Showing posts with label MaternalHealth. Show all posts

Naser Family

Tag : Board Member, Essa, Kaya, Kentucky, MaternalHealth, Naser, NFS, Ohio, Prematurity, Sara,

Lauren Delaney Schlossberg was born at 25 weeks 6 days gestation. She weighed 1 pound 5 ounces and was 12 1/2 inches long.

Lauren has to be delivered early via C-section due to me having severe preeclampsia with HELLP syndrome.

Lauren spent 129 days in the NICU at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida.

Over the past 5 1/2 years, Lauren has overcome so many challenges that all preemies face, like developmental delays and physiological delays. Today she is a bright, happy, health 5 year old who is about to complete kindergarten.

She also loves Shopkins and playing soccer.

It is very important to us to get stories like Lauren's out into the world so that we can help future families in similar situations.

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Tag : hellp, hellp syndrome, MaternalHealth, NICU,

Shoemaker Family

On March 3, 2008, I went in to my doctor’s appointment not knowing I was in labor and would probably be delivering my sweet baby boy on that day. I was sent over to Sacred Heart Hospital for an amniocentesis and was told I would deliver that day. I was first of all scared because I was only 32 weeks into my pregnancy. But having a healthy baby girl in 2004, I never even imagined going through what I went through.

I was sent down to be prepped for delivery. After waiting on Dad to arrive, I was so anxious and nervous at the same time to meet my baby boy. I was given a c-section because I had to have an emergency c-section with my first baby. Jaylan entered the world making me a very proud mother again. I got to see him for just a second, and then they went to get him cleaned up. I was taken to recovery and was then taken to a room where I was sick in bed for 2-3 days, having to have a blood transfusion because of blood loss during the delivery. My nurse came in, gave me a bath and asked if I wanted to see him. I told her yes you can bring him in. She said unfortunately you will have to walk to the nursery.

As we were walking to the nursery and I arrived at the intensive care unit door, it still never dawned on me that I would walk in and see him hooked to all these cords and machines. They had me scrub down and escorted me to his crib. I instantly broke down. The thoughts and fear that were in my heart. Why is my baby so little and why did this have to happen to him? And will he make it through this? Jaylan was born with very premature lungs. After I saw him in the delivery room, he started to have seizure after seizure. He was put on a ventilator for about 2 weeks and slowly progressed off of it. His seizure activity never changed, and he had to have several EEGs done at night. They couldn’t figure out why he was having all these seizures back to back. He was being fed out of a 3cc syringe for a few weeks and finally progressed to bottle feeding after about 3-4 weeks.

None of this was easy. I was discharged from the hospital and didn’t get to take him home with me. That was the most hurtful thing ever. I was still questioning the doctors about when my baby would get to go home. Of course they couldn’t tell me when. Weeks and weeks went by, and we saw so much improvement in him. The doctors and nurse and staff at Sacred Heart were very loving and caring. After 9 weeks of being in the NICU, we finally got to bring him home. My daughter got tired of seeing pictures of him every day and was very anxious to meet him. We brought him home still having seizure after seizure and also being diagnosed with asthma.

Years went by, and he would never talk or interact like a normal kid. He was then diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. All of this has been a very emotional rollercoaster. I’ve only been a part of the March of Dimes for the last 2 years. We have a Family team, “Team Jaylan.” I’m not an ambassador family but would love to be and get more involved and hopefully join a committee one day. My name is Anetia Dukes, Dad is Warren Shoemaker. Kids are Ja’Miyah Lattiemore and Jaylan Shoemaker. Jaylan was the only one we have born prematurely. But I’m a triplet, and we were born prematurely, delivered at Sacred Heart Hospital also, to Farrow and Charles Dukes, Sr. We spent several weeks in the NICU, but the youngest of all spent the longest due to a heart defect and had to have surgery.

The best part of being a parent is watching my kids grow, seeing the everyday changes of life with them — but most all watching my autistic son reach more and more milestones every day that I never imagined him reaching. Having a very supportive family and teachers that care for him means so much. My daughter is very unselfish when it comes to him. I’m so blessed to have both of my kids. But he has a special place in everybody’s heart. If you are a current NICU family, just keep your head up and trust in God and let the doctors do their jobs. They’re amazing, and I love and appreciate each and every one of them. Without them I don’t know where my little guy would be. He’s 8 years old now. This hasn’t been the best 8 years, but I’m out to make his next 8 the very best and keep supporting him in all that he does.

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Tag : c-section, MaternalHealth, NICU,

Robinson Family

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Our little journey began on February 26th, 2015. That was the day my husband and I found out that we were going to be parents for the first time. Little did we know our journey was about to be a roller coaster ride no parent wants to go on! The amount of emotion we had was unbelievable!

We were so thankful and filled with so much joy that the Lord gave us this precious miracle!!! I had been on Clomid to try and get pregnant. We went to the doctor in March and found out our baby would be here around November 5th. June rolled around and we found out that we were having a little boy!!!!

Brian and I both were so excited about our sweet baby boy!!!

When July came we started seeing that Jag was measuring behind 2 weeks and then the next week we went to see Dr. Sandlin at UAMS and Jag was now measuring another week behind.

That day Dr. Sandlin prepared us that we would most likely be having a premature baby. He wasn't sure at the time what was causing his growth lag or how premature he would be. I was 26 weeks to the day that day we saw him.

I remember being so overwhelmed and didn't know whether to cry or just get down on my knees and pray for my sweet baby. Brian was so strong for me but I know he was worried. We didn't know at this point if our baby would make it. The fear of the unknown was surrounding us at this point.

The next day my blood pressure began to rise. Then that Saturday I was admitted to UAMS for observation and they did multiple tests and I was a puzzle to all of the doctors. They said I wasn't a text book example of preeclampsia but I had some symptoms.

That following Wednesday they decided I was doing good and I could possibly go home in bed rest the next day if my blood work came back good. The Saturday before I received steroid injections in case I had Jag so that maybe that would help his lungs. Early Thursday morning around 3:30 I woke up hurting in my back. I thought it was gas pain or from being in that bed for so many days. My lab work was drawn at 4:00 am and I had received some medicine to see if it was gas. The pain just continued to get worse and so they decided to check my lab again and found that my platelet count had dropped more and my liver enzymes elevated.

They told me then I had HELLP syndrome and that I had to have my baby or I would continue to get worse and it would eventually hurt the baby lose him or worse we could lose us both.

Jag Colby Robinson was born at 27 weeks and was 1 pound 5 ounces and 13 inches long on August 6th, 2016 at 11:01 am!!! Our sweet little man spent 117 days in the NICU at UAMS. He had the best care from the nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists and other therapy team members.

March of Dimes was also another wonderful group of people that made our stay in the NICU more memorable. I never imagined someone so tiny could have such a large impact in our lives!!! We are so thankful for our little miracle!

Jag is now 9 months old or 6 months adjusted. He is our real life super hero!!!! My husband and I are truly blessed the Lord gave us our sweet baby Jag!!

*** Below are just a few samples of Jag's photos. For the full amount, please use the link above to view the photos on the OneDrive cloud account. There are over 800 photos ***