MIRACLE MONDAYS – Mary-Grace Taylor
As a paramedic, Sean Taylor knew that his pregnant wife’s stomach cramps were a red flag. “It was in fact contractions!” Sean said. “I left work excited to meet our angel soon.”
However, Sean’s daughter would take her time coming out into the world. “That day turned to night and back to day with no sign of our girl other than pain and fatigue from my wife,” said Sean. My wife’s Mom and I left to get a change of clothes and such. While at home we got a call that we need to hurry back, Mary Grace had changed her plans! We drove back so quickly!”
Things took a turn for the Taylor family, though, as excitement turned quickly to concern. “We became distraught when the nurse mentioned my wife’s pulse and our little girl’s pulse were become worrisome and she should get the OB. He returned and checked my wife and withdrew a gloved hand covered in thick, dark meconium. My heart sank.”
The OB asked everyone except the parents to leave the room. He wanted to discuss “options.” It was finally decided that Mary-Grace would be born by episiotomy.
“After a long fought battle our little girl was free, free from the womb but apparently not free from danger. We waited for her cries but they never came.”
Mary-Grace was whisked out of the room. “I was stricken with fear in that moment…fear for my daughter…fear for my wife…for our family….for myself.”
Sean’s wife had lost a substantial amount of blood but it was controlled. She would need infusions to stabilize her. Mary-Grace was far from out of the woods. “Her lungs had collapsed at birth and she could not breath. Our daughter was critically-ill. We were informed that my daughter’s condition over the next 48 hours would offer a great deal of insight on whether or not she could survive such a life threatening complication. I had to go to St. John’s for my daughter and leave my wife.”
A nurse greeted Sean when he arrived at St. John’s. “She had such confidence, but she wasn’t arrogant. I could tell she understood my emotional state and I was overcome with a sense of calm when she spoke.”
After refusing another blood transfusion, Sean’s wife joined him at St. John’s. “My wife and her parents made their way to us and were overcome with emotion upon their arrival. I explained how Mary-Grace and I were blessed with the company of angels in scrubs and that the care provided her should be revered across the country!!”
The next couple of days, Mary-Grace recovered with great stride. “Her expeditious recovery was referred to as miraculous by some that spoke with us. We were finally able to hold her and didn’t want to put her down! I was surrounded with the best that God had to offer, skilled staff who were experts in their field constantly moving and caring for those who cannot help themselves.”
It was finally time for Mary-Grace to go home. “The doctors and nurses excitedly told us that Mary-Grace had made enough improvement that she could go home tomorrow!”
Mary-Grace is now just over a year old and thriving. “She is so full of smiles every day and I can’t help but think that some of the NICU staff rubbed off on her!”
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