Last Mother's day, as he always does, our pastor recognized the mothers who were present and asked them all to stand. Everyone was surprised when Heather stood up with them. Every parent in the room knew that this young couple was headed for a life-changing experience. Not one of us knew how much.
Heather struggled with the first trimester nausea common in so many pregnancies, but she pushed on through. She was forced to miss some work and in response they simply tightened their belts without complaint. This was a small price to pay to expand their family. Soon, the ultrasound revealed the shape and gender of their baby. 'It' became a she and they decided to name her Natalie Grace.
In late September, Heather traveled to Tulsa OK for a quick visit and a baby shower, planned by her mother. While she was there, the unthinkable happened. Contractions started and she began to bleed. Her family rushed her to the hospital where it was discovered that she had placenta previa (where the placenta is attached close to or covering the cervix). Their efforts to stop her contractions met with little success.
Matthew was contacted and warned about the gravity of the situation. The doctors were very concerned about the amount of blood that Heather was losing. They were worried about the stress they could detect in the unborn child. They told him that they may have to perform an emergency c-section to save the life of his young wife and that they did not know if the baby could survive outside the womb.
The next hour was torture for Matthew. The lives of his wife and daughter hung in the balance over 500 miles away. He had no idea what was happening and there was nothing that he could do to help them; except to pray.
At 2:26pm on September 29th, Natalie Grace was delivered via c-section. Her due date was January 5th. She was born before the end of her second trimester (14 weeks premature), yet she was alive. Born at 2 lbs, 2oz and 12.5 inches long, she was too tiny for even the smallest 'preemie' diapers. Her lungs were not completely developed nor was her stomach and her skin was not ready for touch as the nerve endings were still exposed. But she was breathing. The new father was informed of his change in status and that his wife was going to be ok. He immediately hit the road to see his new daughter.
The next few months were a blur for Matthew and Heather. He spent his weeks working in Houston. The first few weekends, he drove to Tulsa to spend time with his wife and tiny daughter. Heather spent her days at the hospital, watching her little girl who sadly could not endure her mother's touch. She recovered from surgery and cheered the progress of her child without the support of her husband and friends.
Matthew soon figured out that it was not physically possible to work all week, drive 8 hours to Tulsa, spend the weekend with his wife and daughter and then drive home for another week of work. Fortunately, he was able to fly instead of drive, thanks to the generosity of Southwest airlines as well as contributions from friends and family. They watched as Natalie moved from the oscillator to the ventilator to the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. Once she graduated herself from the CPAP machine (by repeatedly pulling the tube out), it was possible for her parents to hold her. And so on November 4th, 37 days after her traumatic birth, Heather first held her precious Natalie.
Unborn children have a passageway between the aorta and pulmonary artery which allows most of their blood to bypass their lungs. Once a full-term baby is born, this opening usually closes. In premature babies, like Natalie, the opening does not usually close without surgical assistance. This 'defect' is called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, and in Natalie's case, surgery was required. She pulled through just fine and this, miraculously enough, was the only surgery required for this incredibly early, yet incredibly healthy little girl.
Despite all the progress, the child's underdeveloped digestive system remained a concern. Several times they tried to feed her orally, with very negative results. Yet as she grew stronger she finally began to take her mother's milk. On December 20th, she weighed in at a hefty 4 lbs, 14 oz.
Today, Matthew is making his 11th trip to Tulsa. And tomorrow, he will be on his way back home to Houston. On Christmas Eve day. Only this trip will be different; his wife and his daughter will be accompanying him. The entire family will be home and their first day back will be Christmas day. Which makes perfect sense, once you understand the meaning behind the name this tiny child bears. A name her parents picked so innocently, early last summer.
Grace has surrounded them throughout this difficult situation. From the insurance company picking up an incredibly large hospital bill, to the generosity of the Ronald McDonald House and Southwest Airlines. The phone calls. The cards. The prayers of friends and families. The little girl who made this difficult road worth every single step.
And Natalie. Such a beautiful name. With such a beautiful meaning. You see, it is taken from the Latin name Natalia, which means "Christmas Day".
