Support Baby Elizabeth's NICU Journey

To the friends and family of Steven and Cristina ONeill:

We wanted to update you all on what’s been going on in their lives and their newly born daughter Elizabeth’s life since her arrival.

On Thursday, March 20th, 2025 Elizabeth was born about a week early through an emergency C-section. Earlier that day, around 2:30PM Cristina had not been feeling movement and was at an OB appointment when they told her to rush to the hospital. A few hours later, the medical team decided to perform an emergency C-section to bring Elizabeth into the world at 6:18 PM.

After 10 minutes of work under a breathing machine and heat lamp, Elizabeth began to breathe on her own. She appeared outwardly a healthy and happy baby. Unfortunately, that was not the full story.

After some monitoring and tests over the next few days, they discovered her blood sugar was low, her platelets were dangerously low, and her liver enzymes were high. This is when she was transferred to the NICU for further care, including a platelet transfusion and a feeding tube to support her difficulty eating. An MRI was scheduled to reveal more about what was happening inside her body. Currently her platelets and blood sugars are being supported by a dextrose IV and two transfusions - slowly everyday she is stair stepping her way to independence from machines.

From the MRI, the doctors explained that in the center of Elizabeth’s brain, there’s a small sac like area under the brain tissue —a normal feature in brains. In Elizabeth’s case, there’s been some bleeding inside this area. It has been marked as a Grade 2 IVH on a scale of 1-4 with four being the most severe. The good news is that it’s contained within the sac and hasn’t spread into her brain tissue. Just outside this sac, they also found a cyst, which they plan to monitor more closely if development issues or behavior concerns arise.

What does this mean for Elizabeth? Right now, it’s not life-threatening, which is a huge relief. However, it could point to potential developmental challenges down the road—things like learning, eating, or walking might be affected. But there’s hope: infant brains are incredibly adaptable, a beautiful design that gives us a fighting chance. With love, support, and simple things like reading to her and encouraging her growth, Steven and Cristina can help her brain develop, even from home.

They’ve also learned that Elizabeth’s low platelets are due to a rare genetic mix—something only about 2% of people carry. It’s a unique combination of Steven’s and Cristina’s DNA. Now, Elizabeth’s own immune system is attacking her platelets - the doctors say these antigens will fade in a few months, allowing her platelets to stabilize fully afterwards. Her glucose levels are also slowly improving, which is another step in the right direction.

Elizabeth will likely remain in the NICU for an additional 7-14 days as the team keeps a close eye on her, once she’s fully off machines, and not needing transfusions she will be cleared to go home. For now, Steven and Cristina are focusing on prayers for her development—hoping she’ll grow strong in areas like eating, talking, and walking, where challenges might arise.

Financially, this journey is starting to take shape in ways they couldn’t have predicted. With insurance covering about 80% their deductible has almost been met, they’re still looking at a significant out-of-pocket cost. Their goal is to help cover their out of pocket expenses even after insurance steps in to pay.

As Elizabeth grows, they’re expecting to have to undergo behavior and developmental therapy, more MRI’s and testing to monitor her progress and brain function.

If you’re able to help, Steven and Cristina would be so grateful for any support—whether it’s a contribution, a prayer, or just sharing their story with others who might want to step in. Every little bit means the world as they navigate this unexpected chapter and focus on getting their sweet girl home, healthy, and thriving.