Neonatal (newborn) Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Family Stories
Sometimes it’s all about Timing!
It was like a scene out of a TV program. But it was real life---in fact two real lives were at stake. In this case Donna Kremer and her baby son, Sam’s lives were in the balance. But things turned out well, thanks to having the resources in-house AND to having absolutely everything work out perfectly!! And a new record was set in delivering a c-section baby: from entering our door-to-delivery in less than 12 minutes!
Donna was about 31-weeks into a very healthy pregnancy---she felt strong, was power walking her usual 4-miles-a-day, and there had been no sign of any problem. She was outside at an area park when suddenly she felt dizzy and strange but didn’t relate it to the pregnancy. Things got worse---fast---and, by the time she called her doctor he told her to get to the Saint Elizabeth ER immediately!
When she arrived she was starting to pass out. By chance, a Family Birth Center (FBC) staff person was in the ER and made sure she was taken up to the fourth floor FBC immediately. Thursday, September 4, turned out to be one of the busiest days the birth center has ever had! In fact, the entire month of September was one of the busiest we’ve had. However, the day being so busy actually worked in Donna’s favor---we had extra nurses in the FBC and an extra tech on hand for the increased expected C-sections.
When she arrived on the floor, Donna passed out in her wheelchair. A nurse, Janet Park, who was about to go off-shift saw her and moved her fast, getting her into a room where the baby’s heart was monitored. Donna was in-and-out of consciousness and her baby’s heart rate was very low---signaling an abruption or torn placenta. Blood was gushing from the torn placenta into the uterine cavity, but not at the level it should into the baby, threatening serious medical problems for him.
A call went in to Dr. Sean Kenney, Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist to come STAT! He literally ran downstairs from his fourth-floor office in the medical plaza, over to the hospital and up to fourth floor Family Birth Center. An ultrasound quickly confirmed big problems and Dr. Kenney said, “Let’s go!” That signaled an emergency C-section for Donna. One of the OR rooms in the FBC was already set up for another person’s C-section, but Donna’s case was more urgent so she was wheeled into the OR.
Because of her tremendous blood loss, she received 12 units of blood. Sam needed serious medical assistance too---a breathing tube and more. The NICU nurse who helped resuscitate Baby Sam was herself pregnant and amazingly Lorri Niemeyer, RN, delivered her own healthy baby the very next day!
Update
• Sam is almost 5 years old and showing nearly no signs of developmental challenges
• Donna also works for our Parents Reaching Out program, helping other NICU parents