Addison is Born Abel!

My husband, Chad, and I began trying to expand our family and quickly realized we would need a little extra help. We were referred to our local fertility clinic, where we started testing to understand why we were having difficulties. After three rounds of IUI, I totaled my car, and the very next day, I found out I was pregnant!

Most people don't openly discuss mental health, as it's often considered taboo- but it's very real. I have been on medication for over 20 years for ADHD and OCD. In anticipation of my pregnancy, I weaned off my ADHD medication but was told at the time that my OCD medication was safe to continue. Once I became pregnant, my PCP told me to stop my OCD medication cold turkey. Around 6 weeks into my pregnancy, I began experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms- shaking, nausea, chills, and more. Thankfully, these symptoms eventually passed. At 9 weeks, I developed severe morning sickness and couldn't even keep water down. I was diagnosed with hyperemesis and had to visit the ER for fluids.

By 14 weeks, I started feeling better physically, but mentally and emotionally, I was struggling without my OCD medication. My OBGYN informed me that I could- and should- restart my OCD medication, as I never should have have been taken off it in the first place. I was so relieved  that I cried. I restarted my medication immediately and felt dine for the first few days. However, I soon began experiencing severe 24/7 anxiety, shaking, lightheadedness, and insomnia. After 4 days without sleep, I visited a mental hospital on Easter Sunday, desperate for help, but they couldn't provide any immediate solutions. Two days later, I went to our local Women & Infants Hospital. By then, I was so desperate I just wanted to be sedated to sleep. The staff there were incredible. They explain that my medication levels likely built up too quickly, throwing everything off balance. They adjusted my treatment, and after finally sleeping, I began to feel like myself again.

While I was being evaluated on Easter Sunday, my husband received devastating news: his father, who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery a few days earlier, has aspirated and was now on a ventilator. Around the same time, at our 20-week appointment, we learned that our baby, Addison, was missing an artery in her umbilical cord. There was also concerns about where the umbilical cord was attached to my placenta. We were referred to Meternal-Fetal-Medicine (MFM) for additional testing and a level-2 ultrasound. Thankfully, her growth was on track, and we continued monthly scans. 

A few weeks later, our lives were turned upside down again. My husband was laid off, along with 300 others, from the job that provided our health insurance and 75% of our income. At the same time, we were preparing for the worst with his father's health. All of this, combined with the demands of my own job, led to mental breakdowns. I was placed back on Adderall to help manage my anxiety and eventually took early medical leave from work. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and couldn't control my blood sugar through diet alone. I was referred back to MFM for insulin management. On July 8, we suffered another heartbreaking loss when my father-in-law passed away. Thankfully, my husband started a new job in August. 

On August 30, at 4:45am, my water broke at 33+3 days. I was admitted to the hospital and given steroid shots to help Addison's lungs develop, as well as antibiotics to prevent infection. At 34 weeks, I was induced, and after 4.5 hours of labor, Addison was born- 5 pounds, 5 ounces, and 17 inches long. She was placed on my stomach for a brief 60 seconds before being taken to a connected room for oxygen. My husband followed while they helped her breathe and hear her cry for the first time. They brought her to me for just a moment before taking her to the NICU. After two hours, I was cleared to visit her and saw her for the first time with a cannula, IV, leads, and a pulse oximeter on her foot. I held her for a short while and did kangaroo care. Our NICU stay involved oxygen support and light therapy. On day seven, we were thrilled to learn she could come home the next day. 

Today, Addison is just over one. While she meets her milestones more closely to her adjusted age, she is a healthy and thriving baby.

I discovered Born Abel when Addison was 5 months old and immediately felt connected to the mission (highlighting and normalizing medically complex children, NICU babies, and angel families. They write the best children's books, featuring real children in the community). I started volunteering and am now honored to serve as a board member and Director of the NICU page and retail services. Born Abel truly has become an extended family for us, they are always there when you need them. They need your help to continue this incredible mission.

We celebrate Addison as the miracle we received after an incredibly long and challenging  journey.