Baby Amara

Imagine this, you meet the love of your life at age 30. You start building a beautiful life together. And that life includes the want for children. So you try. And try. And try. But it ends with heartbreak every time. Miscarriage after miscarriage until a miracle happens! You become pregnant with an angel baby who is heaven sent by her brothers and sisters.

This is exactly what my sister Alex and her boyfriend Willie went though. They experienced tremendous loss followed by a true blessing!

Alex experienced a few complications early on in her pregnancy, but the pregnancy stuck and that was the first sign of light at the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, as their due date was approaching, Alex and Willie received news that an ultrasound discovered a few abnormalities. The extent of these abnormalities wouldn't be know until delivery. Alex was scheduled to be induced at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee some time in the middle of March. However, Alex didn't make it until March. She ended up with preeclampsia and was taken by ambulance to Milwaukee just after midnight on February 23rd. Shortly after arrival, Alex was taken to the operating room for an emergency c section.

With family en route to Milwaukee, Alex and Willie welcomed Amara Leola into this world 5 weeks early, weighing 5lbs 8oz. Amara was blessed with the cutest little toes and fingers and a glorious head of hair!

As moms procedure was wrapping up, Willie was taking in the sweet newborn cries of Amara. He was taking videos and pictures to capture Amara enterence into this world for Alex to see.

This is when doctors, nurses, and Willie noticed something. The abnormalities. Visibly, doctors noticed right away that Amara had a rare rectal deformity and this was just the beginning.

Alex experienced extremely high blood pressure due to the preeclampsia. This resulted in Alex being put on IV medication for 24 hours following delivery. This meant Alex was bed bound meaning she couldn't see, touch, or hold her baby girl because Amara was admitted to the NICU right after delivery on a different floor.

After the devastating news about Amara's deformity, doctors were in and out running every test under the sun. MRIs, scans, labs, ultrasounds, the whole work up. The news Alex and Willie received next was earth shattering. Amara was diagnoses recently with the following:

Respiratory failure

Kidney failure

Multiple life threatening heart defects

Brain abnormalities

Rectal deformity

Spinal anomaly

A majority of these will require extensive surgeries and even transplants. These surgeries will leave Amara in the hospital for weeks, if not months. This will also require Alex and Willie to be off work for much longer than expected.

Amara has been on this earth for a little over a week now, and she has certainly stole the hearts of everyone around her. She is so precious! Weighing in at a little over 4lbs now due to the complications, Amara is absolutely beautiful! Her cry is the softest of cries. She wiggles her toes and holds mommy and daddy's fingers. She smiles when daddy sings to her. And she loves listening to mommy's voice.

Amara's future holds a lot of medical appointments, surgeries, and prayers needed. Mommy and daddy want to be there for her every step of the way, but financially they need support and all the prayers they can get.

Alex and Willie are truly blessed by Amara's presence. Amara was hand selected to be on this earth by her brothers and sisters in heaven. Amara has so much to offer this world. I can already tell she is fearless and a force to be wrecken with.

Alex and Willie are such loving and giving individuals who deserve a chance at raising this beautiful family. Please consider praying for Alex, Willie, and baby Amara as the family navigates these difficult and uncertain times.