Plz help our family get through our NICU journey!

Updates are posted below the initial story.

Hi, I'm Peyton and I am raising money for my little family of four.

(This is a long read, but please read the entire thing)

For everyone who knows me, knows this is hard for me to create. I’m not really the one to ask for help, but this time around I must put my pride to the side. I have had people ask me "let me know if you need anything," and this will be a perfect way to help me and my family.

As some of you know Corey and I have had 3 miscarriages after we had Greyson. Finally, we found out on 12/8/21 that we were pregnant again (5th pregnancy) and due August 2022.

On May 2nd, 2022, I started leaking fluids. I contacted my OBGYN and was told to go to Oaklawn Hospital ASAP. Once I arrived at Oaklawn, they did two different ultrasounds then sent me to the birthing floor. Once I got upstairs, I was rushed into a room, IV placed, baby monitor on and told my doctor was called and on his way in. At this time, I did not really know what was going on. Dr. Ebner got there and informed me I was leaking amniotic fluids and I needed to be transported immediately to Bronson Kalamazoo. 10PM and I was transferred via ambulance to Bronson Kalamazoo. Once admitted into Bronson, I was placed on the birthing floor and was asked 100+ questions based on what my birthing plan was. I was very confused because currently I was only 25 weeks pregnant, and I had no plans. By this time, I was placed on the baby monitor, got numerous labs drawn and many IV fluids and antibiotics going. Finally, I was able to rest for the night.

May 3rd, 2022, I woke up and found that I was bleeding vaginally. I was convincing myself that I was only bleeding because my cervix was checked a few times, and my insides had to have been irritated. Many different doctors visited my room, and I was reminded I am high risk. I was then told I was going to stay at the hospital for 8-9 weeks and would deliver no later than 34 weeks. Obviously, I was beyond emotional, I had no clue how I was going to stay at the hospital without seeing my 4-year-old at home. I was trying to stay calm and positive, but it seemed impossible. As the day went on, the bleeding continued, sometimes heavier than other moments. The nurses and doctors kept telling me I was “unstable,” but I continuously reminded them that I felt fine, because I did. More labs were drawn, more IV antibiotics were given, two ultrasounds done and a couple extra shots in the butt. I was still on and off of the baby monitor to continue to see how baby was doing, which he was good. This night I was bothered all night because the monitor was not reading correctly because baby was so small.

May 4th, 2022, I woke up feeling unrested. The doctors made their morning rounds and mentioned me going to the antepartum floor, where I would wait out the 8-9 weeks. I was excited to move because I was told the rooms on that floor were “nicer”. A kind nurse visited my room from the NICU and gave Corey and I a run down on how the NICU works, but in the back of my head I was not sure why she would visit us, knowing I was going to be here 8-9 weeks. We were taking all the information in and asking as many questions as possible. The NICU seemed like a whole different world that I did not want to experience. More labs were being drawn, 2 more ultrasounds done, and IV fluids and antibiotics continued. Finally, around 10PM we were moved to the antepartum floor, where it was not as great as I imagined in my head. Corey and I got settled into the new room and were hanging out for 20-30 minutes then suddenly, I was gushing blood. We called the nurse; she came in then left looking for the doctor. As soon as she walked out, I suddenly was gushing more blood. At this point, it was a serious emergency, and we yanked the call remote out of the wall to call an emergency on the floor. 10+ nurses and doctors ran into my room, baby was put immediately on the monitor- he was doing good, and I was informed they were going to start magnesium through the IV- I was told previously that if magnesium was started, I was giving birth shortly. A male doctor came into the room, who I have never met before, and he informed me that we were going in for an emergency c-section. I was beyond panicked, shaking and scared. Luckily Corey was there to support me! To the operating room we rushed, and the c-section had begun.

We welcomed our baby boy Gabriel Lynn Clark-Evans into the world, 15 weeks early, on May 4th, 2022, at 11:39PM, weighing 1LB 9.4OZ. Gabe was rushed immediately to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, known as the NICU.

As my C-section was finishing up, I was notified that I had a placental abruption which is why the sudden gushing of blood happened and we had to rush into a c-section immediately.

Now, I am out of the hospital and healing from my surgery. Gabriel is in the NICU until further notice. Corey and I commute to Bronson Kalamazoo daily to see our tiny boy, as parents being present for the babies in the NICU is vital for the baby’s growth. The NICU is a place no one can prepare you for. This journey is like a roller coaster, some days are good other days are not so good and you never know what to expect.

I am off of work until further notice and Corey is working as much as he can while still making time to see Gabriel and spend time with Greyson. This has been a huge financial strain on our family as it was unplanned to pan out this way.

Emotional, exhausted, and overwhelmed are the first three words that come to mind with my current mental state.

I also have CashApp if you prefer to donate that way. 

$PaayBaaby

We appreciate all donations given, all prayers said and all of the positive vibes sent!

5/22/22 Gabriel update: 

Overall, Gabe is doing well. 

He is 18 days old. His weight has been going up and down but he has not hit the 2LB mark yet. He may look big in the picture based on the perspective.

He is back on the vent because he has an abrasion between his nose and lips from the masks and to give his face a break. Physically he does not need the vent, but letting him relax and not work so hard to breathe will really help him grow.

To be honest, he looks so much like his brother and daddy. Sometimes as mothers we wonder how we do so much work for our kids to look identical to their dads.

Please continue prayers for our tiny boy as he grows.

We appreciate everyone for reaching out, donating, praying, sending positive vibes and following our story! 

6/4/22 Gabriel Update:

 ••One month old•• 

 Today Gabe is one month old, weighing in at 2lbs 4oz!! 

Starting with the good news, Gabe has had a couple echos to look at his heart/his PDA (patent ductus arteriosus) and a couple cranial ultra sounds. Previously his echo showed that his PDA was large and met some echocardiographic criteria so he completed a 3 dose course of ibuprofen to try to close that PDA. Now his echo showed his PDA is small-moderate and meets no echocardiographic criteria. Also his cranial ultra sound showed no changes since his newborn cranial, which is awesome because we were afraid with the lack of growth of his head. 

To be honest with you, Gabe has been going through it. It all started around Memorial Day, when the doctors decided it was time for him to go back to the cpap from the vent because his face abrasion was better. They made that transition and he was not happy on the cpap at all. From there they put him on the NIPPV (more support than the cpap) and he was doing fine. The nurse drew his routine gas labs and he was given a chest X-ray to see how full his lungs were. The labs told them he was not getting enough support, and the X-ray showed that he had a partially collapsed right lung. Therefore, back to the vent he went. Keep in mind this all happened within less than 24 hours, which is a ton of work for him.

Fast forward to the next morning, Gabe was looking super pale and not acting himself. The doctors made the decision to give him his FIFTH blood transfusion. Afterwards they drew several labs because his color was better but his activity was still low. One main lab drawn showed that somewhere in the body he had inflammation, meaning an infection somewhere. 

A blood, urine, and secretion (the gunk pulled from the vent tube) cultures were collected to figure out where the infection was. Typically cultures are given 48-72 hours to grow, but for Gabe 2 of the 3 cultures came back positive in less than 24 hours. 1 of the cultures did not grow at all, luckily! 

Gabriel was diagnosed with staphylococcus pneumonia in the lung that was partially collapsed and staphylococcus in his blood, but two different types of Staph. After we were notified about the blood infection we were told Gabe needed a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) done to test his spinal fluids for meningitis. Luckily the lumbar puncture came back negative!!

Fast forward to this weekend, Gabriel is doing so much better. He is on a 10 day course of antibiotics since we received a negative blood result and he is a much happier boy!

Next moves for Gabe is to get him off the vent, up his feeds more and grow, grow, grow!! 

 Please continue prayers for our tiny boy as he grows