2017 CMN Miracle Child Alyssa Rushen

Amanda and Steve Rushen have had a very disturbing history of pregnancy loss…

A few months after they had their 6th miscarriage they found out they were pregnant again.

“We were surprised that we got pregnant again.” Said Amanda Rushen. “We didn’t think it would happen as fast as we did.”

Amanda and Steve went to see Dr. Lisa Moore, a peri-natologist at University Medical Center. Doctor Moore did an abdominal cerclage on Amanda. Doctor Moore explains what a cerclage is. “A cerclage is a surgical procedure where we put a stitch around the mouth of the uterus to hold it closed so the pregnancy remains in place.”

The procedures helped Amanda to get through the first months of her pregnancy. In January, Doctor Moore decided to admit Amanda to University Medical Center. She was on bed rest for a month. On her 25th week of her pregnancy her water broke.

“All of a sudden the nurses came running into the room and said that the baby was in distress and I was going for an emergency C-section.” Said Amanda.

At 25 weeks and 4 days gestation Alyssa Rushen was born. She weighed 647 grams. A little less than one and a half pounds. From now on it was up to the specialists at the neonatal intensive care unit at El Paso Children’s Hospital to help her fight for her life.

The next 72 hours were crucial for Alyssa. She was immediately placed inside a giraffe incubator. This critical piece of life-saving equipment was purchased through children’s miracle network.

Doctor Lewis Rubin, Chief neonatologist at El Paso Children’s Hospital took care of Alyssa. “We are able to provide an entire appropriate environment. Body temperature, high humidity, and enclosed these infants without bothering them, so they can salvage their energy and grow.” Said Dr. Rubin.

Alyssa needed help with breathing right from the beginning. She needed to have a tube inserted so that her breathing could be assisted by a machine. And she received the lung liquid the premature babies need.

Alyssa needed to use a life-saving piece of equipment called the high frequency ventilator to help her breathe while her lungs develop and gain strength. El Paso Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in El Paso that has this specific type of ventilator.

“It is something that we were able to bring through Children’s Miracle Network” Said Dr. Rubin. “This is a piece of equipment that really allows us to fine tune mechanical ventilation, is thanks to that that Alyssa has a good lung outcome.”

After 95 days of staying in the hospital, Alyssa finally could go home.

“They became our second family.” Said Amanda. ”And if it wasn’t for them I don’t know where we would be. They give us this gorgeous girl that we get to take home.”

Children’s miracle network has purchased important life-saving equipment for these babies. In most cases the money raised to purchase these devices has been raised one dollar at a time.

Doctors and nurses could not provide the care these babies without your generosity… without your support!

So every time you are asked, Will you donate to Children’s Miracle Network?, think of the many lives you play a part in saving by answering a “yes” to that simple question.

 

Thank you.