An unexpected miracle

It was Wednesday, February 20, 2008. 6 days after mommy was admitted to the hospital and put on strict bedrest.

Everything just happened so fast.

One minute, mommy was sleeping in her bed. The next minute, a handful of nurses and doctors were running in and out of the room. I heard so many voices. So many footsteps.

Mommy was bleeding again. The on-call doctor checked her cervix. It had dilated to more than 3cm and there was a breech. The doctor felt my foot. They told mommy that they needed to prep her for an emergency C-section right away. 15 minutes they said. Mommy was so confused.

I was only 24 weeks and 4 days gestational. I don't think I'm supposed to come out this soon...

Mommy was so worried about what would happen to me once I came out. She was so lost and confused. Signing consent forms left and right. Daddy was by her side. I could hear his voice. He seemed really worried too. Daddy went to go call the rest of the family before suiting up for the OR.

Mommy already had an IV started so they didn't waste any time there. Mommy had to go onto a gurney. The nurses instructed daddy on what would happen in the operation room. They gave him scrubs to wear. Dr. Chu, mommy's ob/gyn was notified but they weren't sure if she would make it in time for the delivery. Dr. Christine Lee was the on-call ob/gyn alongside Dr. Lawrence Wickham, the neonatologist. There were other people there too, like the anesthesiologist (who gave mommy a spinal epidural), the respiratory therapists (to make sure I was breathing), a NICU nurse to take care of me once I was out, and the Antepartum nurses who were taking care of mommy. The medicine was kicking in and mommy was drowsy. Right when they were about to start the emergency C-section, Dr. Chu came to mommy's side to let her know that she was here. Mommy seemed relieved. Very relieved to know that Dr. Chu made it and would be delivering me, the baby.

Daddy was in the operating room holding mommy's hand. Mommy said that it was a weird feeling during the surgery...some hard tugging on her tummy that didn't hurt but the numbness created a tingly feeling. As if mommy's lower half of the body was submerged in ice water, she said. Mommy's body continued to be tugged. Her head and neck had tensed up trying to sustain the tugging. All mommy could do was picture what they were actually doing. Making incisions, pulling, tugging the uterus. Tummy to uterus, then taking out the placenta.

Mommy still seemed really out of it. No idea what was going on. A bad dream, mommy kept on thinking.

And then at 5:48am, on Wednesday, February 20th 2008, I was born.

They were able to let mommy see me for a second before taking me up to the NICU department where they would continue to monitor me. Daddy came with me. Normandie was my NICU nurse. I was okay, for being a 24 weeker preemie, they told mommy and daddy. A miracle. The doctors heard a tiny cry...which is a good thing. But I was so tiny...

Weight: 1lb 12ozs (790g)

Length: 11.25 inches

While they took me to the NICU, mommy was in the process of being stitched and stapled up. They took her to the recovery room to monitor her vitals. Mommy asked for a lot of pain medications. They gave her a lot of blankets to keep her warm too. Mommy said her legs and tummy were numb...and had the worst headache. Afterwards, they took her to another room, into the Mother/Baby unit in 6E117, where she would be for the remainder of her stay.

Mommy had a catheter so that she didn't have to walk to the bathroom. She continued to ask for pain meds through her IV. Morphine helped mommy with all the pain.

Mommy was still in a state of confusion, trying to understand what was going on.

Although almost 16 weeks early, mommy officially became a MOMMY today.

For more pictures, Jordan Kazuki: Birth of a Miracle Baby