Micro-Preemie Miracle

" He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 5:9

Have you ever started something several times only to have to start over? It is a very frustrating process when this happens. For some reason I have started this blog at least five times and it keeps erasing. So, here goes attempt number six. Starting off, let’s talk again about positivity. Positive thinking is not always an easy task. When you know that what can come next is going to be a huge obstacle, how can you possibly stay positive. Believe me, it's not an easy feat. Mark and I have been faced with huge challenges in our marriage, especially when it came to pregnancies. Not only did we have a problem becoming pregnant, I had a problem with carrying my babies to term. Both Mark and I did our best to think positively. When it came to Kalli's upcoming birth, we thought we knew what to expect in terms of delivery and NICU stay. We did our best to remain calm and think optimistically.

I had twice daily ultrasounds performed to check the growth of our baby and to check the blood flow from the umbilical cord to the placenta. We knew that every hour counted and if we could buy days or even weeks, our baby girl would have a better chance. I was ordered to bedrest with bathroom privileges only and a 5-minute shower a day. I continued to get twice daily injections of Heparin along with steroid shots to help the baby's lungs develop. Each day Justine and Bailee would visit, and Mark stayed with me at the hospital.

On November 20, 2005, I woke up sick. I had a lot of pressure in my right upper quadrant of my abdomen, nausea, vomiting, and severe heartburn. I was throwing up every 30 minutes or so. I made Mark promise not to tell the nurses. I told him it was probably regular pregnancy sick. I knew deep down that something was severely wrong and so did Mark. Soon my dad came to visit. I continued vomiting often and I felt horrible. When I was in the bathroom, Mark took his chance, and he went and got a nurse. She came in and asked me what was going on. I told her about all my symptoms. She talked to the doctor, and he gave me a prescription strength cocktail for severe heartburn, and I was told that if the heartburn and other symptoms didn't subside within 5-10 minutes, they would perform some lab tests.

The symptoms never subsided. My vital signs seemed to be stable, however my blood pressure was running 140/90. The nurse didn't seem too concerned, but I was. I told her my blood pressure is always low 90's/40's. The doctor ordered immediate lab tests. Within 30 minutes, a team of doctors and nurses came into my room and shut the lights off. They ordered my dad and Mark to leave the room. I knew something was drastically wrong. I asked them to allow Mark to stay. They said he could, but he had to stand to the side while they prepped me for a c-section. What?? The doctor said that I had developed a severe case of HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, and Low Platelets). Usually, a pregnant woman has preeclampsia or eclampsia and either of these can lead to HELLP syndrome. I had neither. As I was being prepped, the doctor explained that my liver enzymes were off the chart, and he felt I could start seizing at any minute (that's why they turned the lights off). He also said my platelets were dangerously low and I was in danger of bleeding out.

Mark and my mom prepped for my c-section

I did my best to hold it together as I asked if they could keep me awake so Mark and my mom could be in the delivery room with me. He agreed, but said it was happening right now and we had no time to wait for anyone. My mom was on her way to the hospital with Justine and Bailee and I desperately wanted to see my girls before going into surgery, they said there was no time, and they wheeled my down the hallway and a nurse took Mark to get dressed. I was being taken to surgery, we spotted my girls and my mom. A nurse took my mom so she could get dressed for surgery and I was able to say a quick good-bye to Justine and Bailee.

Once in surgery, my mom was on one side and Mark on the other with the anesthesiologist at my head. They cut into me, and I felt sick, and I could not breath. Mark held my hand and told me to breathe. I couldn't breathe. I felt nauseous and literally couldn't catch my breath. Then we heard the doctor say, "Where is she? Where is the baby?" Our baby girl was so small they had a hard time finding her in my uterus and by them searching, it was putting pressure on my diaphragm and therefore I couldn’t breathe properly. Finally, he shouted, "It's a girl." He let us get a quick kiss in before the NICU team intubated her and whisked her away. Mark was able to follow and be with her, Kalli Suzann was born weighing 1 lb. 4 oz and was 11 inches long. She was so small that Mark's wedding ring fit around her thighs and my size 5 wedding ring fit all the way up her arm.

Kalli

I was taken back to my room, and they had me on heavy doses of antiseizure medications as I was still at extremely high risk to seize. I was only allowed 2 adult visitors at a time and no one under 18 allowed until I was stable. They had me on twice daily shots to bring my platelets up as they were still dangerously low. They did give me platelets when I was in surgery, but I didn't need any after that. I also received a couple of units of blood. I was so doped up with antiseizure medications that I barely remember the first 2 days after Kalli was born. My mom and dad took Justine and Bailee back to Carrington for a couple days of school while Mark stayed with me. They returned Wednesday after school so we could all spend Thanksgiving together. I ended up getting discharged from the hospital Wednesday late afternoon. We went to Sheila and Ron's to stay. Many of you may have followed Kalli's journey on Caringbridge. Her journey was long and many trials, tribulations and miracles occurred along the way.