Welcome to Mila’s story! We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. You are more than welcome to leave us a note. We read every message and are thankful for each one. Thank you for visiting.
Mila was the first baby born at Unity Hospital in 2020! She decided to make an appearance a few weeks earlier than scheduled. She was just 34 weeks 3 days when she started showing signs of distress in the womb causing Doctor Burns to decide she needed to be delivered.
Mila had her cord wrapped around her neck and was quite blue when they pulled her out. Her nurse, Sandra rushed her over to the warmer and coaxed her into breathing. I heard a couple of squeaks and then Sandra took her to the nursery to see Dr. Gustke, Mila’s pediatrician.
I heard she weighed 5 lbs. 3 oz. and after awhile I heard she was 18” long and someone else said 18 1/2” long.
After a little while, I’m not sure how long it was as time is weird while laying on an operating table, Dr. Gustke came back in the operating room to tell me that Mila was stable and that she looked like she had Downs Syndrome and a possible heart defect. The most important thing at that moment was that she was stable and she was going to be okay. I knew that being a preemie, she was highly likely going to be transferred to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and I was thankful that it wasn’t urgent enough that she would be transferred before I could even see her.
When I was sent back to my room for a recovery time, I was told that Angel 1 would be coming to get her in a few hours with promises they would bring her to see me before she flew away. As family and friends were allowed to return to my room, Dr. Gustke graciously helped explain to Mila’s big brothers and sister about her special condition. Thankyou Dr. Gustke! It feels like not one person felt anything but love from the moment the news was out. Our concerns are for her health and safety and when the Angel 1 team came in to let us see Mila, I felt at complete peace letting them take my baby girl to go get help. Her daddy was worried how I’d react and was a bit shocked that I could let her go so easy. I knew there was no way I could help her. I also knew I’d be with her as fast as they’d possibly let me go. It’s really hard to be held back by health challenges but I just put it in my head that I needed to start pumping and getting myself back to health so I can be there for the long journey ahead.
It was two days before I got to her but she was doing great! She had many tests and ultrasounds and echo cardio grams and I honestly probably couldn’t tell you what all has been checked for baby girl but she’s stayed pretty stable and holding her own all along. Of course she receiving a little help with several functions and sometimes she takes a little step back, but she’s looking good.
