Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 7:28AM
by Michelle Staley
Back on February 14, 2005 I was told that I would be having an emergency C section in order to save both my baby’s life and my own. I was in shock and scared to death, but knew that God would be looking out for us and what was meant to be would be. My babies due date wasn’t until Mother’s Day and I wasn’t prepared to have a baby yet, but had no choice in the matter, our little one was going to be born on Valentines Day not on Mother’s Day as my original due date.
Let me back up a few days…I had went into the doctor for my regular checkup and knew that I wasn’t feeling very well, but had never been pregnant before and just thought I was one of those women that was going to have a tough pregnancy. I was retaining water like crazy and couldn’t even wear shoes to work. Slippers were my best friend, thank goodness my employer was understanding! When I arrived at the doctor’s office they took my blood pressure and it was off the charts! Little did I know I was in the beginning stages of Preeclampsia.
I was told to go home that day and not return to work and take it easy. I had a very hectic day at work the next day and ignored the messages I had on my phone until I had a second too catch my breath. When I did listen to my messages it was my OB/GYN telling me to get back in to see her immediately. I left work scared to death and not sure what to expect. When I arrived she told me that I had Preeclampsia and would need to be admitted to the hospital right then and there in order for my baby and I to survive. For those of you that have went through this experience you know it can go from minute to minute worse or better. Well, the doctors started giving me magnesium to help lower my blood pressure and that would hopefully allow me to keep baby inside my belly.
I had to call my husband which was an hour away to let him know what was going on and tell him to hurry up so he could be by my side. By the time my husband reached the hospital where I was at we were told that I was going to be taken by ambulance to Presbyterian Saint Lukes Hospital….A hospital well known for helping women stay stable long enough to stay pregnant and not deliver any earlier than they have too. Some women stay at the hospital for months at a time on bed rest, they know what they are doing at PSL. I arrived at PSL on Thursday February10 and it was touch and go all weekend. We thought I might be on bed rest for months, but it was all too clear that my baby could not handle the stress of my blood pressure issues and he needed to be born.
I know it has taken me awhile to get too the point, but want to share the whole story. Needless to say our baby son was born on that Monday February 14 2005. Ty was born weighing 1lb 8.5ounces. We didn’t know if he was going to survive and it was touch and go for quite some time. I ended up getting discharged from the hospital that following Saturday. One of the hardest days in my life…leaving my baby at the NICU and not being able to take him home.
Ty remained in the hospital for almost four months. I spent almost every day at the NICU with him. I had some of the best Mommy training in the world from the NICU nurses and staff! I don’t know what I would of done without them they were such a huge source of strength for myself and my husband! When we did get to take Ty home he was discharged on oxygen and ended up being on it for the next two years.
I became very frustrated with some of the equipment that was sent home with us to use while Ty was on oxygen. One of my biggest frustrations was the bag that carried the oxygen cylinders.
It was scary enough just having a child on oxygen and trying to juggle a baby with a diaper bag and a purse. I just thought there has to be something better and so I went searching online and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for so I started thinking about designing my own oxygen carrying bag.
Well almost four years later in December of 2008, I received my first round of oxygen backpacks and started selling them. I am now in my second year of business and am expanding my website to carry 25 more products and also will be receiving revised bags in April. It has been an extremely long journey, but I know that I have a product that can help other people that may be in the same situation we were with our son or others that need to be on oxygen themselves.
So Needless to say “Valentines Day” is an extremely special day around our house! I received one of the greatest gifts in the world “Our Little Red Headed Miracle” as we call him. We celebrated Ty’s 5th birthday today. I am happy to say he is your typical 5 year old! He is strong and has a zest for life like I have never seen! Ironically enough our nephew was born a month early on Valentines Day the next year, so this weekend has been a weekend of celebrations all around. Thank you so much for letting me share our story! I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines Day!
