Taylor Jean Wackrow
Born: November 30,2009
Gestational Age: 28 weeks
Weight: 3lbs 1 oz
My name is Jocelyn and my husband is Jonathan. We have two sons Hunter age 5 and Carter age 4. We were blessed in June 2009 to find out we were having another baby due in February 2010. We have had 10 pregnancies and have 3 children. All three were premature. My sons were born 34 & 33 weeks so we knew that this pregnancy probably would not be full term. In both cases I had preeclampsia and had to be delivered via emergency c-sections. We were lucky that the boys had no major preemie problems.
My first trimester was fine, but as soon as the second trimester began the doctors were monitoring me everyday and then it happened, preeclampsia again! I was sick alot sooner then in the past and my doctors were giving me shots for Taylor's lungs. I was 27 weeks when I was admitted to the hospital and 4 days later I was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome which is a variant of preeclampsia. My survival and Taylors depended on delivery. I begged them to wait and to let me keep her inside just a little longer but she was born via emergency c-section November 30th. A 28 weeker! I never thought I would be so sick of hearing that term.
It was a few days before my husband could wheel me into the NICU to meet our daughter. That first moment when you see your baby hooked up to machines and tubes and wires and watching them fight for every breath is overwhelming. The guilt I felt for failing my daughter because I was sick was unbelievable. We then had to leave the hospital without our daughter and start being NICU parents instead of newborn parents.
Everyday for months we had highs and lows and were given the NICU motto of two steps forward and one step back. After a few months we were told that Taylor would be coming home on a monitor with a visiting nurse. We were thrilled and nervous. Taylor was discharged and readmitted 4 times and also transferred from one hospital to another with a total of 139 days in the NICU.
Here we are hard to believe a year and a half later and Taylor is now a NICU graduate! She is still working very hard with her PT and OT. And she is off her monitor. She continues to thrive and we are so very proud of her. And that is why we are Team Taylor Tot!
Heather Kane hkane@marchofdimes.com
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