Claire Stephens Sparrow Children's Center
2017 Miracle Child
Claire's Story (written by her mom, Megan)
When Matt and I found out we were blessed with having twins, we never imagined that we would only be able to bring one baby home with us.
While working as an RN at Sparrow, my water broke and I was on bedrest for almost three weeks. We were able to reach the 24 week milestone before my labor couldn't be stopped any longer. Grady Robert was born weighing 1 pound 13 ounces, and Claire Marie weighed 1 pound 6 ounces. No amount of consultations with the RNICU could prepare us for what was about to happen.
During the first few days, Grady and Claire both required chest tubes and were diagnosed with severe bleeding in their tiny brains. We were told the severity and degree of the damage was undeterminable at the time. We were told there was a possibility of our children never being "normal". Within days, Grady developed a perforated bowel, and ultimately, the bleeding in his brain began to cause multi-organ system failure. After 17 days, our sweet baby Grady passed away. The compassion and respect Sparrow showed us is something we will always remember. One of our nurses, Stephanie, even thoughtfully organized special keepsake items for us to remember our young son.
Throughout Claire's 135 day journey at Sparrow, she was cared for by nurses, neonatologists, respiratory therapists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and a physical therapist and speech therapist. There were so many caregivers and disciplines who played an important role in helping Claire heal and thrive.
We quickly learned that Grady and Claire's caregivers were there as much for us as they were for them. They got to know Matt and me, learned our likes and dislikes, and could quickly pick up on our worries, sorrow and joy. The RNICU staff helped us stay strong for Claire while supporting our grief after losing Grady. We became like family; they were part of our daily routines and made this very difficult journey a little bit easier.
Sparrow and the RNICU will always hold a very special place in our hearts. Claire's journey involves so many different departments at Sparrow, beginning with OB Special Care and ending in the RNICU (with a short visit to the PICU). It's the only "home" we had with our Grady, and it's the place where our nurses helped us grow as first time parents. Initially, it was terrifying being discharged because we had had the caregivers constant love and support for over 4 months. We weren't sure how we could handle everything without them. And while we'd lost their physical 24/7 support, we gained their lifelong friendship and unbreakable bond. Our "thanks" will never be expressed adequately to the RNICU as to how much we appreciate their hard work, compassion, and love they shared. We know that we wouldn't have Claire here with us today and in our arms, if it weren't for everything they did for our entire family.
This experience has reminded us of how precious life truly is. With all that Claire has overcome and endured, we truly believe she embodies the definition of a true miracle, and we're excited to be able to share our "miracle" story with everyone. Thank you…
Megan
When Matt and I found out we were blessed with having twins, we never imagined that we would only be able to bring one baby home with us.
While working as an RN at Sparrow, my water broke and I was on bedrest for almost three weeks. We were able to reach the 24 week milestone before my labor couldn't be stopped any longer. Grady Robert was born weighing 1 pound 13 ounces, and Claire Marie weighed 1 pound 6 ounces. No amount of consultations with the RNICU could prepare us for what was about to happen.
During the first few days, Grady and Claire both required chest tubes and were diagnosed with severe bleeding in their tiny brains. We were told the severity and degree of the damage was undeterminable at the time. We were told there was a possibility of our children never being "normal". Within days, Grady developed a perforated bowel, and ultimately, the bleeding in his brain began to cause multi-organ system failure. After 17 days, our sweet baby Grady passed away. The compassion and respect Sparrow showed us is something we will always remember. One of our nurses, Stephanie, even thoughtfully organized special keepsake items for us to remember our young son.
Throughout Claire's 135 day journey at Sparrow, she was cared for by nurses, neonatologists, respiratory therapists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and a physical therapist and speech therapist. There were so many caregivers and disciplines who played an important role in helping Claire heal and thrive.
We quickly learned that Grady and Claire's caregivers were there as much for us as they were for them. They got to know Matt and me, learned our likes and dislikes, and could quickly pick up on our worries, sorrow and joy. The RNICU staff helped us stay strong for Claire while supporting our grief after losing Grady. We became like family; they were part of our daily routines and made this very difficult journey a little bit easier.
Sparrow and the RNICU will always hold a very special place in our hearts. Claire's journey involves so many different departments at Sparrow, beginning with OB Special Care and ending in the RNICU (with a short visit to the PICU). It's the only "home" we had with our Grady, and it's the place where our nurses helped us grow as first time parents. Initially, it was terrifying being discharged because we had had the caregivers constant love and support for over 4 months. We weren't sure how we could handle everything without them. And while we'd lost their physical 24/7 support, we gained their lifelong friendship and unbreakable bond. Our "thanks" will never be expressed adequately to the RNICU as to how much we appreciate their hard work, compassion, and love they shared. We know that we wouldn't have Claire here with us today and in our arms, if it weren't for everything they did for our entire family.
This experience has reminded us of how precious life truly is. With all that Claire has overcome and endured, we truly believe she embodies the definition of a true miracle, and we're excited to be able to share our "miracle" story with everyone. Thank you…
Megan