In 2005, we were so excited to welcome our first baby girl into our family [
http://www.babywilcock1.blogspot.com/]. Everything was going as planned [although my first 20 weeks of morning sickness was TERRIBLE - yes I said, 20 weeks!] Other than that, physically I was doing just fine. I had an appointment at 24 weeks and everything looked great. I was feeling the best I had so far. I wasn't vomiting every morning, I had a lot of energy and I was able to go to work everyday. Then, at week 27, everything changed. I lost my energy, I was swollen, my vision wasn't always clear, I had a lot of pain, etc. So, I went to my doctor, without a scheduled appointment and asked my doctor to take my blood pressure. It was out of control! She immediately sent me to Labor and Deliver for tests and monitoring. A couple of hours later, the decision was made to Life Flight me to Salt Lake City...yes, that shot my blood pressure up even higher as the tears began to flow! Then, after calling Life Flight and speaking to the
Perinatoligst, the decision was made that I could go by car and not airplane. Once in Salt Lake City, I was monitored and put onto strict
bedrest for
preeclampsia [
http://www.preeclampsia.org/]. The next few weeks were very difficult and we took a day at a time. Everything worsened with time and at 29 1/2 weeks I was admitted into the hospital, over a 3 day time period I was given steroid shots and then induced, 20 hours later I was not stable and they were losing baby's heart beat, so I was rushed into an emergency c-section.
Our little girl was delivered at 30 weeks weighing 2 lbs. 13 oz. and dropped to 2 lbs. 6 oz. She spent the next 2 months in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit and it was a roller coaster ride. She would progress then regress. It was a very scary time for us. However, we were very blessed. Her biggest trials were breathing, gaining weight, she had a hole in her heart [
ASD] and her heart
ligement didn't close [
PDA]. Once she came home, there were more hurdles to jump, but now she is a very energetic and healthy.
Then, in 2007 we decided we were ready to add another member to our family. We were so excited when we found out we were expecting, but we couldn't hide the fact that we were a little nervous. We were told after our first daughter there were 50/50 chances of having
preeclampsia again. This time, morning sickness wasn't as bad...I didn't vomit every morning, just a couple times a week and it ended a lot sooner. However, everything was fine until 14 weeks. At 14 weeks I went for my regular appointment and my blood pressure was just way too high. I went onto
bedrest at 14 weeks, in hopes that everything would be resolved and I could have a "normal" pregnancy and delivery.
Well, to make a long story shorter, I stayed on
bedrest until 27 weeks. Then, I was admitted into the hospital and stayed on
bedrest for 1 week until I was no longer stable and they delivered me by c-section. Our 2
nd baby girl was delivered April 2008 at 28 weeks weighing 3 lbs. 3 oz. and dropped down to 2 lbs. 9 oz. [
http://www.babywilcock.blogspot.com/] We spent the next 2 months with her in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Again, it was a roller coaster ride. It was easier in some ways and harder in others. Now, we have a healthy little girl at home with us. It hasn't been easy and we've continued to have a few little road bumps, but we are surviving and our girls are healthy and doing well.
We have been blessed!
While having babies in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit it was exhausting...emotionally, physically, mentally and financially. It has been the hardest trial we've been through, but the greatest blessing we've been given. Experiencing the extra financial costs of driving 100+ miles or more a day to the hospital, eating meals on the road, medical bills uncovered by insurance, etc. and the emotional and physical trials of watching our daughters fight for their lives and trying to stay positive and energetic to care for their needs was exhausting, but once again, it is the greatest blessing we have been given in our lives. We are in debt to so many friends, family, neighbors and strangers who gave us a helping hand. Although it sounds cliche, the best way for us to say thank you, is to 'pay it forward.' In an effort to pay it forward, we have started Pennies 4 Preemies.
Our hope with Pennies 4 Preemies, is to lighten the load for families going through similar experiences. We know that we cannot solve the problem, but we hope that we can provide support whether it is financially or emotionally or any other way that we can.
For our detailed stories see:
http://www.babywilcock.blogspot.com/
http://www.babywilcock1.blogspot.com/
