New Year, New Beginnings for Beckett and Family

Written by Beckett’s Family

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

2024 marks the first year that patient ambassador, Beckett (5), can remember that he has not had a December ER visit related to a respiratory infection!

Born at 33 weeks, weighing only 2 lbs, Beckett has been a feisty little guy since day 1. Prematurity brings a special variety of health concerns. Beckett’s digestive and respiratory systems were underdeveloped. He got special medicine for his lungs and a feeding tube (G-tube) before being able to come home from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when he was 3 months old. Since coming home, Beckett experienced a roller coaster of special medications, appointments, medical equipment, and many infections.

Beckett’s care team is made up of incredible doctors, techs, child life specialists, therapists, and nurses at Children’s Hospital Colorado. The team members at Children’s Colorado provide exceptional medical care and go the extra mile to make every aspect of his care as non-traumatic as possible. The unprecedented level of care he consistently receives at Children’s Colorado even inspired Beckett’s mom to become a registered nurse!

We were lucky enough that the Colorado Springs hospital opened shortly after Beckett was born, meaning that our team is conveniently located in our own city! Beckett enjoys when we make trips to the main campus in Aurora, though — he loves to see the LEGO model of the hospital!

This Year Has Been One of New Beginnings for Beckett

In January, after >1,000 days, Beckett finally got his G-tube removed! In spring, after years of respiratory infections, Beckett was diagnosed with asthma, a common condition for ex-preemies. Since starting asthma treatment, he hasn’t been hospitalized for a respiratory infection (knock on wood!). This is the first year he hasn’t gotten monthly additions to his Beads of Courage necklace – he has a beautiful string of 600+ beads, each bead symbolizing a type of medical attention.

But Beckett is more than a Children’s Colorado patient – although he does call Children’s Colorado “my hospital!” This year, he went to Disneyland, tried gymnastics, began Hebrew school, and started kindergarten. Beckett’s favorite class at school is Art, because “I can make art!” Beckett is also really enjoying learning to read! He loves the songs that his teacher has about sight words, like:

“Hey, Mr. Knickerbocker, PUT, I spell ‘put’ with a P U T!”

In 2025, Beckett is looking forward to seeing Blippi for his 6th birthday, taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park, and expanding his specialist “punch card” by seeing the Neurology department at Children’s Colorado. Beckett loves gathering the National Parks passport stickers and cancellations, so he’s very excited!

We credit Beckett’s team at Children’s Colorado in large part for how well he’s doing. Without asthma treatment, Beckett wouldn’t have been able to do gymnastics and would even be struggling to attend school regularly. We feel so grateful to have received such great healthcare, not just in skill but also in compassion and fun.

Between his time with a G-tube, his asthma treatment, and all the other care he has received at Children’s Colorado, Beckett has been given the gift of getting to be a kid. 

Thank you and happy new year, from Beckett’s family,

Tasha, Matt, Eliza, & Beckett