HOW IT STARTED

Our story began in April 2003, when Becca and Ian were born. They were born at 34 wks and 5 days. Beautiful, Brian and I were in love. From the beginning, Becca was a grow and feed...she was in the NICU but just to learn to breath right and eat well. Overall, doing well. From the beginning, Ian had trouble. He was not breathing on his own unless he took a deep breath to cry. He was fighting for his life. The first hours were not good, even though I was drugged and really don't know most of what happened, what I do remember/know...oh just not good. I remember being in the recovery room, Brian by my side and the phone ringing. He said, "Ok, I will be right there." He told me he needed to go to the NICU, I was aware both babies were there so I was not surprised he needed to go. Not sure how long Brian was gone, but I do recall him walking back into my recovery room…the look on his face, not something I want to ever see again. I remember looking at him and asking “Which one did not make it?” He came over to me and said, “Oh no, they are both still with us, however, Ian is very, very sick.” At that point I really don’t remember much, the pain meds knocked me out and I was asleep again. Not sure if that was good or bad, was not there to help and make decisions but at the same time was not there to help and make decisions. Next, I remember Brian by my side again waking me up. He said it was time for them to take me into the NICU so I could see the kids. They were going to be moving Ian to University of Maryland Hospital NICU so he could get the care he needed. Howard County General Hospital could not do for him what he needed. Brian told me, Ian was not breathing on his own, they were breathing for him. The doctors had tried to put in a chest tube; were not able to get it in and his lung had collapsed there fore he was being bagged in order to breath. I still remember going over to see Ian in the NICU all the doctors and nurses around him…trying to work on him but staying out of the way so I could see him before he was transferred. Then it was onto see Becca, such a different sight. There was one nurse with her, reminding her to breath every once in a while. She only had a few tubes attached to her…

After 8 hours of life, Ian was transferred to University of Maryland and I was moved from recovery back to my room on the maternal child unit. I had been in the hospital for 5 weeks prior to delivery on bed rest so my room was saved and I knew the nurses. My mom went with Brian to U of M and my father stayed with me. The only thing I remember from that night is my girlfriend from college calling to tell me she had just come home from the hospital after having her son. I told her about the babies and that Brian was in Las Vegas. Oh I must have still been drugged up. We still get a laugh at that one. We had some ups and downs in the NICU’s for both kids, however, I must say they both did well. Brian and I, along with the grandparents, made sure that both kids had a least one of us there for a good part of each day…remember they were in 2 different hospitals, for two weeks. After two weeks of going back and forth between U of M and Howard, Ian was doing well enough to be transferred back to Howard with Becca.

Ian and Becca together for the 1st time since birth.