Lawson’s big brothers, Clayton and Holt, adore the new addition to the family. “Until his immune system gets stronger, we’re making them wear masks and gowns to hold him,” Audrey said. “They’ve been really great with him.” Audrey needed numerous fetal transfusions throughout her pregnancy, which meant making the two-hour drive to Memphis countless times. However, she says, “It felt like home – they took us under their wing. We knew we’d see familiar faces every time we came in, and that made it so much better.” The exceptional care continued when Audrey was ready to deliver. She was nervous about the epidural for her C-section, but Dr. Houser had the perfect words of encouragement: “She said she knew what I’d gone through to get him here, and she wanted me to be awake when he came out so I could see him,” Audrey said. In the end, it gave her the experience Dr. Houser knew was so important: “They put the curtain down so I could see him, and it was just an awesome moment. They had told me he might not cry much, but he had a good, strong cry – it was absolutely wonderful.” Audrey felt supported through it all, even when COVID-19 restrictions meant family members couldn’t be with her. “It was weird not having my family there as cheerleaders,” Audrey said. “But Regional One Health became part of our family, and that helped more than anything. We still had that support system – they had been on this ride with us from the beginning.” She never felt alone. 12 Regional One Health Foundation
15 Publizr Home