Update on 3D Printed Airway Splints

We wanted to take a moment and share the most recent update with you. C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital and the University of Michigan have released some research related to the procedure that Garrett was able to receive from them. Dr. Glen Green and his team. They have now saved 3 children's lives  (Kaiba, Garrett, and Ian) using these incredible 3D printed airway splints. All 3 kids are doing awesome and are improving far past any previous expectations for their diagnosis. As many of you know Garrett was in ICU type care for the first 19 months of his life. This procedure was the only thing that was able to bring Garrett home. Since the procedure we have never even seen the slightest evidence of any complication or problem with his airway splints. Our greatest hope is that other children with airway issues can find Dr. Green and his team in Michigan. Looking back we can now see that Garrett was weeks away from passing away before he had the surgery in Michigan. These doctors are our heroes. So far they have only done the procedure on 3 children and it has been successful in every circumstance. We would trust them with our Garrett again in a heartbeat. University of Michigan is trying to raise enough money to do a formal medical research trial where they can treat children who are not as severe as Garrett but are waiting for help. You can donate to their efforts here:

3D printed airway Airway Fund

Happy Easter! 🌷🐰🐣💙 I hope you all have a beautiful day!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 5, 2015 at 8:56am PDT

I'm telling ya, this boy is such a sweetheart 💚💙💛 he's been so good today, for his very sleep deprived parents. Luckily we have a nurse tonight! 👍 I love being able to take Garrett out to fun family outings. He made a haul in the Easter Egg department today...Socks, dum dums, and flavored chapsticks - all things Garrett loves!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36pm PDT

Lots of kisses tonight for this cutie pie in the middle 😘 It's been such a fun day! We had our parents over for dinner tonight, and celebrated with cupcakes too! Garrett is a little unsure of really sugary things, but we'll get him liking it more and more soon. ☺️ Thank you for all of the sweet comments today. We feel so grateful for all of you who follow our journey with Garrett. He's a miracle boy in so many ways! 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 1, 2015 at 8:47pm PDT

Today marks a BIG day at our house! A huge reason to celebrate, which is exactly what we will be doing today! 🎉 1 year ago today our sweet Garrett came home for the very first time, at almost 19 months old! I will never forget the feeling I had as Jake and I drove away from Primary Children's that day, with just our little family in the car. We were both filled with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and joy. SO proud of our fighter boy Garrett. Garrett spent the first 19 months in complete ICU care, too sick and on too high of ventilator settings to be able to leave the hospital. He lived at 3 hospitals during that year and a half, one of them being across the country in Michigan. Those 19 months were the hardest and yet some of my happiest moments as well. In 1 year this boy has been able to stay home with no overnight hospital stays, he's rolling all over the family room, starting to scoot, and getting closer to sitting up all on his own. He is breathing on his own, and can be completely off of his vent when he is awake, and his labs have never looked better! He is a lover of all things Mickey Mouse and his laugh lights up the room! We feel incredibly grateful today for all of the doctors and nurses that helped get our boy HOME...and for our amazing friends and family, for your love, support and prayers in all of our behalf. And I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for every single day I get to spend with Garrett. It's a true gift. He's the happiest, and healthiest he's ever been...and that does a Mom heart a lot of good. 💛 Happy 1 year Anniversary of being home buddy! We love you so much! 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Apr 1, 2015 at 10:21am PDT

Don't let this cute, sweet, innocent face fool ya...this boy was a stinker today when he had his therapists visit! 😜 It was quite comical, actually. 😂 He was showing off all of his tricks like fake sleeping (some yawns included) and making sad faces so he could get out of exercises. We all had a good laugh! Love him! I love his little shenanigans though, and I'm so glad he can communicate to us, despite having a trach. He's amazing!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 30, 2015 at 12:59pm PDT

I love watching this cute boy...he was taking everything in tonight as we sat outside on the grass. There were so many days that I wondered if I would ever get to take my baby out of the doors of the ICU. These little things I longed for the most. I love you Garrett, more than you'll ever know. 💛

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 29, 2015 at 9:47pm PDT

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March 27...one year ago TODAY, We all arrived back home after spending nearly 3 months in Michigan at Mott's Children's Hospital. I love how happy Garrett and Jake look to be going HOME. When we flew Garrett to Michigan, in January of last year, he was in very critical shape. We were most likely weeks away from loosing him. We are eternally grateful to U of M, and Dr. Green, Dr. Hollister, and Dr. Ohye and many more amazing people - they created a 3D airway splint that not only has helped Garrett breathe on his own, but saved his life. 💕 We KNOW that miracles happen today, because Garrett is a living, breathing miracle that I get to spend every day with. He brings us all so much happiness! We love you Garrett the Brave! 💕

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 27, 2015 at 2:48pm PDT

Practicing his piano moves this morning 😍 he's got them down! I love this boy!

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 27, 2015 at 9:20am PDT

Snuggles with Dad after trach cares and bath tonight 😘 I love seeing these two together...and those tummy rolls of Garrett's 😍 Why are they so dang cute on kids but not adults?! ☺️

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 24, 2015 at 7:52pm PDT

Spending this rainy day home with this smiley boy is my kind of day! ☺️ just when I think there's no possible way he could get any cuter, he throws these giant cheesy grins my way.

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 23, 2015 at 11:02am PDT

Late night family treat run ☺️ I love how we can take Garrett just on oxygen if we are going somewhere close, cuts our "getting ready to leave" time in half for sure, since we can leave his vent at home. Don't worry, Garrett made sure Goofy came along for the ride! 😂👍

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 18, 2015 at 7:47pm PDT

Out for a walk on this gorgeous day! ☀️🌷

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 14, 2015 at 12:47pm PDT

Ending my night snuggling this cutie pie at home in his new jam jams ☺️ Great way to finish off a fun day! 💙

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 13, 2015 at 8:30pm PDT

One year later and these pictures that the University of Michigan took for us are some of my favorites. We were nearing the end of our journey at Mott's Children's Hospital, and our sweet boy was doing SO great! Better than any of us ever expected, just 1.5 months after open heart and airway surgery. These were taken for their website and for our first NPR article we did 1 year ago this week. I remember going out the day before this shoot, and for the first time in almost 4 months, I was able to dress Garrett in clothes again...it was a big milestone! We really felt like we were dreaming at times, with how amazing the hospital was and the procedure went. So so grateful. 💕 #tbt

A photo posted by • n a t a l i e • (@nataliasue) on Mar 12, 2015 at 10:18am PDT

Inside the Story: 3D printer saves baby

Garrett was recently featured on KUTV channel 2 news. Dan Rascon did the story and we were very impressed by him. He is such a nice and genuine person. We are always happy to share Garrett's story in hopes that other children can find Dr. Green and his team in Michigan. We feel it's the least we can do after Dr. Green and the University of Michigan saved Garret's life. Garrett's 3D printed airway splints have been incredible. They made it possible for him to have a future. They finally allowed our boy to breathe well enough to come home. They made the impossible, possible. It has been such a huge blessing in our lives and has completely changed our lives. We originally found Dr. Green through the media coverage of the first little boy to have this procedure, Kaiba. We are so grateful for the media coverage about Kaiba and his parents willingness to share their story. We may never have found this procedure for Garrett without them. We thought we would post the story here for those who didn't catch it on the news. You can also watch the video directly on KUTV's website as well.

Inside the Story: 3D printer saves baby