25 week preemie born 14oz and 1lb2oz
Donation protected
Would like to collect enough money to pay for medical bills
When my husband and I got married, we wanted to have kids right away. After 2 years had passed, we finally decided to do some tests to see why we were having a hard time conceiving. We pretty much did all the possible tests you can do and everything came back normal. Doctors just said we are in 10% of couples where there is unknown case for infertility. One day we finally got first positive pregnancy test.It was one of the happiest days of our lives that brought lots of tears, happiness and joy. My pregnancy was fairly easy, the usual morning sickness, exhaustion, and of course the endless worrying and praying that my baby was doing well and growing. You can imagine our overwhelming joy that after all the years of trying for one little miracle from God, we saw two sacs on the ultrasound! Oh what joy, twins! A blessing times two.
Then things drastically took a turn for the worst. Any mother’s worst nightmare; at 22 weeks I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and was put on bed rest at the hospital for 3 weeks. My preeclampsia was extremely severe and aggressive. I didn't even realize it was bad until after I gave birth; I had been dying inside but outside I felt great. As if being cooped up in the hospital was not enough,clinging on to my life and sanity, we had to listen to all the negative things from the doctors about my babies. It was terrible things, like they were not going to make it and if they did, there is a big chance that they will be developmentally delayed. Those reports did not stop us from choosing life, if even for a few hours, for our precious babies.
Beating all the odds, my twins were born at 25 weeks by emergency C-Section and survived their first breath.
Baby girl Violetta was born first at a tiny 14.5oz and 10 in long, she was the smallest baby they had at the hospital at that time. They didn't even have small enough tubes to fit into her nose. She was small but fighter. Her nickname is “princess”, she was very strong for being so small. She fought for her life many times and did not let go.
Baby boy Phillip was born second at 1lb2oz and 11.5in long. His first surgery was when he was just a day old. He was always a very calm baby and still is. My husband joked saying that subway foot-long is bigger than them. They both fit perfectly into my husband’s palm. Their little fingers would barely cover our nail when they would hold on to our fingers.
Violetta and Phillip fought for every breath, facing daily challenges caused by heart problems,jaundice, liver problem, stomach issues, eye disease and chronic lung disease. Most parents dream ofthe moment their child is born to hold and kiss them, but for my husband and me, it was a very longtime before we could even cuddle with both of them.
After 122 days in NICU and prayers from all across the globe for our precious gifts, Philip was discharged from the hospital. He had survived 3 surgeries and is flourishing at home. He does have what is called an Imperforate Anus, a defect present at birth where his anus is missing. Until he is strong enough to have surgery to fix this, Philip has an ostomy bag, which brings along daily struggles on its own as he starts to become more mobile and keeping it in place is a challenge.
Violetta, having 3 surgeries as well, was and still is a bit smaller than Philip and was not quite ready to go home when he was discharged. She was doing so well, and then one day she regressed and stopped taking her feedings through the bottle. She was back on the feeding tube to get her nourishment. But after many lonely days, she was able to join her brother at home after spending 157 in NICU. She is making progress with the bottle as we re-teach her how to eat again. For the time being, she still has her G-Tube.
My arms ached to hold a baby, and they are now filled with two. We still have a long road ahead of us, but my babies beat the odds and proved those that spoke negatively wrong. They are strong. They are beautiful. They are my miracles. My children, my precious babies, are my gift from God. No matter how hard, no matter what we endure, I shall always keep close to my heart that they were created for a purpose. They were molded within me, in their perfection and imperfection, in the exact image that God planned out.
When my husband and I got married, we wanted to have kids right away. After 2 years had passed, we finally decided to do some tests to see why we were having a hard time conceiving. We pretty much did all the possible tests you can do and everything came back normal. Doctors just said we are in 10% of couples where there is unknown case for infertility. One day we finally got first positive pregnancy test.It was one of the happiest days of our lives that brought lots of tears, happiness and joy. My pregnancy was fairly easy, the usual morning sickness, exhaustion, and of course the endless worrying and praying that my baby was doing well and growing. You can imagine our overwhelming joy that after all the years of trying for one little miracle from God, we saw two sacs on the ultrasound! Oh what joy, twins! A blessing times two.
Then things drastically took a turn for the worst. Any mother’s worst nightmare; at 22 weeks I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and was put on bed rest at the hospital for 3 weeks. My preeclampsia was extremely severe and aggressive. I didn't even realize it was bad until after I gave birth; I had been dying inside but outside I felt great. As if being cooped up in the hospital was not enough,clinging on to my life and sanity, we had to listen to all the negative things from the doctors about my babies. It was terrible things, like they were not going to make it and if they did, there is a big chance that they will be developmentally delayed. Those reports did not stop us from choosing life, if even for a few hours, for our precious babies.
Beating all the odds, my twins were born at 25 weeks by emergency C-Section and survived their first breath.
Baby girl Violetta was born first at a tiny 14.5oz and 10 in long, she was the smallest baby they had at the hospital at that time. They didn't even have small enough tubes to fit into her nose. She was small but fighter. Her nickname is “princess”, she was very strong for being so small. She fought for her life many times and did not let go.
Baby boy Phillip was born second at 1lb2oz and 11.5in long. His first surgery was when he was just a day old. He was always a very calm baby and still is. My husband joked saying that subway foot-long is bigger than them. They both fit perfectly into my husband’s palm. Their little fingers would barely cover our nail when they would hold on to our fingers.
Violetta and Phillip fought for every breath, facing daily challenges caused by heart problems,jaundice, liver problem, stomach issues, eye disease and chronic lung disease. Most parents dream ofthe moment their child is born to hold and kiss them, but for my husband and me, it was a very longtime before we could even cuddle with both of them.
After 122 days in NICU and prayers from all across the globe for our precious gifts, Philip was discharged from the hospital. He had survived 3 surgeries and is flourishing at home. He does have what is called an Imperforate Anus, a defect present at birth where his anus is missing. Until he is strong enough to have surgery to fix this, Philip has an ostomy bag, which brings along daily struggles on its own as he starts to become more mobile and keeping it in place is a challenge.
Violetta, having 3 surgeries as well, was and still is a bit smaller than Philip and was not quite ready to go home when he was discharged. She was doing so well, and then one day she regressed and stopped taking her feedings through the bottle. She was back on the feeding tube to get her nourishment. But after many lonely days, she was able to join her brother at home after spending 157 in NICU. She is making progress with the bottle as we re-teach her how to eat again. For the time being, she still has her G-Tube.
My arms ached to hold a baby, and they are now filled with two. We still have a long road ahead of us, but my babies beat the odds and proved those that spoke negatively wrong. They are strong. They are beautiful. They are my miracles. My children, my precious babies, are my gift from God. No matter how hard, no matter what we endure, I shall always keep close to my heart that they were created for a purpose. They were molded within me, in their perfection and imperfection, in the exact image that God planned out.
Organizer
Anna Pankratov
Organizer
