28 Apr Coming Home
Oh no, she’s not breathing! Our baby daughter, Edith, was born on August 3, 2015. She was 6lbs 9oz and in serious trouble!
She had to be resuscitated twice in the delivery room. Her heart was not functioning properly. I was paralyzed with fear as I watched her story unfold. Her medical team jumped into action, calling in doctors and staff to help. Extra hands were needed right away. Our baby needed immediate help breathing and I was recruited to work the breathing bag. There I was, feeling lost and in shock, counting the seconds between each life-saving breath delivered every time I squeezed the bag. For 30 minutes I squeezed the bag to give Edith the breaths she needed to survive until the doctors arrived to take over.
Edith was transferred to the NICU in our local hospital in Belfast, NY, but the best place for Edith was Women & Children’s Hospital (Children’s) 1 ½ hours away. Our local hospital staff jumped into action and made arrangements to helicopter in nurses from Children’s to help stabilize Edith and get her ready for air transport to Buffalo. Everyone was working and doing everything in their power to help our baby live.
My wife Sarah had complications from the delivery and needed daily transfusions. Everything was happening so fast. Our little girl was on her way to Buffalo. My wife had to remain in the hospital agonizing over the fact there was a possibility that she might never get the chance to hold our daughter. I had to leave my wife to get to Buffalo to be with our daughter.
I was a mess and in no condition to drive. Thank goodness, my father-in-law stepped in and drove me to Buffalo. We arrived in Buffalo around 9:00pm. Our first night was spent in the hospital with my father-in-law sleeping on a fold out couch and me sleeping on the floor using my sweatshirt as a pillow. Night number two was spent at a horrible hotel that is best forgotten. Night number three we relaxed, took a big breath and slept; because on night number three we stayed at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House.
When I arrived at the House I fell in love with the old architecture. When I walked in the door the staff was right there for me. They took me around saying “this is your room”, “here’s the food”, “this is a spot in the fridge for just your stuff”. We were all going through so much. I had been “on” for over 48-hours. That walk through of the House was the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done. I felt myself letting down my guard. I let out the biggest sigh of my life.
Our baby girl was diagnosed with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) (PPHN is the failure of the normal circulatory transition that occurs after birth. It is a serious breathing condition in a newborn in which lung vessels are not open wide enough meaning that oxygen and blood flow is restricted.)
Edith is a fighter. She recovered fully and was discharged with no lingering medical conditions. Today Edith is a precocious and bubbly little girl. She loves to be read to, play with her big brother, dance, spin and take care of her new-born twin baby brothers.
We reconnected with the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House when our twin boys were born prematurely. The Ronald McDonald House has been our wonderful retreat in times of unimaginable turmoil in our lives when both our daughter and our twin sons required specialized care that was only available in Buffalo.
Being with your child in the NICU requires so much emotional energy. The constant noise, alarms and lights are very draining. Being able to leave the hospital and go to a room that is silent, where you have no responsibilities is a blessing. Sarah describes the House as a personal refuge, the calm in the middle of the storm. The volunteers take care of every burden they can, so you can focus on your child. The relief you feel is immeasurable.
Today we are a proud family of six! Our story would not have been the same without the calm and friendly staff of the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House.