Our story began in October 2015 when we found out we were pregnant with twins (from the beginning, we decided to keep the genders a mystery). I had a few problems during my pregnancy that always kept me on edge. On February 10, 2016, at 22 weeks 3 days, I went into labor. I was immediately admitted and started on medications to attempt to stop me from delivering. I wanted to do everything possible to keep from giving birth, so I laid in trendelenburg (at a decline with my head lower than me feet) for 11 days. During those 11 days, we were given constant worst-case scenario news by every specialist that walked into my hospital room. The days in the hospital were long and worrisome, but we learned to celebrate even the smallest of milestones (like making it to another episode of Price is Right).

     On February 21, 2016, Caden was born weighing 1lb 9oz. Conner followed shortly after weighing in at 1lb 6oz and claimed his own birthday of February 22, 2016. Our world was overcome with fear as we watched our boys get revived, intubated and rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 

     Caden passed away on February 22, 2016 at one day old. Conner gained the strength of his brother and fought for his life in two different NICUs for the next six and a half months. Since then, we've been in and out of doctors' offices, coping with what feels like neverending new diagnoses, weekly therapy appointments, feeding struggles and more. While I will forever wish our outcome had been different, we are working towards a new outcome and I am filled with appreciation for life and a gratefulness that I would have never found otherwise. 

     Starting the day I was admitted I began combing the internet for similar stories to ours. My intent was to find a peek into a happy and exciting future and as a way to prepare myself for obstacles that may come our way. I’ve learned a lot over the past two years – many things I wish I knew or prepared myself for much sooner. My motivation with Our Life After NICU is to provide hope for the future, help for the present, awareness for all things preemie and gratefulness for life and the little things.

To learn more, check out Conner’s full NICU Journey or our current world outside the NICU.