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With heavy hearts, we reach out to you for help for Brittni and Luke, and their beautiful son Carter as they grieve the unfathomable loss of their baby daughter Emma.
Brittni and Luke were due to welcome their baby girl into the world at any moment after a perfect and joyful pregnancy. Instead, these last five days have been an unfolding nightmare.
Brittni’s doctor appointment last Thursday, January 23rd was perfect with baby and momma looking great, and an induction date was set for January 29th. But Friday dawned with Brittni waking in severe abdominal pain. Luke grabbed Carter and the hospital bags, and helped Brittni to the car, and the three raced to Poudre Valley Hospital, with hopes and anxiety, ready to become a family of four, and welcome their baby girl into the world.
On arrival, baby’s heart rate was very low at 40 bpm, so Brittni was rushed to the OR for an emergency c-section.
The baby was not breathing on delivery. The medical team resuscitated her by performing CPR, and subsequently intubated her.
As the OR team sewed Brittni back up, Luke and Carter, waiting anxiously in the delivery room, got news of the complications, and went to meet the newest addition to their family.
In the NICU, the beautiful 9.0 lbs newborn was receiving cooling treatments to reduce the brain damage that may have occurred from lack of oxygen during the birth. Instead of mommy or daddy’s loving embrace, Emma lay in a NICU hospital bassinet on a cooling blanket keeping her body temperature at 32 degrees Celsius and was hooked up to a ventilator, IV fluids, and feeding tube. The medicine sedated her, kept her out of pain and calmed her; she looked perfect. We all took turns holding her tiny newborn hands, telling her how beautiful she was and letting her know we would all be there to hold her once she became healthy.
Meanwhile, Brittni was stationed in the ICU next door. She required continual blood transfusions for three days following the c-section, with little understanding as to what was causing her complications. After days of lab tests, ultrasounds, and CT scans, Brittni started to show improvements. She continues to have too much fluid in her kidney and may need an additional procedure in the future. During this time, Luke was able to have Brittni’s bed wheeled to the NICU to see their beautiful baby girl.
As Luke and Brittni spent time with their new and wonderful daughter, they named her Emma Parker. Emma’s organs worked perfectly and she looked like a healthy beautiful baby on the outside, but she had minimal brain activity due to oxygen deprivation at birth. The neonatologist told us Emma’s case was among the most severe she had ever seen. After 72 hours of the cooling treatment, Emma was warmed slowly to see if her brain activity improved. It had not.
With almost no brain function, we were told that Emma would never walk, never speak, never see, never hear. We learned that when the ventilator was removed, Emma would die.
Carter, Emma’s kind, handsome, smart, and creative six year old big brother, had been waiting to step into his role of big brother for years. In the waiting room, he told us how excited he was to bring Emma home soon. On Monday, Luke and Brittni sat down with Carter and explained to him that baby Emma was very sick and was going to die.
Luke, Brittni, Carter and Emma spent time together as a family in the NICU. Some of their precious moments together were captured by a volunteer photographer. After everyone had an opportunity to say their goodbyes, Emma’s life support was removed. Luke and Brittni chose to help give life to another baby in need through neonatal tissue donation.
Our hearts were all broken late Monday evening while Brittni and Luke held Emma in their arms and she took her last breath…
Now, just days after Emma’s arrival and tragic death, this young heartbroken family needs to plan a funeral, pay for medical bills, and also, get back to the business of living, somehow.
Please help Luke, Brittni, Carter and baby Emma through this devastating journey. Anything you can give will help support Luke and Brittni’s NICU and Labor and Delivery medical bills as well as funeral costs for Emma.
We love you and are grateful for your thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Jess Knittle, Devin Knittle and Jason White
Brittni and Luke were due to welcome their baby girl into the world at any moment after a perfect and joyful pregnancy. Instead, these last five days have been an unfolding nightmare.
Brittni’s doctor appointment last Thursday, January 23rd was perfect with baby and momma looking great, and an induction date was set for January 29th. But Friday dawned with Brittni waking in severe abdominal pain. Luke grabbed Carter and the hospital bags, and helped Brittni to the car, and the three raced to Poudre Valley Hospital, with hopes and anxiety, ready to become a family of four, and welcome their baby girl into the world.
On arrival, baby’s heart rate was very low at 40 bpm, so Brittni was rushed to the OR for an emergency c-section.
The baby was not breathing on delivery. The medical team resuscitated her by performing CPR, and subsequently intubated her.
As the OR team sewed Brittni back up, Luke and Carter, waiting anxiously in the delivery room, got news of the complications, and went to meet the newest addition to their family.
In the NICU, the beautiful 9.0 lbs newborn was receiving cooling treatments to reduce the brain damage that may have occurred from lack of oxygen during the birth. Instead of mommy or daddy’s loving embrace, Emma lay in a NICU hospital bassinet on a cooling blanket keeping her body temperature at 32 degrees Celsius and was hooked up to a ventilator, IV fluids, and feeding tube. The medicine sedated her, kept her out of pain and calmed her; she looked perfect. We all took turns holding her tiny newborn hands, telling her how beautiful she was and letting her know we would all be there to hold her once she became healthy.
Meanwhile, Brittni was stationed in the ICU next door. She required continual blood transfusions for three days following the c-section, with little understanding as to what was causing her complications. After days of lab tests, ultrasounds, and CT scans, Brittni started to show improvements. She continues to have too much fluid in her kidney and may need an additional procedure in the future. During this time, Luke was able to have Brittni’s bed wheeled to the NICU to see their beautiful baby girl.
As Luke and Brittni spent time with their new and wonderful daughter, they named her Emma Parker. Emma’s organs worked perfectly and she looked like a healthy beautiful baby on the outside, but she had minimal brain activity due to oxygen deprivation at birth. The neonatologist told us Emma’s case was among the most severe she had ever seen. After 72 hours of the cooling treatment, Emma was warmed slowly to see if her brain activity improved. It had not.
With almost no brain function, we were told that Emma would never walk, never speak, never see, never hear. We learned that when the ventilator was removed, Emma would die.
Carter, Emma’s kind, handsome, smart, and creative six year old big brother, had been waiting to step into his role of big brother for years. In the waiting room, he told us how excited he was to bring Emma home soon. On Monday, Luke and Brittni sat down with Carter and explained to him that baby Emma was very sick and was going to die.
Luke, Brittni, Carter and Emma spent time together as a family in the NICU. Some of their precious moments together were captured by a volunteer photographer. After everyone had an opportunity to say their goodbyes, Emma’s life support was removed. Luke and Brittni chose to help give life to another baby in need through neonatal tissue donation.
Our hearts were all broken late Monday evening while Brittni and Luke held Emma in their arms and she took her last breath…
Now, just days after Emma’s arrival and tragic death, this young heartbroken family needs to plan a funeral, pay for medical bills, and also, get back to the business of living, somehow.
Please help Luke, Brittni, Carter and baby Emma through this devastating journey. Anything you can give will help support Luke and Brittni’s NICU and Labor and Delivery medical bills as well as funeral costs for Emma.
We love you and are grateful for your thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Jess Knittle, Devin Knittle and Jason White
Organizer and beneficiary
Luke White
Beneficiary