Twenty-seven weeks into their pregnancy, Bekah and Christopher Gannon were faced with a decision no parents should ever have to make.
Doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children鈥檚 Hospital at 杏吧原创 told the couple, who were expecting fraternal twins, that they鈥檇 lose one of the babies unless Bekah had an emergency C-section. But by doing this, they鈥檇 risked the life of the other twin, who was fine and would most likely be carried to term.
The Gannons decided to go ahead with the C-section, and Isaac and Eli were born at just a bit over two and one pounds respectively.
鈥淎ll that was very scary,鈥� recalls Bekah. 鈥淚鈥檓 lying there on the operation table and my husband鈥檚 there, and we are just holding our breath, praying that they are able to intubate Eli. Which is so crazy because normally that would be your worst nightmare.鈥�
Isaac made steady progress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and left after four months. Eli had more of an up and down battle but was able to leave the NICU after five months.
Approximately two years later, the couple was pregnant again.
鈥淭his was supposed to be our happy, healthy baby, but it just wasn鈥檛. Abel ended up in the NICU for 8 days. Nothing major, no surgeries鈥攈is lungs were just a little underdeveloped. But it broke our hearts just the same.鈥�
Nevertheless, Bekah, who is a child life specialist at Children鈥檚 Hospital, feels a strong, personal connection to the hospital.
鈥淭o have experienced some of the worst moments of my life here and walk away with deep love and gratitude that鈥檚 because of care we received here鈥攆rom the doctors to the nurses to the people who cleaned our room.鈥�
鈥淲e feel blessed that we live in Nashville. And it鈥檚 such a gift that I get to be their mom.鈥�