2 Hart's-Micro Preemie Twins
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Pregnancy typically brings about an abundance of joy for expecting families. Sadly however, some families aren’t as fortunate; complications arise and joy quickly withers to indescribable uncertainty, stress, and pain. It is with a heavy heart that I share the journey through pregnancy and birth of very close friends who desperately need help. Joe and Amanda Hart struggled for nearly a year to start a family. After many failed attempts, they were thrilled when their doctor announced they were pregnant with twins! Joe and Amanda’s prayers had finally been answered and in just nine months, their family would be complete-so they thought.
On October 7th , 2015, at just 23 weeks pregnant, Amanda was rushed to labor and delivery after experiencing abdominal cramping and bleeding. Joe and Amanda’s biggest fears became a reality when the doctor announced that she was dilated with a bulging bag. Their babies were on their way. Doctors and nurses frantically rushed in the room and began preparing Amanda for delivery. The Doctors explained to Joe and Amanda how the odds were stacked against them and their babies only had a 30% chance of surviving. To have any hope of their babies surviving, it was imperative to stabilize Amanda first, stall delivery, and airlift her to a sister hospital that was closer to Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital where the babies would need to be treated following their birth for an undetermined amount of time. The best case scenario, if the twins survived, would be a minimum of four months, or more likely well past her due date; February 3rd, 2016 .
After being transported to St. Mary’s hospital Amanda and the twins were evaluated and kept on mandatory and complete bed rest in the hospital. This is the strictest form of bed rest where patients are elevated with their heads lower than their body and are not allowed to get up to avoid any pressure being put on their cervix. After six excruciating days inverted, the doctors reevaluated her condition and decided it was no longer safe for Amanda to continue her pregnancy. All that was left to do was hope and pray. On October 13th, 2015, just one day short of 24 weeks gestation, Mr. and Mrs. Hart welcomed their two precious micro preemies, Dominic Joseph and Apanni Catori Hart, into the world. Both weighing a mere 1lb 7 oz.
After their birth, Dominic and Apanni were rushed by ambulance to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Cardinal Glennon where they are currently being treated. Each day they struggle to survive. People repeatedly ask Amanda and Joe how they can help. While they simply ask for kind thoughts, prayers, and love, at this point even with medical insurance their medical bills are mounting at an unimaginable and crushing rate. One Micro Preemie is an overwhelming expense, two is devastating. The average cost of one baby in the NICU is $5,000.00 a day (and much higher for micro preemies), multiply that by 114 (the minimum amount of days they will be in the NICU) and then double that (since there are two babies in the NICU) and the total comes to $1,140,000. This is the lowest estimated cost of The Twin's NICU stay alone. This does not include the treatment Amanda received in the hospital, her $38,000 life- flight air lift to the second hospital, or The Twin's ambulance rides from the hospital where they were born to the NICU. It’s inevitable the Hart family needs financial help now.
Joe and Amanda’s situation gets even more challenging as they endure a daily 90 minute drive to and from the hospital where the babies are being treated. The family desperately tries to spend every moment with their precious children but financial strain is already taking a toll. Joe is working, but his ability to work regularly was and is impacted due to the events of the past few weeks and with his occasional call to be at the NICU for emergency reasons. He does not receive paid leave if he doesn’t work.
They endure days filled with highs and lows. Hour by hour they wait on test results accompanied by beeping machines that send their hearts racing. They eagerly watch tiny Dominic and Apanni’s conditions change constantly. Even now both babies' conditions are so tender that it's a rare treat that Amanda and Joe are allowed hold their sweet newborns. This only happens every few days and only for an hour or two at a time. They so desperately just want to hold their children, comfort them, feed them, hear them cry, and kiss and hug them. It is the simple things most parents take for granted that these parents are missing out on.
Joe and Amanda’s nightmare doesn’t end there. A head ultrasound revealed Dominic has a level 3 and level 4 brain bleed that will consequently cause serve damage to his brain, with a considerably high chance of Cerebral Palsy. The sorrow of knowing it’s possible he may never be able to run and play like a typical healthy boy causes them severe anguish. Through surgery, tiny Apanni had a drain tube put in her stomach to help with a perforation that caused a build up of air. Regularly, both babies endure multiple blood transfusions, blood tests, ultra sounds, echos, and x-rays as their routine care. Dominic and Apanni are on various medications and need ventilators while waiting for their lungs to strengthen. In their future The Hart's will need to make special preparations in order to care for Dominic and Apanni at home. Every day brings on its own sequence of new tests and ups and downs. This is overwhelming and each day is taken one hour at a time.
If you feel called to be charitable please consider donating to help this family minimize one major burden in their lives.
I thank you for caring and reading this story. God Bless you and your consideration to help.
You can read and see more about Apanni and Dominic at their Facebook Page, The Hart Twins.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/962028327152295/
On October 7th , 2015, at just 23 weeks pregnant, Amanda was rushed to labor and delivery after experiencing abdominal cramping and bleeding. Joe and Amanda’s biggest fears became a reality when the doctor announced that she was dilated with a bulging bag. Their babies were on their way. Doctors and nurses frantically rushed in the room and began preparing Amanda for delivery. The Doctors explained to Joe and Amanda how the odds were stacked against them and their babies only had a 30% chance of surviving. To have any hope of their babies surviving, it was imperative to stabilize Amanda first, stall delivery, and airlift her to a sister hospital that was closer to Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital where the babies would need to be treated following their birth for an undetermined amount of time. The best case scenario, if the twins survived, would be a minimum of four months, or more likely well past her due date; February 3rd, 2016 .
After being transported to St. Mary’s hospital Amanda and the twins were evaluated and kept on mandatory and complete bed rest in the hospital. This is the strictest form of bed rest where patients are elevated with their heads lower than their body and are not allowed to get up to avoid any pressure being put on their cervix. After six excruciating days inverted, the doctors reevaluated her condition and decided it was no longer safe for Amanda to continue her pregnancy. All that was left to do was hope and pray. On October 13th, 2015, just one day short of 24 weeks gestation, Mr. and Mrs. Hart welcomed their two precious micro preemies, Dominic Joseph and Apanni Catori Hart, into the world. Both weighing a mere 1lb 7 oz.
After their birth, Dominic and Apanni were rushed by ambulance to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Cardinal Glennon where they are currently being treated. Each day they struggle to survive. People repeatedly ask Amanda and Joe how they can help. While they simply ask for kind thoughts, prayers, and love, at this point even with medical insurance their medical bills are mounting at an unimaginable and crushing rate. One Micro Preemie is an overwhelming expense, two is devastating. The average cost of one baby in the NICU is $5,000.00 a day (and much higher for micro preemies), multiply that by 114 (the minimum amount of days they will be in the NICU) and then double that (since there are two babies in the NICU) and the total comes to $1,140,000. This is the lowest estimated cost of The Twin's NICU stay alone. This does not include the treatment Amanda received in the hospital, her $38,000 life- flight air lift to the second hospital, or The Twin's ambulance rides from the hospital where they were born to the NICU. It’s inevitable the Hart family needs financial help now.
Joe and Amanda’s situation gets even more challenging as they endure a daily 90 minute drive to and from the hospital where the babies are being treated. The family desperately tries to spend every moment with their precious children but financial strain is already taking a toll. Joe is working, but his ability to work regularly was and is impacted due to the events of the past few weeks and with his occasional call to be at the NICU for emergency reasons. He does not receive paid leave if he doesn’t work.
They endure days filled with highs and lows. Hour by hour they wait on test results accompanied by beeping machines that send their hearts racing. They eagerly watch tiny Dominic and Apanni’s conditions change constantly. Even now both babies' conditions are so tender that it's a rare treat that Amanda and Joe are allowed hold their sweet newborns. This only happens every few days and only for an hour or two at a time. They so desperately just want to hold their children, comfort them, feed them, hear them cry, and kiss and hug them. It is the simple things most parents take for granted that these parents are missing out on.
Joe and Amanda’s nightmare doesn’t end there. A head ultrasound revealed Dominic has a level 3 and level 4 brain bleed that will consequently cause serve damage to his brain, with a considerably high chance of Cerebral Palsy. The sorrow of knowing it’s possible he may never be able to run and play like a typical healthy boy causes them severe anguish. Through surgery, tiny Apanni had a drain tube put in her stomach to help with a perforation that caused a build up of air. Regularly, both babies endure multiple blood transfusions, blood tests, ultra sounds, echos, and x-rays as their routine care. Dominic and Apanni are on various medications and need ventilators while waiting for their lungs to strengthen. In their future The Hart's will need to make special preparations in order to care for Dominic and Apanni at home. Every day brings on its own sequence of new tests and ups and downs. This is overwhelming and each day is taken one hour at a time.
If you feel called to be charitable please consider donating to help this family minimize one major burden in their lives.
I thank you for caring and reading this story. God Bless you and your consideration to help.
You can read and see more about Apanni and Dominic at their Facebook Page, The Hart Twins.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/962028327152295/
Organizer
Amanda Hart
Organizer
Troy, MO