At 22 weeks and 5 days, I started vomiting and was unable to hold anything down. We went to the ER, and the on-call OB had me tested for HELLP Syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets). It came back positive, and I was started on magnesium and rushed to another hospital that has a 65% success rate with saving 22 weekers.
After receiving a transfusion of platelets, I was rushed to the OR and placed under general anesthesia. He was born at 11:19 pm and weighed 1 lb 1.8 oz. She was born at 11:20 pm and weighed 14.4 oz. At a week and a half old, my husband noticed some small black ulcers on Jesse’s arm.
The nurse did a full assessment after we left and discovered a large black scab covering his entire black. Cultures were taken and he was diagnosed with a fungal infection. Luckily we caught it in time where it had not spread to his blood stream. However, that did delay his steroid shots and he regressed on to the oscillator and then the jet ventilator for 36 hours.
Eventually the Infectious Diseases doctor decided to try something different with the anti-fungal medication he was on and apply it topically by compounding the medication and mixing it with Aquaphor. It worked beautifully. While he was being treated for the fungal infection, she was diagnosed with MRSA in her bloodstream. Once they got over those two infections, they took off. He got his bilateral inguinal hernias repaired and they were progressing well, until Thanksgiving, when they were diagnosed with RSV, which set them back and they ended up having to get g-tubes. We discharged a week later. He required no oxygen at discharge, and she came home on oxygen, but was off of it by March. They’re now right on track as far as milestones for they’re adjusted age. They both had ROP and treatment for that. She’s got a lot of food allergies, but she’s working on growing out of them. They’re definitely thriving now!
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