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Our amazing daughter, Mila Reign was born August 2015 with a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot & DORV By two months of age she had done two catherizations to her pulmonary artery to allow forward bloodflow to her lungs. Pending her "bigger" surgery (open heart) to do a full repair of the VSD (basically the "hole" in heart) and re-address the pulmonary artery. Mila has since steadily gained weight and is developing into the greatest, strongest little person & is such a huge blessing my husband and I could ever ask for.
With Mila going to regualr check ups to both her pediatrician and cardiologist, it's stressful not to get her sick... While she is now at the goal weight for her surgery & her saturations are steady, the looming surgery and having to be out of work to be there for her is highly stressful.
After going back and forth with my HR department, FMLA unfortunately is not an option because within the calendar year I didn't work a set amount of hours (explained below); however I am allowed 60 unpaid days off at the discretion of my manager. FMLA would have granted my benefits/insurance to stay active, but taking unpaid time off cuts my benefits for Mila and continues to burden our debt; under my coverage, she would have been fully covered, whereas with my husbands there are hefty deductibles.
Some History
After our May 14 2015 appointment for the anatomy scan and being thrown into a worldwind of tests & uncertainty emotionally, physcially, socially I couldn't function. I had taken two weeks off from work (as I work in adult Cardiology, it made it twice as hard to focus) to allow for mental recovery and to complete & obtain results of various test & outcomes. Throughout the pregnancy I had to continue taking days spratically (using up whatever time I had accrued for personal/sick) for Fetal Echos, Peds Cardio, High Risk OB, Ultrasounds until finally I went into emergency c-section due to placenta abruptio (Placental abruption occurs when the placenta detaches from the inner wall of the womb before delivery. The condition can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients).
Mila spent 10 days in the NICU and was then transferred to Childrens Hospital for another 8days. She was home for 2 weeks before we had taken to the emergency room and admitted for another 11 days for another cath to be placed; all this before she turned 2 months. Emotions ran high. I was due back to work 8 weeks post partum, but my OB put me to go back at 12 weeks due to my mental state at the time. Rob also exhausted his personal time to be there for Mila and I; he took unpiad time off for the majority of her admittances.
My child, the heart warrior and us, her parents the heart worriers. There's nothing we wouldn't do for our angel. While there are days, most days, where we find ourselves overwhlemed with worry, we pray and look to the horizen for positivity. Returning back to work to try and save up, accrue some sort of personal time to take has been challenging. Even with the stents placed in Mila's pulmonary artery I worry; we wake up just to make sure she is ok, to check her color (make sure she isn't pale or blue or purple... This whole experience has hightened my anxiety and has me like an exposed nerve.
For Milas army of prayer warriors, we appreciate all your support, love & prayers.
Any funds raised will help us when the time for her surgery comes. With one income during her surgery and recovery, funds raised will help tremendously with copays, deductibles, medications and other items needed post surgery like diapers, formula etc.
With Mila going to regualr check ups to both her pediatrician and cardiologist, it's stressful not to get her sick... While she is now at the goal weight for her surgery & her saturations are steady, the looming surgery and having to be out of work to be there for her is highly stressful.
After going back and forth with my HR department, FMLA unfortunately is not an option because within the calendar year I didn't work a set amount of hours (explained below); however I am allowed 60 unpaid days off at the discretion of my manager. FMLA would have granted my benefits/insurance to stay active, but taking unpaid time off cuts my benefits for Mila and continues to burden our debt; under my coverage, she would have been fully covered, whereas with my husbands there are hefty deductibles.
Some History
After our May 14 2015 appointment for the anatomy scan and being thrown into a worldwind of tests & uncertainty emotionally, physcially, socially I couldn't function. I had taken two weeks off from work (as I work in adult Cardiology, it made it twice as hard to focus) to allow for mental recovery and to complete & obtain results of various test & outcomes. Throughout the pregnancy I had to continue taking days spratically (using up whatever time I had accrued for personal/sick) for Fetal Echos, Peds Cardio, High Risk OB, Ultrasounds until finally I went into emergency c-section due to placenta abruptio (Placental abruption occurs when the placenta detaches from the inner wall of the womb before delivery. The condition can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients).
Mila spent 10 days in the NICU and was then transferred to Childrens Hospital for another 8days. She was home for 2 weeks before we had taken to the emergency room and admitted for another 11 days for another cath to be placed; all this before she turned 2 months. Emotions ran high. I was due back to work 8 weeks post partum, but my OB put me to go back at 12 weeks due to my mental state at the time. Rob also exhausted his personal time to be there for Mila and I; he took unpiad time off for the majority of her admittances.
My child, the heart warrior and us, her parents the heart worriers. There's nothing we wouldn't do for our angel. While there are days, most days, where we find ourselves overwhlemed with worry, we pray and look to the horizen for positivity. Returning back to work to try and save up, accrue some sort of personal time to take has been challenging. Even with the stents placed in Mila's pulmonary artery I worry; we wake up just to make sure she is ok, to check her color (make sure she isn't pale or blue or purple... This whole experience has hightened my anxiety and has me like an exposed nerve.
For Milas army of prayer warriors, we appreciate all your support, love & prayers.
Any funds raised will help us when the time for her surgery comes. With one income during her surgery and recovery, funds raised will help tremendously with copays, deductibles, medications and other items needed post surgery like diapers, formula etc.