The short version: Amanda & John Shelton have had a very difficult time with the birth of their first son, Luke, who was born very premature at 26 weeks. Dangerous complications including kidney failure, severe internal bleeding, lupus, and respiratory failure have left Amanda hospitalized in intensive care for over a month. John is doing his best to support the family and care for his wife and preemie son, but the expenses have added up and our family could use your help to make up for lost time at work and steep medical bills. Amanda and Luke are both still in intensive care for the forseeable future. Donations in any amount will go straight to help Amanda and John cover medical expenses and buy necessary items for super tiny Luke. We are all so thankful for your support and love.
Read on for the full story below:
There is nothing more amazing than the birth of a little one - bringing a life into the world and starting a new family. My sister Amanda and her wonderful husband John Shelton had been trying for a few years to have a baby, and they were over the moon to find out in March of 2015 that Amanda was finally pregnant with her first child. Both Amanda and John carefully started to make space in their lives for the baby - Amanda even gave up a high stress but beloved job as a safety engineer for NASA to take a steadier 9-5 management job closer to John.
From the beginning, there were se added risks and complexities to Amanda's pregnancy due to a heart defect, blood condition, and autoimmune disorder called lupus. Despite these challenges, Amanda did her best to make her body a comfortable home for baby to grow.
Unfortunately, around month five of her pregnancy, Amanda started to have complications - her kidneys stopped functioning properly and she began having bleeding and complications. She was admitted to Johns Hopkins obstetrics department at twenty four weeks, where she was diagnosed with possible preeclampsia, meaning she needed to stop everything and be admitted early to labor and delivery. If she was lucky, they said she would stay on bed rest until she could have an early cesarean section, hopefully as close as possible to her due date of November 3, 2015.
Life had other plans for Amanda, John, and baby. On July 31, a sudden and drastic change in Amanda's body told the doctors that baby needed to come out of the womb, or risk death to both mother and child.
Luke Valentine Shelton was brought into the world by emergency c-section on August 1, 2015. He was twenty six weeks, born 13 inches long and weighing 1lb., 7 ounces. His tiny little body was placed carefully in the neonatal intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where some of the most gifted doctors and nurses in the world tend to his care. Right away, Amanda and Luke both had their own arduous journeys back to health. Luke was put on breathing and feeding tubes, and housed in a warm incubator where he could rest and continue his growth.
Amanda's only concern was for Luke, but her own body began to fail after the c-section. For approximately three days Amanda seemed to stabilize, and was even able to greet her sweet son, and reach one hand into his incubator to gently touch him. She would not be able to hold him for at least a few months, but at least she could look at him and be by his side.
Things took a turn for the worse on August 5, when her blood counts dropped dramatically and her body started to swell with fluid. The trauma of the pregnancy, preeclampsia, and emergency surgery left her immune system compromised and body weakened. Uncontrolled internal bleeding started, and on August 6, Amanda had a very close brush with death - bleeding severely, with a dangerous drop in blood pressure and no detectable pulse, the doctors and nurses worked frantically to stabilize her. She was rushed into the cardiac intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins, where some of the worlds finest medical minds worked to sort out her complicated tableau of health problems into something they could potentially heal.
The doctors told John to get Amanda's family to Baltimore immediately. Our mother Mary and I jumped flights as soon as we heard the news, and by nightfall on August 7th, we were all together.
Amanda's body appeared ravaged, and had swollen from a slim 135lb woman to 220lbs of blood and fluid. Her skin was distended, eyes sunken into her head, and she was barely able to speak or respond. When we arrived, the doctors informed us that though they had performed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding, Amanda still had one (if not many) uncontrolled internal bleeds. The fluid was backing up into and around her lungs, and Amanda felt like she was drowning. Multiple cat scans, x-rays, and tests showed that there was a huge amount of fluid accumulated inside Amanda's chest cavity. Doctors tapped her lung and removed almost two liters of fluid, and her condition began to improve slightly.
After a few very frightening days, touch and go, Amanda appeared to be stabilizing. When she was moved to general medicine, however, she had another major setback as her body lost control of respiration and she stopped breathing in her bed. Doctors and nurses flooded the room, and as family prayed, Amanda was once again brought back to us.
Today is August 19. Amanda has been in the intensive care unit at the hospital for over a month. Doctors predict that she will be here at least another few weeks, as she continues to improve and heal enough to care for her son.
Luke is on a healing journey of his own - continuing to receive blood transfusions, milk donation, and around the clock care as he approaches the two pound mark. It's too early to tell what residual medical issues may result from his early birth, but our thoughts are positive and we know no matter what, Luke will have a loving home and a family who will always care for him and protect him.
There are so many ways in which Amanda, John, and baby Luke could use your help. Local friends and family can help to provide food and assistance once they family is able to return home. In the meantime, both Manda and John have missed over six weeks of work, and are doing everything they can to do damage control.
Amanda has taken a collection at NASA for donated leave. John has carefully been balancing vacation days and Family medical leave, but it's quickly running out.
Their medical bills are astronomical. Even with health insurance, they are feeling the weight and burden of this situation, and could really use your help.
In these times, it's the support of community - family, friends, co-workers, well-wishers, and empathizers who can make the biggest difference in helping to get Amanda, John, and Luke back on their feet and eventually home, where they can start their new life as a little family.
All donations given will go towards medical expenses for Amanda and Luke. Their annual deductibles combined are approximately eleven thousand dollars. We hope to pay for professional cleaners to tackle Amanda and Johns apartment top to bottom before they return home, so it's safe for mama and baby Lukes weakened immune systems.
Amanda did not get to have a baby shower, as she was admitted to the hospital a few weeks before her planned party. There are many things the family still needs - like a crib, bottles, blankets, diapers, and the usual baby gear.
If you feel inclined to help, any amount you can give will make a difference and go to support Amanda, John, and Luke in their time of need.
They are too proud and hard working to ask for help themselves, but as their little sister I can see how hard this has been, and how much stress would be alleviated by knowing that at least, some of the expenses are covered. Amanda and John do not know when they will return to work, but know that they will have missed a few months income when all is said and done.
If you can help, please donate. If you can share, please share. If you'd rather send a baby gift, please contact us directly for an address where you can send your well wishes.
You all have shown us such incredible support in this difficult time. There's still a long road ahead for the Shelton family, and and help you can give will be so deeply appreciated.
We love you all, and thank you for your kindness.
Amanda and Luke video
Luke growing stronger
Read on for the full story below:
There is nothing more amazing than the birth of a little one - bringing a life into the world and starting a new family. My sister Amanda and her wonderful husband John Shelton had been trying for a few years to have a baby, and they were over the moon to find out in March of 2015 that Amanda was finally pregnant with her first child. Both Amanda and John carefully started to make space in their lives for the baby - Amanda even gave up a high stress but beloved job as a safety engineer for NASA to take a steadier 9-5 management job closer to John.
From the beginning, there were se added risks and complexities to Amanda's pregnancy due to a heart defect, blood condition, and autoimmune disorder called lupus. Despite these challenges, Amanda did her best to make her body a comfortable home for baby to grow.
Unfortunately, around month five of her pregnancy, Amanda started to have complications - her kidneys stopped functioning properly and she began having bleeding and complications. She was admitted to Johns Hopkins obstetrics department at twenty four weeks, where she was diagnosed with possible preeclampsia, meaning she needed to stop everything and be admitted early to labor and delivery. If she was lucky, they said she would stay on bed rest until she could have an early cesarean section, hopefully as close as possible to her due date of November 3, 2015.
Life had other plans for Amanda, John, and baby. On July 31, a sudden and drastic change in Amanda's body told the doctors that baby needed to come out of the womb, or risk death to both mother and child.
Luke Valentine Shelton was brought into the world by emergency c-section on August 1, 2015. He was twenty six weeks, born 13 inches long and weighing 1lb., 7 ounces. His tiny little body was placed carefully in the neonatal intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where some of the most gifted doctors and nurses in the world tend to his care. Right away, Amanda and Luke both had their own arduous journeys back to health. Luke was put on breathing and feeding tubes, and housed in a warm incubator where he could rest and continue his growth.
Amanda's only concern was for Luke, but her own body began to fail after the c-section. For approximately three days Amanda seemed to stabilize, and was even able to greet her sweet son, and reach one hand into his incubator to gently touch him. She would not be able to hold him for at least a few months, but at least she could look at him and be by his side.
Things took a turn for the worse on August 5, when her blood counts dropped dramatically and her body started to swell with fluid. The trauma of the pregnancy, preeclampsia, and emergency surgery left her immune system compromised and body weakened. Uncontrolled internal bleeding started, and on August 6, Amanda had a very close brush with death - bleeding severely, with a dangerous drop in blood pressure and no detectable pulse, the doctors and nurses worked frantically to stabilize her. She was rushed into the cardiac intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins, where some of the worlds finest medical minds worked to sort out her complicated tableau of health problems into something they could potentially heal.
The doctors told John to get Amanda's family to Baltimore immediately. Our mother Mary and I jumped flights as soon as we heard the news, and by nightfall on August 7th, we were all together.
Amanda's body appeared ravaged, and had swollen from a slim 135lb woman to 220lbs of blood and fluid. Her skin was distended, eyes sunken into her head, and she was barely able to speak or respond. When we arrived, the doctors informed us that though they had performed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding, Amanda still had one (if not many) uncontrolled internal bleeds. The fluid was backing up into and around her lungs, and Amanda felt like she was drowning. Multiple cat scans, x-rays, and tests showed that there was a huge amount of fluid accumulated inside Amanda's chest cavity. Doctors tapped her lung and removed almost two liters of fluid, and her condition began to improve slightly.
After a few very frightening days, touch and go, Amanda appeared to be stabilizing. When she was moved to general medicine, however, she had another major setback as her body lost control of respiration and she stopped breathing in her bed. Doctors and nurses flooded the room, and as family prayed, Amanda was once again brought back to us.
Today is August 19. Amanda has been in the intensive care unit at the hospital for over a month. Doctors predict that she will be here at least another few weeks, as she continues to improve and heal enough to care for her son.
Luke is on a healing journey of his own - continuing to receive blood transfusions, milk donation, and around the clock care as he approaches the two pound mark. It's too early to tell what residual medical issues may result from his early birth, but our thoughts are positive and we know no matter what, Luke will have a loving home and a family who will always care for him and protect him.
There are so many ways in which Amanda, John, and baby Luke could use your help. Local friends and family can help to provide food and assistance once they family is able to return home. In the meantime, both Manda and John have missed over six weeks of work, and are doing everything they can to do damage control.
Amanda has taken a collection at NASA for donated leave. John has carefully been balancing vacation days and Family medical leave, but it's quickly running out.
Their medical bills are astronomical. Even with health insurance, they are feeling the weight and burden of this situation, and could really use your help.
In these times, it's the support of community - family, friends, co-workers, well-wishers, and empathizers who can make the biggest difference in helping to get Amanda, John, and Luke back on their feet and eventually home, where they can start their new life as a little family.
All donations given will go towards medical expenses for Amanda and Luke. Their annual deductibles combined are approximately eleven thousand dollars. We hope to pay for professional cleaners to tackle Amanda and Johns apartment top to bottom before they return home, so it's safe for mama and baby Lukes weakened immune systems.
Amanda did not get to have a baby shower, as she was admitted to the hospital a few weeks before her planned party. There are many things the family still needs - like a crib, bottles, blankets, diapers, and the usual baby gear.
If you feel inclined to help, any amount you can give will make a difference and go to support Amanda, John, and Luke in their time of need.
They are too proud and hard working to ask for help themselves, but as their little sister I can see how hard this has been, and how much stress would be alleviated by knowing that at least, some of the expenses are covered. Amanda and John do not know when they will return to work, but know that they will have missed a few months income when all is said and done.
If you can help, please donate. If you can share, please share. If you'd rather send a baby gift, please contact us directly for an address where you can send your well wishes.
You all have shown us such incredible support in this difficult time. There's still a long road ahead for the Shelton family, and and help you can give will be so deeply appreciated.
We love you all, and thank you for your kindness.
Amanda and Luke video
Luke growing stronger
Organizer and beneficiary
Amelia Travis
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Amanda Shelton
Beneficiary