sharon leyne

But I promised...so here is more about Auggie and our Jim Pattison Journey.

We thought a couple days at NICU....We thought wrong. Gus wanted to overstay his welcome so he could charm the nurses. Now, our stay in NICU was only a week, we know SO MANY more families who have had to endure the back and forth to the hospital for months! Gus' story is not about his week stay in NICU, where we desperately wanted him home for Christmas. Not about how my friends and family carted Breast milk from Warman to the hospital because I was recovering. It's not about how much I missed what I knew "normal" to be with a newborn, cuddled at home, or how hard it was to tell the older kids "i Don't know" when they asked when he would be home. And more than the trauma Colm went through being the one to live at the hospital, surrounded by babies crying, and machines beeping, for a week and witnessing first hand the many MANY staff caring as best they could for all of the babies. 

  There is more to Auggie's health journey then just his weeklong stay at NICU, but I thought it important to share this part of his story because after that eye opening week I thought we were in the clear. I thought "We have a STELLAR children's hospital. So glad THOSE families have such great care." 

I still didn't consider us to be one of "those" families. But now I see, we were. Even if only for a week of non critical care, even if you're in and out for the birth of a child and there is ZERO complications, you are one of "those" families. Jim Pattison staff cares about each and every single person that walks through their doors. Every patient, no matter how long the stay, deserves quality care. 

So a week long stint, with low blood sugar, jaundice and other minor difficulties is just the beginning, but it was so important. It was the first time I recognized the gift we have here in Saskatoon and it gave me the confidence in them I would need down the road when we would return to the place I thought was for sure in our rearview mirror. 

Help me reach $500 to get more of Auggie's story.

It all began on And unusually warm December 13, 2023. Our little Gus decided he wanted to airplane his way out, took a wrong turn, and got stuck.

One ambulance and C-section later, Auggie arrived, but he was tired from his adventure, Too tired. His blood sugars were low, and thus began our relationship with Jim Pattison Hospital.

It was sobering to be on our non-critical side of NICU. All the beeping. As scary as it was to see our baby with all these wires sticking out of him, we knew  he would be okay. But just behind another set of doors there were babies who were at a greater risk of not being able to go home. Families staring down a future of long term health issues, hospital visits and medical intervention. We were the lucky ones. We would spend a couple days there at the most, go home and not have to think about the children’s hospital again (barring “normal” visits)

Help me reach $200 for more about Auggie. 

The cost to keep one baby in the NON-CRITICAL side of NICU is WILD! I can’t imagine the cost on the Critical side. We are so fortunate to live in Canada where that financial burden is not placed on the parents. Every donated dollar matters. 

Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital was just a nice new building we passed by in Saskatoon for years. Now it’s a part of our family story, and it will continue to be for a very very long time. With every $100 I will post a little more of Auggie’s story. 

Just know every dollar is desperately needed. Our story is nowhere near what we have witnessed other family’s have to go through, and so I am doing this as much for them as I am for Auggie. We love this hospital and the doctors and nurses who have come into our lives. We are so grateful. Please consider donating.