Hello, our names are Liz and Dakota. Our journey started off at 12 weeks gestation with being diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma, which is a collection of blood between the uterine wall and the outer fetal sac, causing bleeding and placenta abruption. For weeks, I was told I was perfectly fine to work, drive, and just live my normal daily life until at 23 weeks on 4-22-26, I went to the ER with an increase of bleeding and contractions. I was told I was going into preterm labor and was life-flighted to OSF in Peoria, where I was put into labor and delivery and given multiple medications, like 2 beta shots over a course of 48 hours, to help develop baby August's lungs. Once stable, they moved me down to the women's care unit for 3 days, then moved me back up into labor and delivery on 4-27-26 at 3 PM because his heart rate was so high for hours. I believe he was desperately trying to tell us something was wrong. After having contractions for hours and passing huge blood clots, a doctor performed an ultrasound which showed I had a placenta abruption but was yet to be taken into surgery until 12 AM on 4-28-26 when they took me into an emergency C-section where I was cut horizontally and then vertically. Once they were inside, micro preemie baby August was out of my belly within minutes at exactly 24 weeks only weighing 1lbs 4oz and taken to the resuscitation room, then transferred to the NICU. He will be in the NICU until his due date, 8-18-26, possibly longer. We have a long, hard road ahead with this NICU journey as well as trying to manage home life along with being here as much as possible. We live 1 1/2 hours away and have 5 other children at home. Any support or funds we receive will mean the world to us and our family trying to manage expenses and keep connected with family back home.

Dakota and I would like to thank the OSF staff for keep both auggie and I safe through and after delivery ❤️ we also want to thank the nicu team for how well they are caring for him ❤️