Filichia Twins- Lucy & Lyla

Lyla and Lucy Filichia made their grand and unexpected appearance into the world on November 17, 2016.  Mom had been spending the last few weeks at Johns Hopkins hospital in St. Pete on bed rest, receiving multiple ultrasounds and monitoring throughout the day and night.  Lyla and Lucy are mono mono twins, meaning they share the same gestational sac.  This type of twin is very rare, 1 in 35,000 births.  It is extremely high risk due to the likelihood of cord entanglement.  There is about a 50% mortality rate in these pregnancies.  Emily made it to 31 weeks (amazing for twin pregnancy) and ended up having an emergency C-section in the middle of the night because of this exact situation.  Emily was having her evening ultra sound and they lost Lylas heart beat.  She was rushed in to surgery and the girls were born a few minutes later.  At birth, Lucy was in amazing shape for a 31 weeker.  Lyla on the other hand had a harder start.  Her heart stopped beating for 10 minutes but the doctors miraculously saved her sweet little life.  Lyla suffered neurological damage due to the lack of oxygen and is currently recovering from the "hit" her brain and body took at birth.  Both girls are in the NICU at Johns Hopkins hospital in St.  Pete.  They are making strides but have a long road ahead of them. 

If you know Mark and Emily Filichia, you have been blessed.  They are amazing people with the most genuine hearts. You know how deserving they are of these perfect angels and how lucky Lyla and Lucy are to have them as their mommy and daddy.  This is an unfathomable situation for any parent.  Not having answers or knowing what the road ahead holds for your children is an emotional rollercoaster no parent ever wants to be on.  As you can imagine, two babies in the NICU is stressful.  Financial burden and the medical bills piling up is something that these new parents should not have to worry about while they concentrate on bonding with their precious angels.  Please consider supporting The Filichia family in any way that you can.  You will be such a blessing to them and to their sweet girls as they heal.  In addition to your financial support- please keep Lyla in your thoughts and prayers.  When you kiss your own babies at night remember how precious life can be and those moments we take for granted because the Filichias are doing just that- savoring each second they are given with their sweet babies. 

If you would like to follow the girls journey you can find them on Facebook at Lyla Lucy Filichia.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.    Isaiah 41:10