Lucie's Healing Fund
Donation protected
Laura and Ryan have a story similar to many couples. They met in college. Got married shortly thereafter and decided to start a family. Laura and Ryan found out they had been blessed with a pregnancy the night of thanksgiving 2012. They were ecstatic and soon shared the big news with their families, who were delighted!! Laura had a very normal early pregnancy, complete with nausea and being ever so sleepy :).
They anxiously awaited their 20 week ultrasound to get a peek at what would hopefully be their healthy baby! The ultrasound seemed to go alright. They found out they were having a little girl and that things looked good for baby girl, besides some fluid around her left lung. Because of the fluid they needed further testing to determine why it was there and what that meant for Baby Henderson and family. They were referred to SSM Cardinal Glennon Fetal Care Institute for further observation. At 24 weeks 5 days gestation, they found out that Lucie ( they decided on a name by now) had left-sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.
At 25 weeks 1 day, Laura had an MRI to confirm the diagnosis and to know exactly what that looked like for Lucie. In Lucie's case of CDH, her intestines are in her chest cavity on the left side only. It was around this same time Laura was informed her teaching position was being eliminated due to a reduction in enrollment at her school. They just took this as a sign that Lucie needed Laura to be home with her for a while and they would somehow make ends meet financially. As the weeks passed, Lucia's pleural effusion did get better. Around 30 weeks she developed hydrops or swelling under the skin.
At 32 weeks Laura was hospitalized to monitor her. After 5 days of constant monitoring, she was sent home. At 35 weeks Laura was again hospitalized because the hydrops had increased. At 37 weeks 1 day Lucie was delivered at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center via c section. She was immediately ventilated and sent to the NICU (after a short visit with mommy and daddy). Laura was then sent back to St. Mary's, as Cardinal Glennon isn't equipped for post-partum maternal care yet. Daddy stayed with Lucie to keep her company and to make mommy feel better since she couldn't stay. Laura visited Lucie the next day and was released from St. Mary's on Wednesday.
Lucie had a difficult first few days and required a high frequency ventilator. But she grew stronger and got to graduate to a lower level ventilator and grew strong enough for her hernia repair surgery on Thursday, July 11th. They pulled her intestines down where they belong and patched the hole with a mesh. Lucie is growing stronger every day. She still has fluid in her right chest cavity that they're hoping goes away on its own and does not require any medical intervention. There is still risk of complications from the surgery and she will always have a chance or reherniation. Lucie has had an amazing team of medical professionals caring for her.
We are so blessed to have such excellent medical care at our back door!! Laura spends most of her waking hours by Lucie's beside and Ryan has had to return to work, but spends his evenings and weekends with his little princess!!! Their dedication as parents is so very inspiring. God has been good and we have high hopes for Lucie.
Thanks in advance for all the love and support!
Organizer
Kelsie Doughty
Organizer
City of Saint Peters, MO