My Micro Preemie Miracles

by Erica
(New York)

Carter and Brady in July

After having two miscarriages, a year later, we found out we were pregnant again. At our 5 week sonogram we were told there was something they had to tell us. I immediately thought it was going to be bad news. The women turned the screen to us and said I see two! What a shock... a wonderful shock.

Throughout my pregnancy I tried to do everything I could to ensure this pregnancy would turn out great. At 22 weeks I started having odd pains and went to the doctor and was told it was ligament pains. I went home and a week later was back at the doctors office complaining of worse pains in the same area. They again told me the same thing and off I went. After three days of worsening pains I returned yet again to their office with again, the same results. After being sent home three times I returned home and two days later I couldn't stand the pain anymore and went to the ER. They told me I was retaining way too much fluid and to get a doctor appointment (which I already had for two days later) and ask them what should be done. I told them I had the appointment and they said that would be fine. Two days later (at 24 weeks) I woke up and told my husband to bring me to the ER, something was wrong.

By the time we reached the room in the ER my water had broken and I was in enormous pain. I tried explaining to the doctors about the pain and everything I was going through but it was hard since this wasn't the hospital where my doctors were. They told me they would get a sonogram and then tell me where things were at. After the most painful sonogram I had had they left me in the room for what felt like an eternity. After about 25 minutes or nothing.. no nurses or doctors I pressed the call button and told them someone had to check me.

I was at the point where I should have been pushing and I had to wait for the specialist to get there. I held out for about 15 minutes until I he was there and the doctor delivered my boys within 15 minutes of each other. They were rushed to nicu and then flown about 3 hours later to WCMC where they stayed for 3 months. It was the hardest three months of my life. Not knowing what was going to happen. Oxygen tubes, feeding tubes, incubators. Everything was so overwhelming when I saw them for the first time. Brady was the first out. He weighed 780 grams. Carter was second and weighed only 590 grams.

Not being able to hold my babies until almost 2 months later was one of the most difficult things. Me and my husband have been very lucky to have such great support all around throughout that time. We watched as they hit little milestones that most people never hear about or go through in their lives. Seeing go from being incubated to c-pap to nasal canulas is incredible. From a feeding tube straight to their stomach to through their nose to taking a bottle. Seeing them with so many wires and tubes was hard but seeing the wires and tubes go, slowly but surly was a great feeling. Three months later, on oxygen and monitors they were able to come home.

After 2 months of at home care they were free of all monitors and oxygen. My boys could breathe on their own. It was the best day of my life. Seeing them every day is a reminder of how lucky we are to have them in our lives. We were told they had a less than 50 percent chance once they were in WCMC and the percent grew a little every day. We were told we would have many ups and downs, which we did. But thankfully we had more ups than downs.

I feel so lucky that our boys were so strong. Brady was diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia at the hospital which does make him need a medication everyday for the rest of his life, he will still have a normal everyday life as long as he takes this... but since we have brought him home it has gotten better and his dosage has gone down significantly. They say it may have just been from the severe prematurity. My fingers are crossed but if this is the only thing that comes out of all of this with I will be so so grateful.

They are turning 1 in September (8.5 adjusted) and we cannot wait to celebrate.

I just wanted to share so if someone else is out there going through the same thing, I know it is unbelievably hard but there is hope. While we were going through this i felt like it was the worst thing. I had never heard of a baby born that early and felt alone, confused, worried, scared and a little horrified of the whole situation. I found some stories on the internet about a month after they were born and even though i didn't know the people and their stories are all different in some way, it helped to know that they got through it.

I hope I could help in some way.