By Mandy Catoe
For The Lancaster News
October 1, 2017
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| Photo By Mandy Catoe |
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| By Mandy Catoe |
Holden was born 10 weeks early and weighed 2 pounds, 5 ounces. He spent his first 94 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Novant Health Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte.
“No parent should have to experience the heart-wrenching journey that happens when a baby is born too soon,” said Emily Hunter. “That’s why we’re honored to have this opportu10nity to help the March of Dimes continue working to give every baby a fighting chance by sharing Holden’s story.”
Holden was due July 13, 2016, but was born by emergency C-section on May 1. His early birth saved his mother’s life.
Emily developed severe eclampsia, a life-threatening disease that develops only during pregnancy. It’s characterized by high blood pressure, liver damage and low platelets, and it can cause seizures and strokes.
The rare disease typically shows up late in the pregnancy. It reduces the blood supply to the developing fetus. The only cure is childbirth. The later the disease appears, the better for the mother and the child.
Emily developed the disease early. Saving her put Holden at risk for the complications of premature birth.
Energetic toddler
This past week, the Hunters, Lancaster residents who have been married for six years, took some time to reflect on the past 17 months.
Brandon, 31, works at UPS. The young couple arranged their lives to have more time with Holden. Emily, a 30-year-old gymnastics teacher, opened her own business, Carolina Elite Gymnastics.
The new parents talked as Holden ran nonstop for an hour on the blue mats covering the floor of Emily’s gym, located in Lancaster Square.
“He is smaller and has some developmental delays,” Emily said. “Other than that, I don’t think many would know he was a preemie if you didn’t tell them.”
He now weighs 20 pounds and is in constant motion. He is always smiling, and his bright blue eyes endlessly search his surroundings for something to climb.
Emily said the only developmental delay she is aware of is speech.
“He should be saying more words, so he goes to therapy twice a week to catch up,” she said.
As his parents talked, Holden climbed and bounced on a mini-trampoline, ate a little chalk, fell a couple of times, laughed a lot, never cried, and brought many smiles to his parents’ faces.
Holden walked early and has been running since. He took swimming lessons just after his first birthday, and his father credits that for his son’s adventurousness.
He says a few words, including “ma ma” and “da da” and “moo.” He is amazingly alert and soaks up everything. He responds to his parents’ questions and never tires of showing them where his belly button is.
He plays patty cake and knows how to swipe his daddy’s iPhone to look at photos.
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| Photo Supplied |
Tough pregnancy
Emily shared the events leading up to her son’s early birth.
At six months into her pregnancy, she knew something was wrong. The obstetrician was puzzled because she was not yet presenting the classic symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Emily sensed that Holden’s movements were decreasing. That allowed the doctors to intervene just in time.
At her six-month checkup, Emily insisted the doctors do another ultrasound. The test was done on April 28, a Thursday. She was admitted to the intensive care unit that day.
The doctors hoped to give Holden as much time in the womb as possible while knowing each day was a risk to Emily’s life. Holden was given steroids to boost his lung development. The doctors tried unsuccessfully to lower Emily’s extremely high blood pressure to avoid a stroke or seizure, and her organs began shutting down. On Sunday, three days after she was admitted to the hospital, Emily had the C-section.
“It was just not a fun pregnancy,” she said.
It took a few days for Emily to stabilize, but after two days she saw her baby for the first time. A week after his birth, she finally held him – on Mother’s Day.
Brandon, 31, an avid photographer, turned to his art to cope. He documented Holden’s daily developments in the NICU. His pictures brought comfort to Emily as she recovered her health.
Community support and faith helped them so much, Brandon said. A relative texted him a prayer at just the right time.
“I still have it on my phone,” he said.
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| Photo by Brandon Hunter |
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| By Mandy Catoe |
As a March of Dimes ambassador family, the Hunters want to raise awareness about preeclampsia, a disease of unknown origin.
Emily’s advice to pregnant women: “Keep your medical appointments. Talk with your doctors. And monitor your body – count those fetal kicks.”
After all they went through, the Hunters are grateful to be where they are now, and have some advice for expectant parents.
“If you have a birth plan, be willing to let it go – that perfect thing you imagined,” Emily said.
“He was worth everything we had to go through,” Brandon said, keeping an eye on his rambunctious toddler. “It was worth everything for that smile right there.”
Want to help?
The Lancaster March for Babies is next Saturday, Oct. 7, at USC Lancaster.
As of Thursday, the local effort had raised 72 percent of its $18,000 goal. Local sponsors include Comporium and CN2, Founders Federal Credit Union, Omnova Solutions and Publix.
Registration for Saturday’s event is 9 a.m. at USCL’s Carole Ray Dowling Center, 509 Hubbard Drive. The walk begins at 9:30. You can join the 3-mile walk or just come for the food and festivities.
For more information or to donate, visit marchforbabies.org.
