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Princess Faith Isabella Every little change I make in myself, every time I think before I speak, every time I try to love a little more, share a little more, be a little better. It is all inspired by my miracle baby. Miss Faith Isabella, micro preemie. Anyone who knows Faith knows that we have been blessed beyond comprehension with our beautiful daughter. But though you may know Miss Bella, you may not know her story. In July of 2003, not even a month after finding out that we were having a girl, I went into labor, four months early. Saturday, July 5th, the cramping started around 10am and continued throughout the day. By 6pm that evening, I was timing the contractions, 10 minutes apart. By 10pm, roughly 12 hours AFTER the pain had begun; I was admitted to Mission Hospital, in Mission Viejo, CA. It wasn’t until close to 5am Sunday, July 6th, that it was finally decided to give me a vaginal exam. I received two exams, from two different nurses, BOTH with very worried looks on their faces. Turns out I WAS having contractions. My daughter's feet were fully out of my cervix and my body was trying to deliver. The commotion around us picked up in breakneck speeds. I then spent what felt like eternity on my side, with the bed tilted so my head was down and my feet were up. I was given this medicine and that medicine, this shot and that shot, and "don't throw up, because your water will break," but this medicine and that medicine "could make you throw up." And they did. I desperately needed to receive two steroid shots, to rapidly develop my daughter’s extremely premature lungs. I only received ONE. Although the plan was to keep me there, on my side, feet up, head down, don't cough, don't puke, until my October due date, I delivered Faith Isabella via emergency c-section on July 6, 2003, shortly after 6pm. Faith was resuscitated and rushed upstairs to the Mission Viejo location of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where she began her 4-month stay in the NICU. She would remain in Mission Viejo for a month, until her heart surgery on July 27th, when she was transferred by ambulance to Children's Hospital in Orange. In her stay at the NICU, she received breathing treatments for Chronic Lung Disease, was treated for Grade 4 blood clots in her brain, had PDA Ligation surgery to close the valve on her heart that did not close as it should have at birth, and many other set backs, treatments and traumas. I believe our most significant trauma was the phone call – to come say goodbye to our baby. Among the major setbacks, she had smaller more typical problems from prematurity. She had trouble breathing and eating, and could not be touched for the first few weeks. We could stick our hands into the incubator and cover her up, sing to her, tell her stories, sit near her machines, but could not hold our daughter for what felt like an eternity. Every day was a battle, and a testimony to the strength and drive this little girl has.  ♥  Faith came home to us on October 29th, 2003, after 116 DAYS in the NICU. She was on an apnea monitor and oxygen, but everything else about her was perfect. She has none of the symptoms associated with being such a micro-preemie. The hands and hearts of those CHOC doctors and staff blessed Faith in those four months, and her life is a constant reminder of God's grace moving through them. They are amazing men and women, and what they do for the lives of children and families on a day-to-day basis can be considered nothing short of heroic. Though we will never know the reason for Faith's premature entrance into this world, we will always know that with the grace and guidance of God, the hands and hearts of the CHOC staff members, the prayers and support of our friends, family and people we have yet to meet; our beautiful daughter's health, spirit, and exuberant love for life is inspiring us all in our journey. She continues to inspire so many who meet her, and her love is like nothing in this world. God Bless, Jessa Stadtler Artist & Owner of Bella Inspired  We are who we are today because of the family who loves us , the friends who surround us , and the daughter who drives us. ~ Jessa Stadtler |
Artwork and WebSite Design By: Jessa Stadtler • Hosted by www.GoDaddy.com
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