We would like to send out some very special birthday wishes to Maddox and Chase who are turning 3 today! They were the Ambassador Family for 2008. Here is their story:
“Our lives are not determined by what happens to us – but by how we react to what happens.
Not by what life brings to us – but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive
attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst – a
spark that creates extraordinary results.”
As we share our story…we hope that this message reflects how we found comfort during our journey and how today we are here to offer hope to families who are affected by prematurity.
In the Fall of 2005, we were pregnant with twins and everything was going as planned -- our lives were perfect! As a first time mom, I did everything I could to ensure a healthy pregnancy. I went to every prenatal check-up, took my vitamins, ate well balanced meals, and read every baby book imaginable. However, our world was turned up side down when my water broke at 23 weeks. I was immediately placed on hospital bed rest for two weeks. During this time I developed an infection as a result of the ruptured amniotic sac and had to undergo an emergency c-section. Our twins, Maddox and Chase were born 15 weeks early (25 weeks) Maddox
weighing 2 lbs. and Chase weighing 1 lb. 9 oz.
Any family who has gone through child birth knows the feelings of fear and anxiety that come along with it, but delivering two babies so early is the scariest thing in the world.
We will never forget seeing our babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the first
time. Although they were so tiny with red, delicate skin intertwined with tubes and other
medical equipment surrounding their bodies…they took our breath a way…they were
absolutely beautiful. Looking back on that brief moment, we had no idea what the next
three months would mean for our family and the toll it would take on us as husband and
wife.
Once reality set in, we knew there was no turning back. As much as we wanted to hide
under a rock, we knew we had to remain hopeful and positive. We promised each other that
we wouldn’t give up on them…or each other– that we would love t hem no matter what the
future had in store.
We won’t kid you – there were times when we threw our hands up to God because the pain
of seeing our boys suffer was too unbearable. They were on ventilators to help them breath
so their lungs wouldn't collapse and required many other life saving treatments including
blood transfusions and Maddox underwent PDA surgery to close a duct near his heart. During,
Maddox's surgery, time stood still. I remember falling to the floor in tears because the
fear of something going terribly wrong was just too much to bear.
We cried and prayed that this nightmare would end. It was at that exact moment when we learned what it truly feels like to have your heart break. It was painful knowing that we couldn’t help them; that their vulnerable condition was out of our hands and there was
nothing we could do about it. However, there was something comforting about the power we had over our own emotions and we tried our best to remain positive about the future. We relied on our faith, family and friends to help get us through life in the NICU.
Although we had a great support system, we felt alone and isolated especially when so many people in our inner circle were having healthy, full term babies. Going through this journey has taught us a lot about ourselves, our marriage, the power of prayer, the human spirit and the will to survive. We learned not to take life for granted because life can change in an instant.
Today Maddox and Chase are two-years old. They are happy, healthy and full of life. They love story time, birds, puppies and the park. Their favorite thing to do is ride the Zilker Park train…especially if it includes ice cream.
Like many NICU babies, our boys experienced more in three months than most people do in
a lifetime. Witnessing their strength, resilience, and courage taught us more than words can express.
“Seeing my boys endure a three month hospital stay was absolute torture. Our daily visits to the NICU were the saddest and happiest part of my day. Here I am their father and I couldn’t do anything to help them. I was angry, sad and confused all the time. The hardest part was trying to stay strong for our boys and Amy. I felt an immense amount of pressure to hold it together even on days when I felt like my world was falling a part.“
~Henry Medrano, Proud Father of Maddox and Chase
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