Meet Amelia
“Amelia is truly a miracle and would not be here if it were not for the Phoebe NICU team and the generous donations of Children’s Miracle Network!” – Heather, Amelia’s mom
Heather Wilkes had a complicated pregnancy. Early on, doctors gave Amelia little chance of survival. But Amelia came into the world as a fighter on September 22, 2021.
At 27 weeks and five days, she weighed only 1 lb 3 oz and was just 10 inches long. As soon as Heather was admitted to a regional hospital, about an hour from Albany, for care the Phoebe Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) ambulance transport team was on their way. They arrived just in time for Amelia’s arrival. The nurses and respiratory therapists stabilized Amelia and transported her to Albany.
“The first month of Amelia’s life was extremely difficult. As conditions in the NICU are ever changing, the staff were always attentive and ready to take action at any change,” Shelby, Amelia’s dad said.
Amelia required intubation at birth with significant amount of respiratory support. She had numerous blood transfusions, IV antibiotics and IV medications to help support her lungs and heart function due to premature lungs and sever pulmonary hypertension. She was diagnosed with a grade 1 interventricular hemorrhage.
“At four weeks, we were able to hold her and that’s when we started to see her turn a corner,” said Heather.
Amelia was still intubated and it was a team effort to transition her from her isolation to her parent’s arms, but working together they did it. Not long after, she was able to be extubated and breathe on her own for the first time.
Over the next month, Amelia slowly decreased her oxygen requirement, started gaining weight, and participated in physical and speech therapy to prepare her for taking a bottle. At three months, Heather and Shelby started hearing the word ‘home’.
“We began seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Shelby.
However, before that move happened, Amelia started to require higher amounts of oxygen. She eventually had to be re-intubated and placed back on a ventilator.
“Our hearts were broken. All of her progress over the last three months was seemingly gone. However, she has proved time and again, she’s a fighter,” said Heather.
About a week later, Amelia was extubated and on the road to home again.
On February 6, 2022 – after 137 days in the NICU – Heather and Shelby took Amelia home. “Amelia is truly a miracle and would not be here if it were not for the Phoebe NICU team and the generous donations of Children’s Miracle Network,” Heather shared.