The Compass – Fort Worth Spring 2021 | Page 4

PROGRAMS

Surrounded by Love

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Andrews Women ’ s Hospital cares for our littlest patients

or Sarah and Rick Kline , the path to parenthood was arduous . They struggled to get pregnant and were scared when they learned at the first anatomy scan that their developing baby boy ’ s femurs were bowed . After meeting with the specialist at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth and learning that this was a relatively normal diagnosis for this time at gestation , Sarah and Rick were able to relax a bit .
However , at only 34 weeks pregnant , Sarah , a teacher in Weatherford ISD , woke up at 4:30 a . m . one school day to find that her water had broken . Baby Vance Kline was born on Friday , September 25 , 2020 . Born six weeks premature , Vance went straight to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ( NICU ) at Andrews Women ’ s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White – Fort Worth for observation and to help his lungs get stronger .
Sarah was released from the hospital on Sunday , but only a few hours after
Sarah and Rick Kline , with their son , Vance returning home , she began running a fever . Aware of the hospital ’ s COVID-19 protocols , she knew she would be unable to return to see her 2-day-old baby in the NICU .
Desperate to shake her fever , Sarah visited several doctors and tried antibiotics to no avail . Knowing she was scheduled to have surgery for kidney stones after her baby was born , Sarah contacted her urologist , who provided her with antibiotics that finally broke her fever .
Fever-free , Sarah was able to attend a pre-operative CAT scan where she was diagnosed with a rare , serious chronic inflammatory disorder of the kidney . Surgery to remove her left kidney was scheduled for the following week , allowing Sarah just enough time to return to the NICU to visit and spend time with Vance before undergoing this unexpected surgery .
Arriving at the NICU after a week away from her newborn , Sarah was shocked to see just how quickly Rick had become
“ Superdad ” with the support of the NICU team . Rick had taken to his new role as a parent . Both Sarah and Rick were so grateful for the staff of the NICU for helping Rick in Sarah ’ s absence , and they both became very close with the nursing team . Sarah even nominated nurse Jenny Womack , R . N ., for a prestigious Daisy award .
After her surgery , Sarah was released and returned to the NICU to be with her baby . Vance spent his first month in the NICU before being cleared to go home . Sarah noted that the NICU can feel isolating , especially after her husband returned to work . But she says she is so thankful for the leadership of the NICU nursing team and the support provided by the lactation consultants who checked on her during her absence from the hospital to ensure she had everything she needed to continue providing for Vance . Sarah was also relieved to know that she could check in on Vance through the Angel Eyes video system , which was provided through philanthropic funding .
Rick and Sarah report that Vance , who is now 6 months old , is doing great . He is a spitting image of Sarah and meeting all of his milestones . Sarah said the key to their success was asking plenty of questions and learning from the team of trained NICU nurses at every turn . Rick even noted the bright side of their stay in the NICU was that Vance was on a consistent sleep schedule by the time he arrived home !
For more information about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , please contact Geraldine Williams at 817.922.7711 or Geraldine . Williams @ BSWHealth . org .
4
THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / SPRING 2021