SUPPORT THE MISSION
Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. Your gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.
Cynthia Langhorn Story
“Prepare yourselves for stillborn baby” were the words I remember the doctor telling my husband, William and me before I delivered a 26 week baby girl weighing 1 pound 13 ounces, 13 inches long on Thursday, June 13,1991. She literally fit right in my hand. We got to see her briefly before they took her NICU where she would spend the next 10 weeks. The neonatologists and NICU nurses at the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital were amazing and were attentive not only to the tiny babies fighting for their lives but to the parents who were thrown into a world of unknown circumstances.
Although we work in healthcare, I’m an OB/GYN nurse at Physicians To Women and William is a med tech at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, we are accustomed to tubes, IVs, machines and ventilators but it’s a completely scenario when it’s your own baby. We named our miracle Olivia (means peace) Elizabeth (means God’s gracious gift). She was our third pregnancy after losing our son, Cameron Alexander at 16 weeks and a miscarriage at 7 weeks. Our summer consisted of frequent visits to the NICU and phone calls for updates when we weren’t at her bedside. Olivia was and still is a fighter as she constantly pulled out her breathing tube. Although she could breathe on her own, the nurses explained that she needed to conserve her energy to gain weight. Olivia had to learn to drink my breast milk from a bottle and breathe at the same time. Seems like a simple task but after a few days, we were pleased to capture a picture of our preemie not only drinking her nourishment but holding the bottle. Olivia received two blood transfusions during her stay and still has scars on her heels from the constant needle sticks. Olivia was constantly monitored as she would occasional “forget” to breathe. We were told of numerous discharge dates only to have our dreams of taking her home dashed until she would have no “spells” for 5 consecutive days. We were able to use this time to prepare her nursery and for parenthood. William and I brought Olivia home on August 27, 1991 weighing 4 pounds 4 ounces. She had bilateral hernia surgery in October, 1991 with no problems and has stigmatism in her left eye that is corrected with eye glasses and contacts.
Today, Olivia is an answer to numerous prayers. She has excelled in her scholastic career. She is a 2009 graduate of North Cross School, Roanoke, Virginia and 2012 graduate of the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia. She is presently working for the Law Offices of Daniel L Crandall in Roanoke, Virginia with plans to become a paralegal.
Olivia is our “miracle” and has a bright and promising future. She is why we support the March of Dimes in hopes that every pregnancy will produce a healthy, live and thriving baby.
Lovingly submitted by her mother,
Cynthia W. Langhorn
