June 6, 1992 dawned as just another lovely Saturday in the late Spring.  But that quickly changed as Kathy felt the first onset of contractions heralding the imminent coming of our fourth...

Bradley Robert Johnson!

Though she wasn't due for another 4 weeks, that mattered little to Brad as around 3 pm Kathy's Dr Kooperman advised us to get on over to the hospital - cuz Baby Was Coming TODAY!   

So, with my Dad zipping over to watch the 3 boys, I drove Kathy To Northwest Community Hospital via Kirchoff Road where I shouted out to Dottie Palluck "We're Having A Baby Today!"

So they prep Kathy and wheel her into the Surgery Theatre for her 4th Caesarean.  Brad is born at 4:50 pm with shouts of "It's A Boy!".   Everything looked to be fine.  He cried loud and was a good weight for an early baby at 7lbs, 1.5 ozs. 

Of course, months earlier Kathy had already been told the gender, but I wanted to find out at Birth, as I was hoping we'd finally get that girl.  Yeah Right....  As I've said many, many times over the last 30 years..

"We could've had a Hundred kids and they would have all been boys!" 

But shortly after his birth they came to tell me that Brad was having difficulties.   Being premature, he has having problems breathing.  They said he was "Pulling".  Apparently his lungs had not fully developed so they were placing him in the Natal ICU to give him treatment.  

When I saw him in the ICU I was scared.   I started crying as I explained to my sisters what was going on.   I called Pastor Giese to ask for prayers and he asked if we wanted an immediate Baptism.   We declined, as we we were told he would be fine in time. 

Sister Nancy stopped by the Hospital to see Brad and the excitement was too much for her as she fainted and had to be ushered around in a wheelchair until she felt better.   

Brad stayed in the ICU  for over 2 weeks and he fought damn hard.   The turning point was when Brad's Indian ICU Dr leaned over his bassinet and loudly commanded him, 

"Braaaadley Youuu Get Bettah!"  

Brad listened - he was getting better, thank God.

Unlike with Ben, there was no drama around naming him.   If it was a boy we'd agreed "Bradley Robert",  and if a girl  "Britainny Rose". That was so we would keep "BRJ" as the initials for all our kids - which was important to Kathy.  But only after the Birth Certificate was signed did I realize that I screwed up on the name AGAIN!  

You see Brad was born on June 6th which was not only the anniversary of D-Day, but also the anniversary of the death of Robert Kennedy - a particular hero of mine.   So, had I been thinking -  his name should have been Bradley Robert Kennedy Eisenhower Johnson!  That would have been awesome!

So finally on June 17, we were able to take our boy home and make our family complete.  Truly the happiest of days.

Thank you lord for giving us Bradley

Thank you Lord for getting him healthy

What a blessing!