Written by Shannon Foss
Murray Cole Foss was born on January 5, 2022 to Derrick and Shannon Foss of Hancock. When Murray was born, Derrick’s brother Brendon thought his name sounded like “Miracle.” That seems to be exactly what was intended for this little man’s life. Murray has a brother, Trace, age 4 and a sister, Saylor, age 2. In Murray’s first two months of his life he enjoyed playing under his play-mat, watching and listening to his brother and sister play, snuggling with mom and dad and had just started smiling and getting a little giggle developed.
On Monday March 14, the Foss family’s life was turned upside down. Murray was taken by a Life-Link helicopter from Stevens Community Medical Center to Children’s Hospital, Minneapolis. Upon arriving at SCMC, Murray had bleeding and swelling around his brain and skull, and he was experiencing seizures. Murray was hurt while in the care of a temporary caregiver that afternoon. The injuries he suffered were extensive, requiring Murray to have an emergency surgery, intubation and the assistance of a ventilator for several days. Physicians at SCMC and Children’s Hospital confirmed the injuries were consistent with shaking.
Murray’s first few days at Children’s Hospital were difficult. His initial surgery, swelling in the brain and healing from this injury, had his little body on a lot of meds. These kept him comfortable and sedated so that he didn’t have to work very hard to rest and heal. The fluids he was on kept him super puffy and sleepy/sedated for the first 10 days or so. On the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) floor, there was a nurse with Murray 24/7. Doctors and care teams were in and out all day, everyday checking in on Murray. He became a ‘floor favorite’ very quickly with his cute, puffy cheeks.
There were chest x-rays done daily (sometimes twice a day) to check the placement of Murray’s breathing and feeding tubes until those were eventually able to come out. After five days in the hospital, Murray’s feeding tube was placed and turned on so that Murray was actually getting nutrients/formula instead of just fluids from an IV. After about 20 days of the feeding tube, that was finally removed and Murray has only been improving on his feeds. He’s currently back to the intake he was and the consistency he was at before he arrived at Children’s.
It took Murray a little while to get his initial MRI because he just didn’t tolerate the traveling ventilator very well. That first week Murray had experienced seizures. Those were monitored with an EKG machine and video surveillance. Once the MRI was completed the doctors could see what they were working with. There was a small pool of blood that remained after the surgery but it wasn’t causing a ton of pressure on Murray’s brain. That pool was, and still is, expected to be absorbed by the brain over time. There was a shift to his brain due to the injury so it was not on-center. Even now it’s not quite centered but it has improved and is expected to continue to do so! Murray had bleeding behind his left eye as well. That has improved and is expected to continue to do so. Lastly, that first MRI showed pulled/stretched vertebrae at the base of his neck. He’d been instructed to wear his cervical collar for 6 weeks. If you’ve been following Murray’s journey on Caring Bridge or social media you already know that he was able to come home without the collar after just 3 weeks because of the remarkable improvements his body had made.
Murray was on some pretty hard meds while coming out of sedation and healing but all in all he came off of them very well and with only a few withdrawal symptoms. Currently, he is on an inhaler and a seizure medicine. The fact that Murray left the hospital 25 days after being admitted with only a bandaid from where his last IV was pulled is nothing short of a miracle. Even since he has been home he has slept through the night every night. This has given his dad and mom contentment, and sleep as well.
Murray was given a couple of stuffies from the hospital. A giraffe was placed under his breathing tube one day on the PICU floor and ended up holding his humidifier on the 6th floor as well. The perfect addition to the MANY stuffies at home. Murray had one blankie of his own when he arrived at Children’s but was gifted a couple new ones while in their care as well including a basketball blanket. During the time of Murray’s stay at Children’s, the Hancock Owls girls basketball team was in the state tournament. The girls had made Murray a get well soon poster to proudly display in his room where the continued question Derrick and Shannon got was “who are the Owls?” and “where is Hancock?” The lady Owls even wrote ‘Murray Strong’ on their shoes before the Championship Game.
Over the course of Murray’s stay, Derrick and Shannon were able to have access to a room in the hospital on the Ronald McDonald floor. Bathroom, bedroom and living space. Similar to that of a small apartment. Just outside the ‘Ronald Room’ was a very large kitchen area with dining tables and chairs where most of their meals were provided. Snacks, grab and go’s, coffee, tea, water, desserts and leftovers were always available. Also provided with the Ronald room was a two hour laundry slot, two days a week, just down the hall. Derrick and Shannon each ventured home from time to time to get out of the hospital setting for a bit but also to check in on their big kids. It gave Grandpa and Grandma Joos a much needed break too from all of the energy that a 2 and 4 year old can bring.
The prayers and support have been felt and so appreciated by Murray’s parents, Derrick & Shannon, and their entire family. “Small communities know how to take care of each other. This situation is a testament to that in and of itself. God is SO good. He has provided for us and carried us through every moment of this journey. We still aren’t sure ‘why us?’ But we’ve put all of our trust that God has healed and will continue to heal our sweet boy and everyone involved. Murray’s story has brought a lot of individuals and families together to prayer and comfort in the name of Jesus.” Murray spent 25 days at the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. He is due back in about 5 weeks for checkups, follow ups and therapies. The family is very hopeful for an upward slope in Murray’s recovery.
There has been an account opened up at the Community Development Bank in Hancock, a GoFundMe online and a Benefit planned for Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood, MN where all proceeds raised will go to Murray and his immediate family to help pay for any medical, food and travel expenses. WurstMachers will be serving food at the upcoming benefit and there will be a Silent Auction.
