Children’s Miracle Network: Meet Hudson Lave

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - When Hudson Lave stopped responding to his babysitter at 12 weeks old, his parents faced an unthinkable choice: which children’s hospital could save their son’s life?

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The Springfield family’s world changed in an instant when David Lave received a phone call at work. Their babysitter said Hudson was breathing but couldn’t open his eyes or respond to her voice.

“As a parent, the first thought is what’s going on,” David Lave said.

At the emergency room, monitors, tubes, and tests brought fear and uncertainty. Doctors couldn’t control Hudson’s seizures, forcing his parents to make a critical decision about where to seek specialized care.

Emergency flight to St. Louis

Around midnight, Hudson and his mother, Katrina, flew to St. Louis Children’s Hospital while David drove more than three hours to meet them.

“Your world is just pulled right out from under you,” Katrina Lave said.

Doctors initially suspected Hudson had experienced an interrupted SIDS case. An MRI revealed he had suffered a hypoxic injury, meaning his brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

“The hypoxic injury is what led to all of his medical issues, the seizures, the cerebral palsy,” Katrina Lave said.

Hudson spent nearly two months in the hospital. Neither parent returned to work during that time, creating financial strain on top of their medical crisis.

Children’s Miracle Network support

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helped reimburse the family’s travel expenses and provided financial support that allowed both parents to stay with Hudson.

“The financial support we were provided so that we could do that. It made us both be able to be there where we needed to be with Hudson,” Katrina Lave said.

The organization continued supporting the family after they returned to Springfield. The transition home brought new challenges as the parents learned to provide specialized care.

“You go from just being a parent to being the caretaker, the nurse,” Katrina Lave said.

David Lave compared their situation to starting a new job without training while learning under intense circumstances.

“We’re doing that with the life of our child in our hands,” he said.

Ongoing assistance

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has helped with Hudson’s feeding therapy and supplies. The organization also assisted with paying for a specialized bed costing more than $17,000 that allows Hudson to sleep safely.

Now almost seven years old, Hudson enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family. His parents say small donations make a significant difference.

“I don’t think people think a dollar will help, but when you get enough people who throw a dollar in or 5 or 10, it adds up, in the end,” David Lave said. “Proof it helps.”

Katrina Lave said Hudson loves physical touch, which lets their son know his family is there for him.

“He is a tough little boy,” David Lave said.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals allows families like the Laves to remain resilient during medical crises by removing financial barriers to care.

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