Luciana's Medical Bills
Donation protected
My sister, Janelle, texted me July 28, 2014 at 11:47 p.m. "I'm in labor..."
Under normal circumstances, I would've been thrilled, but I broke down in tears instead.
She was 23 weeks and six days through her pregnancy. The rest of her text: "Getting medicine to slow it down and will be on bed rest until baby is born."
How could this be happening?
Two days later on July 30 at 2:36 p.m., Luciana Eleanor Adams was born. She weighed a mere 1 lb. 7 oz., which dropped to 1 lb. 2 oz. shortly after birth.
"A miracle" is what the doctors are calling her.
As it turns out, Janelle had a staph infection in her uterus, which was killing the placenta. Luciana knew she had to get out or she would die. She gave Mommy two days' notice to get her thoughts together and prepare for this roller-coaster journey they were about to take together.
There is still a long road ahead.
Janelle and Brian will be traveling back and forth to the hospital every day until Thanksgiving. Janelle is nearing the end of her eight-week paid maternity leave from her job at Saratoga Middle School, where she teaches Science. She plans to take unpaid leave once Luciana is discharged from the hospital.
In the meantime, Brian will support the family working his full-time job as a Director for affordable housing services. Big brother Wilder will continue to attend his daycare and receive his personalized therapies (speech, OT, ABA and other development therapies) onsite.
When Janelle asked me to be Luciana's godmother, I never felt so blessed. There was not much I could do from 3,000 miles away, and I felt helpless. So, I decided to put together a website where family, friends and anyone else can donate to ease the financial stress on my sister's family.
There's no accurate way to estimate the cost of Luciana's medical bills. When my sister takes unpaid leave, there will only be one income, and with ongoing full-time daycare for Wilder, I know times will be tough.
Any donation helps. Even $10 pays for a medical co-pay. There's no way to tell how expensive this could get, and I want to help my sister and her family as much as I can.
All donations will go directly to help with Luciana's co-pays, hospital stays, therapies, special formula (to help her gain weight), as well as lost income.
Anything collected beyond what they need for this will go directly to St. Peter's facility so they can continue to help micro preemies like Luciana.
Under normal circumstances, I would've been thrilled, but I broke down in tears instead.
She was 23 weeks and six days through her pregnancy. The rest of her text: "Getting medicine to slow it down and will be on bed rest until baby is born."
How could this be happening?
Two days later on July 30 at 2:36 p.m., Luciana Eleanor Adams was born. She weighed a mere 1 lb. 7 oz., which dropped to 1 lb. 2 oz. shortly after birth.
"A miracle" is what the doctors are calling her.
As it turns out, Janelle had a staph infection in her uterus, which was killing the placenta. Luciana knew she had to get out or she would die. She gave Mommy two days' notice to get her thoughts together and prepare for this roller-coaster journey they were about to take together.
There is still a long road ahead.
Janelle and Brian will be traveling back and forth to the hospital every day until Thanksgiving. Janelle is nearing the end of her eight-week paid maternity leave from her job at Saratoga Middle School, where she teaches Science. She plans to take unpaid leave once Luciana is discharged from the hospital.
In the meantime, Brian will support the family working his full-time job as a Director for affordable housing services. Big brother Wilder will continue to attend his daycare and receive his personalized therapies (speech, OT, ABA and other development therapies) onsite.
When Janelle asked me to be Luciana's godmother, I never felt so blessed. There was not much I could do from 3,000 miles away, and I felt helpless. So, I decided to put together a website where family, friends and anyone else can donate to ease the financial stress on my sister's family.
There's no accurate way to estimate the cost of Luciana's medical bills. When my sister takes unpaid leave, there will only be one income, and with ongoing full-time daycare for Wilder, I know times will be tough.
Any donation helps. Even $10 pays for a medical co-pay. There's no way to tell how expensive this could get, and I want to help my sister and her family as much as I can.
All donations will go directly to help with Luciana's co-pays, hospital stays, therapies, special formula (to help her gain weight), as well as lost income.
Anything collected beyond what they need for this will go directly to St. Peter's facility so they can continue to help micro preemies like Luciana.
Organizer
Brianna DeMike
Organizer
Clifton Park, NY
