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Moment to Moment in the NICU: Waylon’s Story

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Moment to Moment

Everything can change in an instant during a NICU stay. One minute your baby can be doing fine, while in the next, alarms are going off everywhere, and things are critical. You learn to cherish the quiet moment, the uneventful hours, and the days where there are glimmers that your baby may eventually go home.

But, there are those other moments that make you question everything. When you see your baby struggling just to breathe, when there are more wires than baby, and when you can’t do anything to comfort your own child. You can’t hear them cry because they are stuck in that box, but you can see the pain on their little face. That moment your heart is broken.

Moment to Moment is how you must live in the NICU #prematurebirthawareness

Then, there is another moment where your heart is whole again. The time you get to touch your sweet baby’s tiny hand, and they grab your finger. Your first experience holding them, skin against your skin. The first time one of those wires is removed.

It truly is moment to moment in the NICU. Sometimes it seems like the bad will always outnumber the good, but then it will all turn around, and you are going home. Not everyone gets to go home or has that turn around, but everyone has a moment they will always hold on to. No matter what happens, you get to witness a true miracle. Even if it’s not for as long as you hope.

Today, we will meet one of those miracles. I’m happy to introduce you to Waylon, as told by his mom, Stephanie.

1. Tell us about your baby.

moment to moment

My son, Waylon Nolan Olson, was born July 30, 2016 at 27 wks/3 days. He was born at 6:20 pm weighing 1lb 15 oz with a tiny body length to match just in at 13 inches long. Waylon was born via emergency c-section(with no pain medication just anesthetic) due to me seizing while in the Labor and Delivery triage.
I woke up 17 hours later with a flat stitched “belly”. I was able to meet Waylon 2 days later by being wheel chaired to the NICU. I was also not able to do skin to skin until 8/20/2016.

2.How long was your NICU stay? What was the hardest part?

Waylon’s NICU stay was a grand total of 112 days, which included 2 different hospital stays.
moment to moment
As I’m reflecting on this question of exactly what was the hardest part of our NICU stay, I struggle to answer this. I could say, to be truthful, it was the moment I was “welcomed” in by those large, yet seemingly protective, isolated doors and was met with my tiny sweet baby boy. Vividly, I remember how big the cotton ball was on his tiny hand from the fresh CBC test that was just done.
I also remember just being in shock and terrified, yet honored to be his mother, as I couldn’t help but compare his very translucent skin to mine. But as we’re keeping it truthful, little did I know it would be just the start of Waylon’s roller coaster ride.
moment to moment
To finalize this question, I would say the absolute hardest part was the early morning of September 22, 2016 when I got the call no parents want to get. I was told to come to the NICU immediately because my son was being transferred to a strictly pediatric hospital.
My son suffered from an incarcerated hernia that was in his left groin. Because it became incarcerated, it put a large hole/obstruction on his intestine, so all his bowel entered his abdomen. Right when we were transferred to Dell Children’s Hospital, they lost his pulse and he stopped breathing. They immediately intubated him and took him to surgery.
He miraculously recovered and was extubated 4 days later.
It was definitely the scariest moment. I knew already there was absolutely nothing I could do. Even the chest pressure and foot flicking they would do to Waylon when his stats dropped could not of prepared me for that day.

3.Do you know what caused your premature birth?

Most definitely my epilepsy played the role in Waylon’s premature birth.
moment to moment

4.How are you and your baby doing now?

Waylon is now a healthy 15 month old. He just celebrated his first trick or treat outing with his minor asthma. Other than that, he has recovered. Waylon has yet to walk, but so close. He is a healthy baby against all odds.

5. What advice would you give to a new preemie family?

If me and Waylon’s father could tell give advice to another parent going through this, it would be this:
Know that just because you have one bad day, days, weeks or even months, stay strong. Know your baby is much stronger than even us adults. DO NOT LET one diagnosis or outcome effect your advocacy or faith in your baby.
Waylon was given a 23% of life. Guess what? Our story makes us as a family whole and strong.
Again, please DO NOT fear reaching out for comfort or help!
moment to moment
Thank you so much, Stephanie, for your great advice, and for sharing your sweet boy with us.

Comments

  3. Kim Munoz says

    What a little warrior! My heart dropped reading his story but I so happy I could cry to hear that he is doing well! Thank You for sharing his story!!

    Reply

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