I was born on November 30, 2006 at North Oaks Hospital.  I weighed in at 7 lbs and 8 oz.  I was also 19 3/4 inches long.  Well, my interesting journey all started about 30 minutes after I was born.  The lactation nurse noticed that I wasn't breathing very well and my hands and lips were turning blue.  So, she took me immediately to the nursery to check on me. I ended up being sent to the NICU because I was only getting 10% of the oxygen that I needed.

I was diagnosed as having Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension. The doctors and nurses there kept taking my blood to perform all these tests and I was becoming anemic. Then when I was only 2 days old, I had a blood transfusion. My momma was so scared, but my daddy kept her calm. Good thing for daddies!  After my transfusion, I started to feel much better! I stayed in the NICU for 9 days and on a respirator for 6 of those days.  My family was very worried about me!  But, I pulled through and made my way to the intermediate nursery where I stayed for two more weeks.  I had to perfect my sucking on a bottle nipple and maintain my body temperature!  It was hard work.

Finally the day came, December 20, 2006, I was ready to go home with Momma and Daddy!  They were so very excited! We got home and loved every minute of it.  Although, my parents didn't know it, I was still sick. We visited the pediatrician's office about every other day for the next 12 days because I was very jaundiced for a month old baby!  My favorite nurse practicioner, Laurie, then sent me to Children's Hospital on January 2, 2007.  My doctors there did so many tests on me to figure out why I was so jaundiced. I was tired of all that prodding and poking on me!

Well, on January 6, 2007 they finally figured out what I had.  It is a condition called Congenital Panhypopituitarism. They used an MRI to figure out that my pituitary gland wasn't developed all the way.  I am hormone deficient and on three different medicines, Synthroid, Cortef, DDAVP, and Growth Hormone. The synthroid helps my hypothyroidism, the Cortef helps my adrenal deficiency, the DDAVP helps control my diabetes insipidus, and the growth hormone is a shot I get every night. It helps me maintain muscle tone, helps me grow (lengthwise...don't need much help gaining weight!), and it just makes me active and happy!   I only have to visit the pediatrician's office and do blood work once a week and visit my endocrinologist about once a month.  Unfortunately, I will have this condition for the rest of my life.

My condition is very rare, it occurs in 1 out of 135,000 babies. (I'll win my momma and daddy the lottery one day!)  I am now happy that my body is working better and I can play with my family and big brother Aaron!  My family spoils me, especially my Ree Ree!  I've got them wrapped around my finger!  My family loves me so much and I couldn't have asked for a better one! I am one lucky, lucky boy!

In May of 2007 I was diagnosed with having Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. This is a disorder often related to Panhypopituitarism where the optic nerves are not developed all the way. Therefore the nerves in my eyes do not carry information to my brain correctly. The VER test I had done said my right eye did not respond to the light. But my left eye did, but minimally. We will repeat the test in April of 2008 to see if the very little vision I have has gotten better or worse! (Hopefully better!) :)

Also, in July of 2007 I started having these little seizures. My momma and daddy noticed that I would hold my fists really tight, shake alittle bit, hold my breath, and my lips would turn blue. They really didn't know what it was at first ...but then after a long seizure and I went completely limp with my momma and Ree Ree in a restaurant I was rushed to our local ER. They then sent me to New Orleans' Children's Hospital...they know me well down there!  After about 4 days I was sent home with another medicine to control my seizures. I will have to take this medicine for the rest of my life also. The medicine is working, I haven't had a seizure in 6 months!

No matter what God puts us through, we can all overcome with patience and love. He may test us, and we may not like it, but in the end we know that it will make us a better person. After all I've been through I consider myself to be a very lucky little boy!! :) I have so many people, besides my family, that care about me and constantly keep me in their prayers....I couldn't ask for anything more. I am so grateful, and so are my family, that so many people think of me on a daily basis and one day I will amaze you all! :) God bless you all.

Love you,

Connor John Corkern

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart."  

- Helen Keller