
The hospital has the state's only Level III NICU and provides care for newborns at 22wks gestation in addition to severe birth defects that require advance care. They also have great transport teams allowing them to service the entire state, to include the military population as well. They have a 66 bed NICU which allows them to care for newborns that need to be transferred there for more advanced care in addition to their normal flow of deliveries.
Below is the Garcia Family's NICU story and their sweet Charlie while we was in the NICU and then a photo that is of all their lovely littles in today's time.
On May 31st 2012, I went to a routine prenatal appointment. I was 30 weeks pregnant. I told my midwife I had tachycardia and, she sent me to labor and delivery. Once there, the nurses weren't able to find my daughter's heart rate. The Ob came in and was able to find it. But, it was 60-80. I was told that my daughter was in distress and I needed an emergency c-section.
I was in shock. I could feel her kicking and moving around. I didn't understand what was wrong. My 5 years old was there with me. I tried to explain to her that the baby needed coming out and that a nurse would take care of her while the doctor took care of mami and baby sister. Meanwhile, the front office staff was trying to get a hold of my husband. On May 31st 2015, at 11:30 am, Charlie Victoria was born 10 weeks premature. She was transfered to the NICU at Children's Hospital at Providence, Anchorage, Alaska. The NICU staff was the most caring people on earth. They were our angels during the 6 weeks Charlie V was there.
They helped us understand that Charlie V wasn't in distress. She has a Complete Congenital Heartblock: a heart condition that develops due to lupus maternal antibodies crossing the placenta and, attacking her heart. The NICU doctors and nurses, social worker and parents navigator, pediatric cardiologist and electrophysiology team, front office team...I can't thank them enough. Charlie has a pacemaker now. She had surgery at 8 months.
She is a sassy, strong willed, brilliant 3 years old that loves princesses and play-doh. She will need pacemaker surgery/heart surgery the rest of her life, but she is showing all of us how brave and strong she is. She is our heart hero.