Little Adoria spent eight weeks in Regional One Health’s NICU. Her parents are grateful for the care she received and for nurses who gave frequent updates and were always willing to provide guidance and answer questions. Paramedics took her to the nearest emergency room, and doctors ran a blood test. When it came back showing Aniesha was pregnant, they suspected her seizures were caused by preeclampsia, dangerously high blood pressure that can occur during pregnancy. They transferred her to Regional One Health, which has the unique expertise and resources to care both for patients with serious pregnancy complications and premature infants. As Aniesha and her equally shocked husband got used to the idea that their older daughter, Artemis, would soon be joined by a little sister, doctors scheduled Aniesha for a C-section and prepared for the fact that her baby would need NICU care. Aniesha was kept calm by her naturally positive spirit and the fact that she’d been there before… albeit as the baby rather than the mom. “My mom said it felt like deja vu!” she laughed. “She told me, ‘I had you at this same hospital and you were 1 pound, 6 ounces.’” It gave Aniesha faith that her baby girl could also grow up healthy and strong. Her C-section went smoothly, and Adoria, weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces, was working hard to breathe on her own. Ultimately, doctors had to intubate her and put her on a C-pap, and the family prepared for their NICU stay. The ensuing weeks were tough. As Aniesha healed from her C-section, she couldn’t drive. With her husband at work and their other young child at home, she had to rely on calling the NICU to hear about Adoria’s progress. The nurses were always happy to talk, giving her updates and stories and even guiding her on the questions to ask about her daughter’s care. “I just rolled with the punches – that’s all I could do!” Aniesha said. “She was in the NICU for exactly eight weeks. She came home the day before my maternity leave was over!” 10 Regional One Health Foundation
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