In my own words 30 days in the NICU SPECIAL SECTION Having a baby: From delivery to when critical care is needed An honest telling of the dark days and bright moments of joy
I would receive texts from nurses with a picture of William saying, “Good morning, Mom”; the music therapist would show me how to bond through song and touch; and the many specialists took the time to explain and re-explain the same information over and over again. The smiling faces and reassuring touches, the resources provided and the willingness to answer our thousands of questions put our minds at ease. We knew William was where he needed to be, getting the best care possible. Having a baby in the NICU is an isolating experience. The presence of nurses, doctors and other staff who understand your journey when friends and family may not is incredibly comforting and helpful. They get what you’re dealing with when your usual community of support may not — the daily frustrations and small joys over an ounce gained, a poopy diaper or a finished bottle. Having those people around to celebrate and cry with you means more than we can put into words. Having a baby in the NICU also robs you of a lot of the joy you anticipated from the moment you found out you were pregnant. The moment unspent that I missed the most was having my then 2-year-old come to the hospital to meet her little brother. Lucy waited at home for her brother for 30 days. The most precious video to us is when we came out of the NICU doors and Lucy was waiting in the lobby with a bunny lovey for when she could finally meet her brother. The moment was not what I envisioned, but it was perfect. William left the NICU at 1 month old, 4 pounds, 15 ounces. When you leave the NICU, doctors and nurses reiterate over and over just how vulnerable your little 5-pound baby is. On Sept. 11, two weeks after our discharge from the NICU, William was rushed to Norton Children’s Hospital via the “Just for Kids” Transport Team. He had a simple cold, but his tiny body could not fight it and he kept turning blue when he was just too tired to breathe. Over the course of the next three weeks, William would require physical stimulation, tapping his chest, and shaking his arms and legs to keep him breathing on his own. On his second night in the hospital, William required resuscitation, signaling he was too weak to breathe on his own, and he was intubated. He remained on a ventilator for nine long days. We waited and hoped each day he would show signs of progress, but all the worst-case scenarios played out. He was in the hospital for 27 days. William came home weaning off morphine and struggling with feeding. He had to relearn how to eat with the help of speech therapists and lactation consultants. He weighed 5 pounds when he was admitted and 5 pounds when we were discharged three weeks later. I felt discouraged but focused on celebrating that, through all of it, he maintained his body weight. Today, William is 8 years old, opinionated, funny and full of energy. He loves his big sister, Lucy, now 10; and baby brother, Harvey, age 3. William loves playing basketball, swimming, music, riding his bike and being outside exploring. We continue to work on his growth with Dr. Kupper Wintergerst at Norton Children’s Endocrinology and are forever grateful for all the doctors who have and continue to be a part of William’s story. –Lee Receveur
A fter an easy, full-term pregnancy and a quick delivery with our first child, my husband, John, and I were excited to find out we were expecting again. We looked forward to our 20-week appointment and gender reveal, not-so-secretly hoping for a boy to accompany our 1-year-old daughter, Lucy. The joy of learning we were in fact expecting our son, William,
At 8:08 p.m., William was born at 3 pounds, 6 ounces. John and I cheered when we heard his weight because an ultrasound that morning estimated he was only 2 pounds, 8 ounces. I think everyone in the room thought we were nuts cheering about a 3-pound baby! Our neonatologist, Dr. Jonathan Cohen, brought William close to my face so I could meet him. After a few moments
was quickly followed by concern when his anatomy scan showed some concerns. The emotional roller coaster of the day was a lot to process, and we realized the pregnancy we were so excited for was going to be far from “normal.” Genetic testing revealed no chromosomal abnormalities, but biweekly ultrasounds at Norton Children’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine continued to show William was growing two weeks behind without explanation.
with me, he was taken to his first home, the Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). HELLP syndrome continued to cause complications for me over the next 24 hours. My husband and our parents sent me pictures of William and the NICU around him: his name on the wall, his isolette, the little “Snoopy” goggles he wore under the blue lights. After 26 hours, my nurses felt I was stable enough to go to the NICU to see William and hold him for the first time. He was so tiny and fit perfectly on my chest inside my shirt. The first moments holding him weren’t the same sweetness I had known with my first
By 30 weeks, I was on strict bed rest in hopes of maximizing the baby’s access to nutrients to grow, grow, grow. At 33 weeks, I was admitted to the Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital antepartum unit, where I would stay until delivery. The hope was to get to 35 weeks. HELLP syndrome had other plans On the evening of July 25, 2016, I began to experience pain under my ribcage, which I learned from frantic nurses was my liver swelling. HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening pregnancy complication considered to be a variant of preeclampsia, had developed quickly. With my blood pressure skyrocketing, I was rushed to the operating room. Baby boy was coming at 34 weeks and 1 day via emergency C-section. As this year’s Snow Ball honorary chairs, the Receveurs are sharing their NICU story in hopes of raising funds to ensure the same lifesaving care they received in the NICU remains available. The annual black-tie gala on Nov. 23 benefits Norton Children’s NICUs. Here are more ways you can support NICU care this holiday season: Home & BMW Raffle Win a new home in Norton Commons valued at over $900,000 or a 2025 BMW X1 plus $10,000 — or both! Tickets are $100 and only 18,000 will be sold. Learn more at HomeAndBMWRaffle.com .
baby, though I loved this baby just as much. Holding his tiny form, I was filled with dread that I had no idea how to care for him. We took a few pictures and I handed him to the NICU nurse to put him back in his isolette. The moment was overwhelming. I felt a pressure to act happy and relieved, but was terrified of what might lay ahead. The support we received from the NICU nurses, chaplains, therapists and neonatologists are the reason we look back on our 30-day NICU journey in a positive light. The staff at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital were so talented, attentive and caring, we knew it was always OK to be home with our daughter and to leave William in their hands.
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, GIVE TO LIFESAVING NICU CARE Festival of Trees & Lights Nov. 15 to 17 • Louisville Slugger Field
Make holiday memories with your family at the annual Festival of Trees & Lights. Marvel at beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and décor — all for sale to raise funds for the Norton Children’s NICUs. Photos with Santa, children’s crafts, ride-on train, holiday entertainment and Hanukkah activities are free with admission. Stop by the Sweet Shop, Very Merry Market and outdoor Elf Town activities. Learn more at FestivalOfTreesAndLights.org .
Lee, William, Lucy, Harvey and John Receveur
14
15
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator