Magnolia Grace
Magnolia's Story
Magnolias cells split giving her a twin. Her twin passed at 9 weeks as Twin A didn't have an umbilical cord that connected her to her the placenta- only and we didn't know it until Magnolia ( Twin B) was 18 weeks gestation . Upon discovery through extensive testing , we learned she was a twin but not through genetics. The cells split accidentally and caused a mutation called Trisomy 18 . Trisomy 18 is a fatal form of Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21 and does not generally come with a life expectancy past one year and often a few days after birth . I took steroids to help her grow. I had to take shots to keep her in my body so she could have life and growth. She had a hole in her heart and two masses in her brain. I labored with her for 3 weeks but could not dilate passed 3 cm. My daughter didn't get to come home with me. I ended up with a C section that saved my life . I bled out and lost 2.5 liters of blood and I remember the Dr's last words telling me he wanted me to be able to go home to my children. I woke up over 7 hours later with my daughter in a refrigerated bassinet beside me. The staff sat with me and explained what my daughter was in and as a photographer that had captured birth loss for 6 years prior this this day , I was absolutely blown away . I was in the hospital for 6 days but the staff let me know my daughter could stay with me the whole time. I was so grateful to be able to process what happened to us. I knew many moms only had 20 minutes with their birth loss and I really needed the time that was given to me. I was able to pick her up and hug her , love on her and see her and put her back in her Cuddle Cot as many times as I wanted. Cuddle Cots can hold a birth loss up to 12 days. East TN didn't have this at home and when I got back I made it my mission to make sure we had at least one Cuddle Cot in East TN.
The grief I went through was unlike any grief I had ever endured but I will forever be thankful for my time to heal and grieve her. Less than 6 weeks later I had received my first call back to The Project New Life for a birth loss for a family who requested photos. I understood a little differently this time but the 36 week infant didn't have a Cuddle Cot yet , she had a basin of ice. This made my wheels start turning and I reached out to Jack Simpson at Ballad Health and shared my story. If you don't know me , I love helping others especially in areas I believe I can be of service. Jack helped immensely and Ballad Health in East TN and SW Virginia now has a Cuddle Cot in every single Birth unit. I continue to run our Non Profit and it comes in waves and we are needed as little as every other week to as much as daily. Magnolia's Cuddle Cot has helped so many families in the last year by showing me this device, I was able to make it known here.
Magnolias cells split giving her a twin. Her twin passed at 9 weeks as Twin A didn't have an umbilical cord that connected her to her the placenta- only and we didn't know it until Magnolia ( Twin B) was 18 weeks gestation . Upon discovery through extensive testing , we learned she was a twin but not through genetics. The cells split accidentally and caused a mutation called Trisomy 18 . Trisomy 18 is a fatal form of Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21 and does not generally come with a life expectancy past one year and often a few days after birth . I took steroids to help her grow. I had to take shots to keep her in my body so she could have life and growth. She had a hole in her heart and two masses in her brain. I labored with her for 3 weeks but could not dilate passed 3 cm. My daughter didn't get to come home with me. I ended up with a C section that saved my life . I bled out and lost 2.5 liters of blood and I remember the Dr's last words telling me he wanted me to be able to go home to my children. I woke up over 7 hours later with my daughter in a refrigerated bassinet beside me. The staff sat with me and explained what my daughter was in and as a photographer that had captured birth loss for 6 years prior this this day , I was absolutely blown away . I was in the hospital for 6 days but the staff let me know my daughter could stay with me the whole time. I was so grateful to be able to process what happened to us. I knew many moms only had 20 minutes with their birth loss and I really needed the time that was given to me. I was able to pick her up and hug her , love on her and see her and put her back in her Cuddle Cot as many times as I wanted. Cuddle Cots can hold a birth loss up to 12 days. East TN didn't have this at home and when I got back I made it my mission to make sure we had at least one Cuddle Cot in East TN.
The grief I went through was unlike any grief I had ever endured but I will forever be thankful for my time to heal and grieve her. Less than 6 weeks later I had received my first call back to The Project New Life for a birth loss for a family who requested photos. I understood a little differently this time but the 36 week infant didn't have a Cuddle Cot yet , she had a basin of ice. This made my wheels start turning and I reached out to Jack Simpson at Ballad Health and shared my story. If you don't know me , I love helping others especially in areas I believe I can be of service. Jack helped immensely and Ballad Health in East TN and SW Virginia now has a Cuddle Cot in every single Birth unit. I continue to run our Non Profit and it comes in waves and we are needed as little as every other week to as much as daily. Magnolia's Cuddle Cot has helped so many families in the last year by showing me this device, I was able to make it known here.
|
|
Pictured below is my daughter in her Cuddle Cot right beside me. I was able to pick her up , wrap her and cuddle her as much as I wanted .
