Vanessa Jolicoeur  story

PPROM Suspected at  22weeks  confirmed at 24weeks, Brantley born at 30 weeks 4days

Born in the Canada 

 

My friday was like any other friday, chasing after my boys all day and then try and wind them down and ready for bed. That night I thought I was just urinating myself , as this was my fourth pregnancy but third baby. So I thought nothing of it for the next two weeks until I called my OB office and explained my situation and she asked me to go in Monday as I missed the call on Friday to go in. Monday comes I am now 24 weeks on the dot, I go to my appointment excitingly to hear my miracle babys heartbeat. Now this is the part I have to rewind a bit. Our baby is a miracle because on July. 6/2015 we were in a terrible truck accident. We were not at fault , our truck caught on fire while myself Fiancé and two boys were still present in our just fixed truck two hours prior! We were taking our boys for ice cream and heading through the lights until a teenager smashed right into the front end of our truck


Air bags went off , I had no idea but it felt like I was not there for a couple of seconds as the knock to face by an air bag is so powerful! The seatbelt tugged super hard on my 14 week baby belly. I had leaked or peed who knows at that point as well. We were transported by ambulance to the Hospital the whole way there I prayed for my baby as we suffered a miscarriage before. I remained positive.I recieved 9 stitches to the knee and had a bed side ultrasound to confirm our super baby was still moving !!! I was over the moon to see that happen smile emoticon I was the only one who recieved all the impact that day. My Fiancé and two boys had little bruises on their neck from the seatbelt .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had my seat belt imprinted across my entire chest. It took a month and a half to recover and walk properly. All I got was a sorry that day from that kid.... I am so shocked . By the time I was finally feeling better from our accident it was September and back to school for my oldest. So back to the appointment , I had explained what was going on and she had mentioned it sounds like my water has broken and will send me to the Hospital to confirm. I had asked then and there what would happen when I go there and she explained about bed rest and antibiotics .When I was done with my appointment I was to go to the Hospital however I am the driver for my Fiancé. I still had to pick him up from work that was a little drive away , I also had my two year old with me and my six year old to get off the bus. I am a busy mom! I texted my sister if she could get my son off the bus , and she took my two year old and my Fiancé and I were on our way to the Hospital. There we met my OB at the ultrasound and she noticed the fluid levels were a bit low. We headed up to the Labor and Delivery floor and I was hooked up to the monitor and was told to try and move around so I could leak and they could have a sample to confirm. The Doctor who was in charge that night on the L&D floor was a doctor I am very familiar with she is my doctor and she also performed the surgery on me back in 2005 for a cyst on my ovary. My OB was still around for us , she is an incredible woman , who gives her all and is truely sincere. I also had her for my second baby. We were at the Hospital already for 3 hours by then I started getting sick with all the nerves and I also suffered from morning sickness every day all day until my pregnancy ends.

 

When 8 pm rolls around the Doctor in charge , Nurse, and my OB come into the room and stand there in a line and looked at me and said ' Im sorry, your water has broken'.... It felt like my chest was filling up with water it got so heavy... They then told me I would be flown out of town to ethier London, Hamilton, Ottawa, or Toronto. I immediately started crying and my Fiancé held onto me.... What was my boys going to do without their mommy ? I was told I would come back at 29 weeks ,and that their neonatal is equipped for babies born 32 weeks and on. They started on the steriod injection for his lungs and Iv for antibiotics . My Fiancé works 12 shifts , it wouldn't be right to mess up their sleep over this. We told family and my Mom and Dad and Sister came to the Hospital with my boys. It was so hard not to cry infront of them. But I had to be brave for them, for they have no idea what is about to happen to their I was given a room to be on the monitor and have privacy with my family. We talked about what to do with the boys and what to pack for me, it was very overwhelming at this point.... I was still getting sick. I could not keep anything down at all. When my sister and Fiancé were done getting my stuff , ORGNE team showed up to transport me to airport. I was headed to Toronto to SunnyBrook Hospital at 1 a.m. I got to the Hospital around 4 a.m . This was my very first plane ride , I never wanted to take a plane I was too terrified. I managed to pull through the flight as I was already nervous going five hours away from my family. When being pushed through the halls of Sunny Brook I started seeing baby stories on the walls and some SunnyBrook hat , onesie and blankets for sale. In my mind I was still in shock I was there, let alone thinking will my baby be born here in the big city Toronto? I was brought to L&D and to a room and was swabbed all over as I was new to the city and to their Hospital. The nurse was so nice , I needed that at that point. As she was done admitting me into their Hospital she brought me to the High risk Obstetrics side. It was dark that night , and a nurse comes around the corner and greets me and I was brought into my room that I would spend my entire time in. They were very friendly I was so happy. It was around 6-7 a.m by the time they were done with me and I went to sleep. I was awoken to take my weight and to be put on the monitor.

 

This to be my every morning routine for how ever long my baby stays in me. This is to check for infection. I also had to have oral medication that tasted yucky.Every morning for 20 mintues I lay there on the Non-stress test and get my blood pressure taken and temperature and asked questions. My ultrasounds to check my fluid level were every Monday and Thursday. Then comes in the nice ladies who ask what I would like to eat that day every morning unless they were short staffed then it was surprise meal day... I was checked four times a day for infection (babys heartbeat,bloodpressure,temperature,questions) .

 

I was so sad and was still sick , my nerves were so bad. It finally stopped at day 4... I felt so alone and very home sick at first , I had no one to be by my side. Until a very awesome Nurse brought in a tv with a vcr in my room. I watched all the movies they had by week 3. My boys were able to come see me whenever my Fiancé had his days off. My six year old stayed behind because it was always on a day he was in school. He was so brave and tough , and understanding I am so proud of him. I was able to text him and talk on the phone. My two year old needed me alot as me and him were inseperable before. I have never went a night away from him until then. Thanksgiving came and went and I was still staying strong for my growing baby .

 

My goal was to try and get him to be a nice size and to 34 weeks. It was very hard at times being hungry at the Hospital and being alone. I then was greeted with a Midwife from Seventh Generation Midwives . She came just as I started to bleed. I was checked out and was told my cervix was thinning and I was 3 cm. I was 27 weeks at that time. I relaxed and everything went back to the way it was before, the normal leaking or gushing of fluids . Over my course of stay on HRO floor there was some changes and they would go back to normal. I noticed at 29 weeks my mucus plug came out and I was having tightenings for a week. At 29 weeks Sunny brook felt it was beneficial to stay as my baby would be more equipped .That until 30 +4 I was indeed in Labor. I was checked again and was told his foot was coming out. The big lights all turned on in the room and more and more of the birthing unit came in. I was told I would be meeting my baby that night. My Fiancé was on his seven days off and wanted to take the boys out trick or treating. But we had no idea baby would choose Halloween to be his Birthday. I was wheeled to the OR and was given Magnesium and prepped for emergency cesearen as my baby was a footling breech. I had a tv over my head to watch as the NICU Team handles my baby after delivery. 5:51 A.M Halloween Day 2015 Baby boy Brantley is born weighing 4 lb 1oz 17 inches long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had a tooth when he was born but it needed to be taken out( it was taken out day 4). I was brought to the recovery area and I texted everyone with a 1% battery. Then my midwife comes in , boy was I glad to see a face that was also happy to see me. She went and got my charger for me and that is when everyone started to wake up and text me back. I was wheeled at 12 pm by the same Nurse who admitted me six weeks ago to go see my baby for the very first time. I could not believe I was going to go see my baby , I was in complete shock with everything happening so fast so many names so much information. It was all new to me as this is my first premature baby. My two other children were full term , my second was ten days over due. This was exciting, sad, and nerve wrecking. I was wheeled in his room, each baby had their own room and your own necklace pod to get in. He was covered from head to toe in wires , not one body part was there something on it.

I kept my tears back as I listened to the doctor explain to me that he has pnmenothroax , and sometimes they need a chest tube to help . He was on ventalition. A very very gentle machine. But it sounds so loud. He had many machines to help give him what he needed like sugars, nutrients, oxygen, he was also sedated while on ventalition. He was taken off the ventalition on his third day of life, because the machine had shut off on him. He did do well so they felt he was ready to be off. He was then put on high flow oxygen. He was on caffiene and fentanyl and then morphine to help wean him off.


I was discharged and my Fiancé and I packed up my room that I spent six weeks in.. I have to admit, it was a bit emotional.

You get to know the nurses and adjust to the Hospital life . We were allowed to stay in our babys room as it had a bench and a chair that pulls out to lay on. It was not the best for after surgery but I did what it takes to be by my babys side. Also we were in Toronto no where to stay , Sunny Brook helps provide that comfort for parents and allow you to stay with your baby. Two days later we were told we got the parents room to stay in, and it is across the hall from his room. It has a real bed and a tv , bathroom with shower and a kitchenette. We stayed in there until my Fiancé had to return to work, so I could not keep the room by myself. It was very hard being alone again with a baby whose little lungs were not the greatest. I was supported by my First Nation Reserve to stay at a near by hotel. I would go there to relax for a bit and have complimentry breakfast which was delicious. The restuarant started to get to know me and would talk with me as I was sitting alone day after day. Sunny Brook was a very supportive Hospital which had Canada's Top Maternity Ward. I can see why it was. I was well taken care of and so was my baby. I always had someone if I needed anyone. There is a Mother's Lunch every Thursday , which I did attend and met amazing mothers and amazing coordinators that plan these Lunchs and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone at the Hospital was getting to know myself and Fiancé and my second born. It was getting really hard to be away from my boys , as it was now 8 weeks being gone from home. November. 14/2015 Brantley got the okay to be flown back to Sudbury our home town. He had to wean off some medication and oxygen and gain weight and have his pick line taken out to be flown back. That day I felt happy, excited , sad because I was leaving Sunny Brook. It started to feel like home ...I went and said all my see you laters also to all the HRO Nurses who were very supportive.. We were flown back and arrived back at 10 pm . It felt so strange to be back, back to the cold weather and soon to be sleeping in my old bed and driving my truck, and most importantly having my boys !!! I was at the Hospital for a bit as I was being told all the differences between Nicus. As Sunny Brook is a Level 3 and ours was a Level 2. My little guy needed his oxygen back as they get a little set back from a plane trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(His first night back in his hometown.) November 22 he wore his first shirt. He was doing very well at our Nicu , gaining weight well. Was able to get off the clonodine. He was breast feeding well with his top up from the NG tube with me pushing the rest. He had his ROP exam and had another before discharge. He was put on the "challenge" to feed well without NG Tube and gain weight within three days, and if not start over. He did very well and we were nearing our end of Hospital stay. By now it is December 12 and they ask me to stay with him during the challenge and then we can go home. He passed his challenge!! December 14/2015 three whole months from start to finish we get to take our prize home. He was on the lowest dose of oxygen and Medigas provided oxygen and support with his tanks. He is a reminder that miracles do happen if you believe . Keep believing in your faith and you will see it happen in your life. We are now stronger after this path we have taken and our baby conquered. Count every blessing , we are thankful for everyone through out our Journey. Going home for the very first time.

 

 

Our Sunny Brook Baby