morning when Kristi and I got up to go to see Kaden, we entered the NICU and saw that Kaden's stat's were not well. He was down it the 50's for his upper O2 levels, and low 30's for his lower O2 levels. He was still on the osilating ventilator with high settings. They had tried to lower his O2 setting down to 70 overnight. Kaden was not having it! When the doctors came around and saw that Kaden was still stating low, they put his O2 setting back up to 80 percent. That got his O2 levels back up to around the high 70's, but he was still splitting by about 30 between his upper and lower O2 levels. We were very worried right off the bat. One of the doctors came in and told us that we needed to have a family meeting. We knew that this was not good.

Kristi and I went into the meeting with our hearts in our throats. We were both having major bad feelings walking in there. We sat down with the doctors and then it came. The doctors told us that they had come to the point where they had nothing else to assist Kaden. They told us that Kaden was so sick that he was not going to live. They said that Kaden was at the very highest level of support, and that they had never had a CDH baby on that level of support for this long period of time that had survivied. They gave Kaden a ZERO percent chance of survival. Prior to having this meeting with us, one of the surgeons came by to check on Kaden's status. The surgeon said that even if we decided to have the surgery done, he would have a very minimal chance of being able to recover from the surgery. The doctors said that Kaden's functioning lung was just too small to make his body work right. Even if we did get the surgery done, and Kaden was to survive it, he would still be on maximum support and would die when we took him off support. We had to make a decision.....take Kaden off support and let him pass peacefully with us, or he could die from an infection or heart failure due to his little body working too hard. This was the hardest decision Kristi and I have ever had to make. This was the hardest thing both of us have ever had to deal with. We love Kaden so much and have always thought positive thoughts for him, but as I told the doctors in our meeting...you don't have to be a doctor to see that amount of support that Kaden is on and how sick he is. Kristi and I can both see everytime they try to bring the support level down just a little bit, Kaden does not like it. His stats immediately dropped and he cannot recover until they brought the support back up. Like I said.....this was the hardest decision of our lives. We did not want to prolong the pain that Kaden was going through. He got the best treatment possible....he just didn't have enough lung!

Kristi and I both got to hold Kaden in our arms for the first time this late afternoon. They gave us a private room so that we could be with Kaden alone for the first time. Kaden passes peacefully and without any pain with his mommy and daddy. This was a sad time...we wanted so much for Kaden to beat CDH and come home with us, it just wasn't meant to be. God has another purpose for our son Kaden. Kristi and I were both happy to be able to spend these 17 days with Kaden. I thank God that he did not take Kaden the night of his birthday and gave us these 17 days to spend with him. I will never forget those 17 days.

After Kaden passed, we got to give him his first bath, get him all cleaned up, and take some photos. Kaden got to be held by his loved ones before we left the hospital.

We are now at home and are very sad, tired, mad, and just about every other emotion you can feel. We really don't know what to think or feel.....I feel like we are in a nightmare. That's about all I can handle for tonight. I just thought it was fair to let everybody know that Kaden is in Heaven with his CDH friends, and family. Every night after I prayed to God for Kaden to get well and overcome this CDH, I also talked to Kaden's Great Grandma and Grandpa Dieterle who are both in Heaven and asked them to take care of Kaden until mommy and daddy get up there to be with him. I have a good feeling that Kaden is with grandma and grandpa right now.

Kristi and I will be starting to arrange services for Kaden tomorrow. We are very tired and can't really think straight right now. We will let everybody know what's going on with another post tomorrow.

As for Kaden's Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Bobbie who are on a cruise in the Carribean....I'm so sorry. We are so saddened by Kaden's passing and we know that you will also be. Kaden is in a better place now and he is not suffering. I don't want you guys to have your cruise spoiled due to Kaden's passing. We both knew that it was a possiblilty when you left yesterday that Kaden might have a hard time....well it did happen. We love you all and know that you are here with us in your hearts. Please try and enjoy your cruise. I will try to get an emergency message to you tomorrow. We love you!

Thank you everybody for all your thoughts and prayers for Kaden and his family.