Baby is thriving thanks in part to hospitals collaboration and care

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- Welcoming a child is hard enough, but complications can make it even more challenging.

“It hurt, I mean obviously you wanted to try to have like what every mom imagines, you know for those magic moments. So, seeing you know your child being wheeled off right away and having those complications, wasn’t easy.”

Those are the words of Ashley Morris, of Clarks, who saw her son wheeled away shortly after giving birth.

She discovered late in her pregnancy that she had pre-eclampsia. When left untreated, the condition can have a detrimental health impact to the mother and baby. 

Doctors advised her to have an early delivery. On Feb. 3, she drove to Grand Island Regional Medical Center for her scheduled induction.

The next morning, Morris began the birthing process. During labor she had an unexpected reaction to an epidural. 

After many complications she delivered a baby boy, via emergency C-section. He was immediately intubated on a ventilator. 

One of the neonatal nurse practitioners, Amy Sytsma recalls the situation. 

“Both Ashley and Jackson were in a very crucial, desperate state right then and there," Sytsma said. "It took the quick responding of the whole team to get her back there and to get the baby out safely.”

Sytsma immediately reached out to the NICU at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln. She relayed important information about Jackson to neonatologist, Dr. Craig Sitzman. 

Within minutes, the NICU transport team at Bryan gathered its equipment, jumped into an ambulance and headed west.

The team utilized a portable isolette with advanced equipment to help with the delicate transport of tiny patients. 

“He required full breathing support with a breathing tube," Sitzman said. "He was already undergoing cooling which requires a lot specialized monitoring equipment, which we immediately started applying.”

Doctors believed his best treatment option was neonatal therapeutic hypothermia. This method reduces a baby’s body temperature in order to slow disease progression and improve health. 

After the emergency C-section, Morris was moved to inpatient care at Grand Island Regional Medical. For three days Jackson remained in a cooled state and his body temperature was kept at 72 degrees. Slowly, they raised it, removed the ventilator and stabilized his condition.

After five days in the hospital Morris was well enough to be discharged. She immediately made the drive to Lincoln to be reunited with her son. 

After a few weeks, Jackson was well enough to be transported back to the NICU at Grand Island Regional Medical Center for care that was closer to home.

Morris said that Jackson now weighs over 11 pounds and he’s home.

“Things are good," Morris said. "He is eating. He’s gaining weight. He doesn’t really have any major problems, so far, that we’ve seen. So, he’s doing really good, and he’s thriving.”