Back to Stories
Alexis’s Story
"Let's back up a little to mommy's belly..."
Around five months pregnant, my mommy started vomiting yellow bile. She contacted her OB/GYN daily, and they reassured her that it was nothing to worry about, merely morning sickness. However, at a routine check up, the doctor noticed that I was not growing as fast as I should, and suggested we take a trip to Pensacola to the High Risk Pregnancy Center. So we did. While there, they did an ultrasound (where mommy found out I was going to be a princess, opposed to a prince) and they said that I was okay, just a little small.
Around 33 weeks pregnant, mommy's blood pressure was a little high, so we had to go back every three days to get hooked up to heart monitors. On July 28th, 2008, the doctor noticed a knot in the cord and decided that I should be admitted until delivery, so I could be continually monitored. My first couple of days there, my heart kept stopping, so, they decided to bring me into the world at 8:45 am on August 3, 2008. I was 3lb 7.4oz, tiny and mighty.
No one suspected any problems besides low birth weight because my lungs and heart were good, I even aced my APGAR! However, my blood work came back and it said otherwise. My platelets were extremely low. They say the Lord works in a strange way, it's true, because my Neonatologist had just been hired the day after I was born and it was his determination that found my virus. He was not convinced after one, two, or even three, false negative urine samples and so he tried again and Cytomegalovirus showed up in my urine.
The doctor told my mommy I had a virus, and she did not realize the severity of the condition until he said, "Similar to AIDS." "WHAT?!", mommy thought. She did not sleep around or use drugs while pregnant, there must have been some mistake. Thank God for her NICU nurses (who had never heard of the virus) that took the time to research it and reassure her that it was nothing she did, it's just an unfortunate thing. They are the reason she is pursuing a nursing career.
Mommy had to watch horrific things while I was in the hospital those first two months while I received Gangcyclovir. They put needles in my head, tubes in my chest, blood transfusions, and the most horrible was when my daddy was changing my diaper and blood gushed out of my bottom. Mommy thought she had lost me at that point. She scared all of the other mothers in the NICU.
I came home On September 29th, 2008, mommy was so happy! The mountains that have been put in front of me, are: low weight, extreme lazy eye, siezures (absence), mild hearing loss, sensitivity issues (do not like my hands touched, rub my hair alot, slap myself, stand on my head, etc.), developmental delays (about six months behind physically, about nine months behind communication wise), weak joints and muscles, hyperactive, and behavioral issues (there are probably more, but I can not remember them all).
I have an awesome walker that I love to walk to the neighborhood park in! (When I am in the mood!) I just started Early Headstart daycare to help me daily to catch up. I'm still not used to being dropped off, but once there, I loosen up and play with my friends. I continue to make mommy and daddy (and grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, etc..) proud everyday. I'll be walking in no time! Stop CMV is an amazing cause! I have learned so much more about this virus through the website than I ever knew!
- Shared by her mother, Amanda