I was told we might have to sacrifice Ellie to save her sisters
After being told I would deliver early, I was put on home bed rest at 20 weeks. Our girls were born 8 weeks early and we were told to expect the worse.
Eva weighed 3 lbs., 5oz at birth. She suffered Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) within the first 24 hours of life and was put on a ventilator. She received two doses of surfactant over the next 48 hours as we waited to see if her lungs would react positively.
Emma weighed 3 lbs., 9 oz. at birth. She suffered RDS also within the first 48 hour of life and was put on a [quote_right]The girls live because someone walked before me[/quote_right]ventilator. I can remember hearing her cries and then seeing her intubated. She was trying to cry but made no sound, it was heartbreaking. She also needed two doses of surfactant to get her lungs working on their own and was graduated several days later to CPAP, nasal cannula and room air.
Ellie weighed 1 lbs., 15 oz. at birth. She suffered IUGR, TTTS, and AEDF. She was receiving 30% of the placenta compared to Emma having 70%. I was told we might have to sacrifice her to save her sisters. Ironically, all three were born to save her. She was on high calorie formula, she did well breathing on CPAP and nasal cannula and she suffered jaundice.
All the girls are all thriving, smiling and happy children today.
My children live because of the surfactant therapies developed by the March of Dimes. I’ll never be able to fully thank or repay what has been done for my children.
The girls live because someone walked before me. Someone that I’ll never know to thank believed in helping premature babies and raised money that helped fund the therapies that benefited my children.
I walk in hopes that the money I raise today can help the babies born tomorrow or even years from now. I never want a mother to leave the hospital with empty arms and a broken hearted.
Clermont County March for Babies
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2015
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