Pennies for Penny

To whomever may be reading this , I ask before anything ... hug your babies a little extra tight for me tonight ! My name is Heidi and I’m making this account in regards to my beautiful miracle baby Penelope. We call her “our little lucky Penny” for many reasons , but for the main reason that she is still here and fighting to come home to us .  Today is day 100 that she has been in the Loma Linda University Redlands NICU . The 3 longest months of my life . 

At 12 weeks , Penny was diagnosed with an abdominal defect known as gastroschisis , when the wall of the tummy fails to close , causing all her intestines and stomach to develop on the outside of her body. I was asked 3 different times during my pregnancy to abort Penny due to multiple high risk surgeries, there were no promises . I had an extremely high risk pregnancy attending doctor appointments 3 times a week with extensive testing . Penelope endures 4 surgeries and 5 full blood transfusions later ,  I always knew I had a fighter in me from the beginning . 

Penelope’s family : Penny’s dad, Justin is a paramedic in training attending 3-4 days a week on an ambulance through Temecula . He is the most hardworking man I know and at age 24 he gives his all to his family .  His goal is to become a firefighter, he’s always helped others .  He also works full time, as a bartender when not on the rig. 

I am Penny’s mom, I’m 23 & I stay home with her amazing big brother Owen who will be 2 in March . On the side I’ve been refinishing furniture while Owen goes down for a nap to help with groceries and gas as much as I can ! 

Owen : the best big brother and neither of them know it yet ! They’ve never met , nor do they know the other exists but I try to show Owen pictures . 

I’m definitely not one to ask for help , but I’ve gotten such positive responses and so much love not only from people i know but people from all over the world who have told me they are Praying for Penny and our family .  The amount of comfort and reassurance I’ve gotten from this community of social media has made me feel a presence I’ve never felt . I don’t feel alone .

So this is why I am here asking for help , I would love to relieve Justin from this financial burden in anyway possible .  He has always given every cent to us and our finances but most months, it’s still not enough. The amount of emotional, financial, mental , & physical stress weighs on our shoulders in ways indescribable . Watching your child go through everything she has isn’t something I’d wish on anyone . The Amount of tubes , IVS, catheters , etc. which is “her normal” ..should never be an infants normal.  All we wish is for her to be home . The time is slowly approaching but we need some help getting back on our feet.

Any amount would also help us to be there for her more in the NICU, we see her maybe 2-3 times a week and that is NOT enough. We are over an hour away from her hospital and need to pay for daycare for Owen when we’d like to see her . 

The picture of me and Penny above was the first time I held her , it was day 12. My heart aches for her and she deserves the world . I want to give that toher more than anything . 

She has spent 3 long months in the NICU ..doctors are guesstimating another 2 months . She’s gone through 4 surgeries (3 of them when she was barely 4lbs) and 5 full blood transfusions . The first transfusion saved her life for she almost bled to death during delivery . Our family will not be complete and whole again until Penelope is home, all I ask from you is a Penny for our Penny . Anything helps , and please please hug your babies for me, I wish I was doing the same tonight.  We will continue fighting for you Penny ! We thank you all for reading our little lucky Penny’s story. 

I’m an open book, feel free to follow me at my Instagram @heidi_carns or Facebook at Heidi Carney so you can follow our families journey and get more insight . I hope to be an advocate for these babies and mothers of the NICU.  My goal one day is to open a nonprofit for Gastroschisis babies and have a support system for these families & call it “Pennies for Penny” . 

god will always prevail .