The doctors call her the miracle baby and I believe that is true. God had a hand in the care and delivery of our precious Madeline Grace. She was born on August 31, 2013 at Crouse Irving Hospital in Syracuse. About a month before I learned at a routine doctor's visit that something was wrong with the baby who I had carried seemingly healthy for about 7 and 1/2 months. Her measurements indicated that she had stopped growing and in fact was losing weight in the womb. I had some early complications in the pregnancy where the placenta was partially torn away from the uterus wall but that seemed to have passed and the baby was growing by all indications in a healthy way.

In the few weeks following the diagnosis both the baby and I were under an extraordinary amount of monitoring and consultation with the local doctors and the specialists at Crouse Irvings NICU Center in Syracuse. Fortunately our baby's vitals remained good throughout. It was soon determined however that Madeline for whatever reason was not going to gain any more significant weight and we were advised that we should not carry her to full term. She would be better outside of the womb. Our doctors in Lowville worked with Crouse to schedule delivery as soon as possible but the hospital and NICU was booked and we had to wait. During what turned out to be our last visit to Syracuse prior to delivery it was determined that I should be admitted and induced almost immediately. Fortunately there was room in the Inn so to speak at that time. Two days after I was induced and Madeline was born at 4 pounds 1 ounce two weeks prior to her due date. At delivery she was in the care of about a dozen doctors and nurses in the birthing room. They were uncertain whether I was going to be able to deliver naturally or with a C-section and of course were concerned about the baby. Madeline spent 10 days there in the NICU.  I stayed with my parents in Syracuse spending as much time as possible in the hospital nursing and being with Madeline while she was under the doctors care. Jared a firefighter in Watertown commuted as much as possible.  Keerie our oldest daughter waited anxiously as home for her new sister. Madeline Grace soon was allowed to go home at 3 pounds 11 ounces. There are some theories that the doctors have raised as to what led to Madeline's condition in the womb but nothing conclusive. We are just so fortunate though that she was born healthy and except for her weight (she is still very small ), she is progressing albeit at a slow pace. Nutritional consultations and physical therapies continue however. So I thought I would share with you some of our memories from our journey with Madeline.