My Preemie

On December 11, 2006 I went to the emergency room with severe pain in my chest. Little did I know that was I was experiencing was preeclampsia and HELPP syndrome. The nurses soon discovered that my blood pressure was 190/120. They admitted me and gave me magnesium so that I wouldn't begin to have seizures. The doctors told me that my internal organs were starting to shut down due to the blood pressure and my blood platelets were extremely low. They then informed me that there is no known way to stop the process other than delivery. They would have to put me to sleep and preform an emergency c-section. They couldn't give me the epidural because of my blood platelets being too low. I wouldn't have stopped bleeding.
I remember asking them if there was anyway we could not deliver so early because I was only 23 weeks pregnant. The doctor told me no, if we don't deliver him, you could die.
I had an immense amount of faith in God! I was surprisingly calm, might have been the magnesium, but right away I had peace knowing that both I am my child were going to survive. 
A little bit later the doctor came back in the room and told me that they had to ask me this. "Do you want us to do everything we can to save the baby or..." There might have been more after that statement but I don't remember. I almost died when I heard that. I said "YES!!! Of course I do!" He then said okay and walked out. After that I freaked out a little thinking that they were going to let him die. My mom reassured me that they wouldn't. I remember praying and feeling that peace again. 
At some point they came in and gave me a shot of steroids in the buttocks to help with Aiden's lungs. 
Not too long afterwards the doctors and nurses told me that it was time and started wheeling me down to the surgery room. I remember crying on the way down there. Once we were there the nurse wanted me to breathe in the mask. I tried to take it off because it was really hard to breathe with it on. She told me I had to keep it on and shortly after told me I was about to fall asleep. Then the doctor turned the darn power tool on. I seriously considered jumping off that bed and running out of the room screaming. lol. But then I feel asleep...
At 2:55 on December 12, 2006 a 1 pound 2 ounce, 11 1/2 inch baby boy was born. I didn't know this at the time, obviously I was put to sleep. But my doctor later told me that after Aiden was born he wasn't showing any signs of life. So the nurses and doctors said a prayer and baptised him. The doctor then told me that Aiden let out the loudest cry he had ever heard from a baby so tiny. They then rushed him down to the NICU where he would stay for the next 4 1/2 months.


I don't know what time I woke up but when I did my dad and other people were around me. The first thing that came out of my mouth was "Is he okay?" They told me yes. So I went back to sleep. I hadn't slept in days. 
Allot of the next day I spent sleeping, well in and out of sleep. At the time I didn't realize how critical my position was because I was more worried about my baby. They later told me that sometimes delivery doesn't stop the process. My recovery didn't start right away but started getting better. My health was so bad that they wouldn't even consider letting me get out of bed for 2 days.
I was not able to see my son until the second day. I had to basically beg them and convince them that I was fine to get up. I didn't expect my legs to feel like jello when I did stand up, even though they told me they would. That was definitely a weird feeling. They put me into a wheel chair and pushed me down to the NICU North. Before hand my dad tried to warn me that he was so tiny and doesn't look like a normal baby. I kinda brushed it off, like I know he is going to be small. When I saw him my heart sank to my feet. No words can describe what I felt. I wanted to scream, cry, hold him, let him know I'm here. But I just sat there trying to hold back the tears. I couldn't stay more than 10 minutes. I started to feel like I was going to faint. I went back to my room and went to sleep. 

This is not the picture from the first time I saw him. It was maybe 3 weeks after he was born. When I saw him he was not all bundled up like he is here.

That is my engagement ring on his arm. You may or may not have noticed his right hand. You can barely see it on his thumb but the tip of his finger is black. There was an IV his his right arm. At some point the IV infiltrated and was no longer flowing into his vein, causing the circulation to be blocked. They didn't catch it in time. So his arm from the elbow was completely white. His arm looked dead. They put nitro-glisterine paste on his arm to help regain circulation. Fortunately his arm did begin to regain the circulation but the tips of every finger did not. They turned black and fell off. 


On January 10, 2007, nearly a month after Aiden was born I was able to hold my son for the very first time. This is also a very special day for me because my husband and I got married on this day before our trip to the hospital. When the babies are that small they call it kangerooing. They unplug them tap the cords and everything to your shirt, place your baby on your chest plug them back into their ventilators and such and let you spend time with your baby. Here is the picture of me holding my son for the first time. 

That was one very happy day.

Aiden spent a long 4 1/2 months in the NICU. We had to conquer allot of different obsticles along the way. God kept my little man extremely strong. Knowing what he has been through and lived through makes me a stronger person. I can't imagine my life without him. He has changed me so much from the very first time I seen him. He was able to come home on his due date. April 6, 2007. He came home on oxygen, poll socks, and an apnea monitor. He was off all three on my very first mother's day! Who could ask for a better gift? I love him so much! He is the greatest gift I have ever receieved! Here are a few more pictures of him.

My baby shortly after coming home!