September Sweet Pea Spotlight
Erin and Ember
My name is Jeanne Tucker, I am the founder of Erin's Mercy.
To tell you a little about me and how my organization came about, I must tell
you part of my story. I conceived mono-mono triplets in September of 2010. My
husband and I lost one at 11 weeks of gestation. After losing one of our babies
we found out that I was carrying a rare form of twins, known as Mono-Mono
(Monoamniotic-Monochorionic) which in means they were growing in the same
placenta and sac. They shared everything. The whole pregnancy had been up in
the air, because it was a 50/50 chance that one or both of them would survive,
due to cord entanglement.
At 21 weeks of pregnancy we found out that the my babies
cords were intertwined but that they couldn't do nothing till I was 24 weeks
gestation, due to the fact that there are too many risks and it’s not fair
saving a babies that's earlier than that. So after making it to 24 weeks I was
immediately put on hospital bed rest.
After about a week of the nurses poking, prodding,
adjusting, the beeping, screaming, etc. I told my doctor that I was not happy
in the hospital I needed to be in the comfort of my own home. I said "if I
am not happy how are my babies supposed to be, I keep getting told you want me
to make it as long as possible." So based on that I was allowed to leave!
About 2 weeks later I started having contractions. Went to
the hospital, NOTHING. So they sent me on my way said that I had a slight
bladder infection that was probably causing my contracting. Home on meds. When
I got home I continued to have contracting for 2 days, one morning at 430am I
woke up and thought that I had pee'd! and just kept peeing! About 730 rolls
around and I finally call my Dr.
He said get in here now! So I dropped my husband off at work
and on I went to the hospital to find out I was already dilated to a 6! I was
terrified of what was going on, everyone was rushing around me, my mother in
law was getting my husband from work (all I could think is "is he going to
make it").
Shaking in fear awaiting surgery I hear that "HE MADE
IT"!!
On March 18, 2011 two of the most beautiful little girls
were born. I was so greatful to make it to 27 and ½ along with all the other
Dr.’s and nurses as well! Mono-mono is where they share the same sac and
placenta, they share everything it only happens one percent out of all twins.
Everyone told me that they were luck to be alive; there cords were entangled so
bad that if they stayed inside any longer that they wouldn't have made it. They
were ready to be here they both did great pretty much breathing on their own
the whole time; they started them on feedings after 24 hours of being in the
hospital. Ember (baby A) weighed 2lb. 3oz. and was 14 ½ in. Erin (baby B)
weighed 2lb. 1oz. and was 14in.
They were so small; the whole hospital talked them up all
the time, they called them the Twisted Sisters of the NICY. They were going to be
in an article in the N.W. Med magazine. The pregnancy was hard enough; there
was nothing normal about it. They had a 50% chance that one or both would make
it. Every day was up in the air they could have died any moment and I would
have never known till the next ultra sound. I had a Dr. Visit every week until
I got bed rested.
Then one day Ember (baby A) had started to get sickly on I
was scared to death, I didn’t want anything to happen to one of my girls. So
they stopped her feedings, put her on the C-PAP and put her on antibiotics
instantly. They performed x-rays on both girls just to be safe they noticed
that Embers bowls were sick but they caught it before anything bad happened,
they also noticed Erin (baby B ) had sick bowls too. They lowered her feedings
but kept feeding her.
The next day Erin wasn't breathing rite so they put her on
the C-PAP and did the same thing like her sister. I get a call at 12:40 in the
morning from the doctor telling me Erin wasn't able to breathe on her own so
they put her on the ventilator, he also said he talked to the surgeon and they
were going to evaluate her to see about surgery but they chose not to till the
morning. Well in the morning when the surgeon evaluated her they moved for
surgery at noon that way they had enough time to try and make her a little
stronger. It was so hard to look at her paralyzed from all the medicine. When
she went back for surgery, we were told an hour and they would call as soon as
she was done. So we went up to see his mom and inform her of everything that
was going on.
It seemed like it took hours for them to call and I just had
a bad feeling so we started back to the hospital, a few blocks down the road we
get a call from the hospital I was scared to death. Surgeon said she did really
well they barely had to take any of her small intestine, in gave her a bag for
her bowls. We rushed down there to tell her what a brave girl she was and that
we were very proud of her.
After leaving the hospital we went for dinner, when we were getting
ready to get on the freeway we got another call, nurse said to hurry up and get
back she wasn't doing well. After all the hope we were given if I knew this was
going to happen I never would have left. When we got there they were giving her
CPR, they said they had been doing that since we pretty much left. Doctor said
the best thing was to take her of the breathing machine and hold her so I said
okay, I held her in my arms for her last few breaths it’s been the hardest
thing ever, now I have one.
But even though I lost one I have the exact replica of her
sister. Erin was my smile girl and until the day after Erin passed away Ember
never smiled, so no matter how bad I just want to scream the only thing I can
do it think that GOD may have taken her soul but he left her spirit behind with
her sister. I started with natural occurring triplets, lost one at 11 weeks and
lost another to an awful disease. Erin Rene Womack was born on March 18, 20011
and past way 04-01-2011, life didn't even give her a shot. She and her sister
are the greatest gift life has to offer.
Ember was in the hospital for 90days. She weighed just a
little over 6lbs when getting out; she had to come home on oxygen though. She
remained on the oxygen for about 1 month. We have occasional check-ups at the
lung Drs., but their saying that if she does well by the time she is 1yr 1/2;
they’ll tell us that she is free to go. That’s so exciting! Her Dr. even says
that she is doing as well as the babies her age and they’re not premature.
When Ember was a year old, she weighed 17 1/2lb. We had a
Developmental appointment and she did excelled at it. The nurse said she is
ahead for where she is at, and that it had been a long time since, she had seen
a baby come in as good as her that, had been through everything she had been
through in a long time.
Now at 16months old Ember is 19 1/2lb. She loves to run
around, jump in the air, outdoors, there is nothing she won’t try. She just
pushes me to the max with all the love she has given me. I feel so blessed
every day to be here with her, and to guide her on her journey.
And I chose not to hold a grudge onto the past and rather
try to look at the joy I had meeting my Angel. My life has been so sweet, I
would never change anything. It just wouldn’t be the same and I wouldn’t be as
strong as I am today. I still have both my girls with me; their life is just
one now.
I chose to do this because I wanted to give back to our
community and to continue to allow Erin to leave her imprints on others hearts
as well as our own. The NICU is a very scary place, and it’s just good to know
that someone has you in their prayers.
-Jeanne (Erin and Ember's Mommy)
