MIRACLE MONDAYS-Ashley Bayley
The story of Ashley Bayley
On July 16th 1991, Sandy Bennett started to feel a sharp knife-stabbing pain and began to severely hemorrhage. “I called 911 and was rushed to the hospital. They couldn’t stop the labor. It was too late to stop it,” said Sandy Bennett, Ashley’s Mom.
Ashley was born at 25 weeks and she only weighed 1lb 8 oz. Unfortunately, her lungs stuck together on the first exhale. “The doctors and nurses all looked at each other and immediately went to work to save her life. They fought for her life,” said Sandy.
When Ashley was only 9 days old (and only weighed 1 lb 2 oz), she had heart surgery. Ashley’s Cardiologist told Sandy that Ashley was the smallest patient he had ever seen. He wasn’t sure if Ashley would survive the surgery. “I was so scared that I was going to lose my baby girl.”
She managed to survive the heart surgery and also survived other surgeries and complications during the first three and a half months of her life. “I felt so blessed to have the NICU team helping her. They were all like family and made me feel so welcome.”
Ashley is now 27 years old, is living a happy life, loves eating burgers, and loves to watch Lethal Weapon!
“It was the nurses and doctors giving me hope every day. My faith gave me hope as well.”
Do you have a miracle child that was treated as HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital? Facebook message us or email dave.newton@hshs.org and tell us your story! #miraclemondays