Tonight I laid in bed, as I do some nights, thinking about
the night Beckett was born. Tears slowly dripped down my cheeks as I thought about
and prayed for the man who beat our son’s tiny heart until he was able to do so
himself. I allowed myself to think about how long 18 minutes is. I reflected on
today; the smiles and coos I received from Beckett, the Mom’s Group I attended this
afternoon, the pure joy I feel in being a mommy to our son. The gratitude I
feel towards the man who saved our son is overwhelming.
In the weeks after Beckett came home, we had the
opportunity to meet the man who resuscitated our son; the man who told his team
to keep trying for a few minutes after the time deemed appropriate to resuscitate
an infant. There truly are no words in any language to express how we feel
towards this man. We wrote this man a letter and gave it to him when we went to
meet him. I knew I could not verbally articulate my feelings toward this man
upon meeting him. I was right. All I could choke out was a “thank you” as tears
streamed down my face. I’d like to share this letter because medical
professionals who do this sort of work don’t always receive the words they
deserve.
To the man who gifted
us our sons’ life,
As I sit down to write
to you, I am at a loss for words. Words do not exist to appropriately thank
someone for your child’s life. Although I don’t feel like these words
adequately encompass the depth of our gratitude, I want you to know that they come
from the deepest parts of us.
Thank you for Beckett
Mason Byer’s life. Thank you for resuscitating him. Thank you for continuing to
try to bring life into our son’s body minutes after protocol calls for. Thank
you for the knowledge and experience you have to intubate our son’s lifeless
body and to successfully put in lines to give him blood. Thank you for not
allowing us to go home to an empty house without another child. Thank you for
giving us the baby we hold in our arms today. Thank you for giving Beckett a
future. I know that the Lord has some amazing plans for our son. Thank you…
these two words will never be enough.
My husband and I share
a faith in God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I believe, without a
doubt that the Holy Spirit filled the space in the labor and delivery unit that
night. I believe He led you to be on our floor when Beckett’s heart rate
plummeted. I believe He guided you and every person involved that night. He
orchestrated every moment to graciously give us the son we have today.
Psalm 100:5 – “For the
Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through
all generations.”
We want you to know
that we pray for you. We pray in thanksgiving for you. We pray in thanksgiving
for your knowledge and experience. We pray for your health and safety. We pray
for your happiness. We pray for your family. We pray that you may continue to
do the amazing job that you do; to help babies and families like us.
As you celebrate this
Christmas season, continue your career, and live your life, we want you to know
that you will always and forever be a part of the Byer family. We will talk
about you, pray for you, and think of you until the day I die. You gave us a
gift that cannot be topped here on earth, our son’s life.
Thank you.
I read what I wrote weeks ago, and the gratitude I felt
continues to be compounded. I have been blessed enough to look into our son’s
eyes and feel the love that a mother feels for her son, nurse my sweet baby
boy, watch our son roll over, be on the receiving end of his smile, teach him
to hold onto things, and to sit up with assistance. How blessed are we that in
the early morning of November 12, 2016, a man told his team to “keep trying for
a few more minutes.”
