Miracle Baby

Tony and I have faced extraordinary challenges that began early in our pregnancy and continued through the first three months of Tessa’s life.  Faith, family, friends, Dr. Biss, and my nurse Tracy brought us our “miracle child” – Tessa.

 

At 16 weeks they stitched my cervix and our pregnancy became officially ‘high risk.’ At 23 weeks my water broke and Dr. Kim Biss placed me on complete bed rest at Bayfront.  Just 12 days later Tessa was born; 25 weeks after conception, Tessa weighed just one pound, three ounces.  I trusted Dr. Biss to deliver Tessa, and Tracy Woodard, a wonderful Bayfront nurse who became a good friend, was with me. Specialists from All Children’s were in the delivery room waiting to take Tessa to the neonatal intensive care unit, and Tony was there to be with Tessa.

 

The rest is still a blur because everything happened so fast.  I wasn’t able to see Tessa for 24 hours; I was too weak from extended bed rest. Once I saw her I knew how hard she’d have to fight to stay alive.

 

At one point I placed my hand on Tessa’s tiny chest and told her that I’d let her go if she got too tired and couldn’t keep fighting.  But, she never gave up and we neither did we. Today, I treasure each day with Tessa and want to be sure others who face similar challenges have the same outcome.

 

Tracy and I have started a Bayfront Baby Place Team to raise dollars so that every family can have the same positive experience that Tracy and I have had at Bayfront delivering our babies. Please go to the Support an Existing Team and find our team page -- Babies Born @ Bayfront and make a contribution.  Or, start a team of your own!