Maddalyn's Story

I was 33 weeks when Maddalyn came into this world. On December 28, 2003. I woke up with a terrible headache. I took some Tylenol and laid back down. By that afternoon it had not gone away. I decided to go into the emergency room. When I arrived my blood pressure was 225/175. By this time I barely remembered anything. They rushed me right up to maternity. The nurses said if we would have waited an hour longer both of us would not have made it. My blood pressure wasn't going down and Maddi was having drops in her heart rate. They decided to do an emergency c-section. The Dr.'s soon found out that my placenta had detached and Maddalyn wasn't breathing. She weighed 3lbs 12oz. and she wasn't breathing. They took her to the NICU. Maddalyn was hooked up to a respirator and the vessel going between her heart and lungs was closed. After a couple days of medication the vessel closed and she was breathing on her own.

After 3 weeks of being in the NICU Maddalyn got to come home. She is doing great and now weighs 5lbs. She is growing like a weed. Thankfully that day I decided to go in to emergency, if I had not we both would not be here today. Maddalyn is truly a miracle baby !

Emilie Riegel, Mother