Baby Louella Hudson’s Medical Fund
Donation protected
It’s with both sadness and a hope that I share my sister and her family’s story of their quest to build their little family.
The Backstory
In 2014, Brad and Vanessa Hudson welcomed their daughter, Marley Mae Hudson. Two years later, they excitedly prepared for the birth of their son, Theo Nash Hudson. But they would never get to take him home from the hospital. Theo was born silently into this world at 40 weeks pregnant, on June 9, 2016.
There are no words to describe the feeling of losing a child. The ache of a parent’s heart can be both numbing & crippling. But through their loss, Brad and Vanessa drew closer and made the decision to continue to expand their family.
They were both excited and nervous to announce they were pregnant this past year. Vanessa’s doctors took extra precautions with the next pregnancy and closely monitored baby along the way. At 35 weeks along, Vanessa went in for a routine prenatal visit at Gunderson hospital in Lacrosse, WI to assess how their little girl was growing. However, after a number of attempts to get the baby to respond and move around, her doctor recommended an ultrasound which showed fluid building on baby’s brain. With this information, and a history of past loss, they moved forward with an emergency C-section. Louella Belle Hudson was welcomed into this world on September 3rd, 2018 at 6:15pm.
It was clear, after delivery, that there were some major complications. Later that night, Louella underwent her first blood transfusion for thrombocytopenia, extremely low platelet count. The doctors let Vanessa and Brad know that baby Louella had experienced a severe intraventricular hemorrhage and should be transported to Mayo to work with a team of neurosurgeons there.
Separated from Louella, Vanessa spent the next two days healing from her C-section at Gunderson hospital while her husband, Brad slept in the waiting room at Rochester, Mayo to be close to baby.
On Thursday, September 6th, baby Lou had an MRI so the neurologists could see the severity of the bleed. The neurologists delivered the devastating news that the bleeding had left significant damage on their little girl’s brain that could result in unknown, severe disabilities down the road. As fluid continued to fill and build pressure over the coming days, Louella underwent brain surgery at 9 days old, to place a right ventriculoperitoneal shunt in her brain to help drain the fluid.
Anyone who knows Vanessa and Brad know that they have been through a lot in their life together in an attempt to build their family. Through their storms, they have continued to move forward each day with optimism, kindness and deepened love and appreciation for one another and their daughter, Marley. And, although they are both humble, Louella’s first days were filled with ambulance rides across state lines, two hospitals and care teams, a blood transfusion, 12 days in the NICU with a team of neurosurgeons, brain surgery, along with the day-to-day expenses of gas, food, etc. for Vanessa and Brad’s 2-hour commute to drop Marley off at school and return to the hospital. Medical bills are just the beginning and the coming months will tell what kind of further care will be necessary for Louella long term. They will need our help, both emotionally and financially.
How You Can Help
No donation is too small so please help in any way you can.
Funds will be used to pay for the immediate, mounting medical bills and additional medical care as we know more in the coming months.
Please pray (or send good energy, if that's your thing. :). Knowing they have a network of people thinking of them right now is uplifting and goes further than people imagine.
Please share on your social media pages or with others who may be moved to help.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
The Schoen & Hudson Families
The Backstory
In 2014, Brad and Vanessa Hudson welcomed their daughter, Marley Mae Hudson. Two years later, they excitedly prepared for the birth of their son, Theo Nash Hudson. But they would never get to take him home from the hospital. Theo was born silently into this world at 40 weeks pregnant, on June 9, 2016.
There are no words to describe the feeling of losing a child. The ache of a parent’s heart can be both numbing & crippling. But through their loss, Brad and Vanessa drew closer and made the decision to continue to expand their family.
They were both excited and nervous to announce they were pregnant this past year. Vanessa’s doctors took extra precautions with the next pregnancy and closely monitored baby along the way. At 35 weeks along, Vanessa went in for a routine prenatal visit at Gunderson hospital in Lacrosse, WI to assess how their little girl was growing. However, after a number of attempts to get the baby to respond and move around, her doctor recommended an ultrasound which showed fluid building on baby’s brain. With this information, and a history of past loss, they moved forward with an emergency C-section. Louella Belle Hudson was welcomed into this world on September 3rd, 2018 at 6:15pm.
It was clear, after delivery, that there were some major complications. Later that night, Louella underwent her first blood transfusion for thrombocytopenia, extremely low platelet count. The doctors let Vanessa and Brad know that baby Louella had experienced a severe intraventricular hemorrhage and should be transported to Mayo to work with a team of neurosurgeons there.
Separated from Louella, Vanessa spent the next two days healing from her C-section at Gunderson hospital while her husband, Brad slept in the waiting room at Rochester, Mayo to be close to baby.
On Thursday, September 6th, baby Lou had an MRI so the neurologists could see the severity of the bleed. The neurologists delivered the devastating news that the bleeding had left significant damage on their little girl’s brain that could result in unknown, severe disabilities down the road. As fluid continued to fill and build pressure over the coming days, Louella underwent brain surgery at 9 days old, to place a right ventriculoperitoneal shunt in her brain to help drain the fluid.
Anyone who knows Vanessa and Brad know that they have been through a lot in their life together in an attempt to build their family. Through their storms, they have continued to move forward each day with optimism, kindness and deepened love and appreciation for one another and their daughter, Marley. And, although they are both humble, Louella’s first days were filled with ambulance rides across state lines, two hospitals and care teams, a blood transfusion, 12 days in the NICU with a team of neurosurgeons, brain surgery, along with the day-to-day expenses of gas, food, etc. for Vanessa and Brad’s 2-hour commute to drop Marley off at school and return to the hospital. Medical bills are just the beginning and the coming months will tell what kind of further care will be necessary for Louella long term. They will need our help, both emotionally and financially.
How You Can Help
No donation is too small so please help in any way you can.
Funds will be used to pay for the immediate, mounting medical bills and additional medical care as we know more in the coming months.
Please pray (or send good energy, if that's your thing. :). Knowing they have a network of people thinking of them right now is uplifting and goes further than people imagine.
Please share on your social media pages or with others who may be moved to help.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
The Schoen & Hudson Families
Organizer and beneficiary
Myra Norman
Organizer
Winona, MN
Vanessa Hudson
Beneficiary