From the very beginning, my pregnancy was rough. I had extreme hyperemesis requiring IV fluids at home for several months. Even with the hyperemesis, all ultrasounds revealed a healthy, bouncing baby boy that was due November, 1997.
In early September, I began having "contractions" that were diagnosed as Braxton Hicks. In my first pregnancy I had the same thing that began around 35 weeks. I assumed this was normal and would subside with exercise. On September 9th, I began to have significant cramping (not like contractions), vomiting and diarrhea. I called the doctor who referred me to Labor and Delivery for evaluation. I went to the hospital, they monitored me, told me that it was a virus, and treated my symptoms. Fair enough...so I treated my symptoms and carried on. On September 10th, I became very ill, I spiked a fever of 101, cramping increased, diarrhea increased, and I felt really bad and not normal. I wasn't responding to "treating my symptoms". I again called the doctor and was again told to continue treating my symptoms and up my dosage of Tylenol. In the very early morning hours of September 12th, I got up to get my toddler son ready for the babysitter's when I blacked out and fell in the hallway of our home. I was immediately rushed to the ER. The ER doctor suspected something more than the "flu" was going on. She ordered several tests, including a stool sample (because by this time, I was passing nothing but water). Before all of the tests could be completed, I was transferred to L&D for further evaluation per orders from my OB/GYN.
Once up there, I told the nurses that I collected my stool sample and that it needed to be sent to the lab. The nurse called down to the ER and asked if there was an order for a stool sample. The ER tech said they couldn't find any and that it wasn't warranted. The stool sample was discarded. The staff began monitoring the baby because I had also told them that his movements had slowed down considerably. His heart rate was really high and he wasn't responding to stimulation as expected...at this time my fever had spiked to 104. While doing my intake paperwork, I told the nurse that I had tested positive for Strep B in a urinalysis after my first pregnancy and asked if that could this be causing all of my symptoms. The nurse basically said, "No...this is just the flu." My OB/GYN came in around 8:30 a.m. and told me that I had the flu and that in order to terminate the flu she had to deliver the baby. I again asked her if this could be Strep B and got the same answer..."No, it's the flu." Needless to say, I wasn't educated enough on Strep B to know that I needed antibiotics during labor.
At 8:36 p.m. that evening, my son was born weighing 7lb and 3oz. He was beautiful, he looked healthy, he had a very strong cry, but immediately the nurse whisked him out of the room for "further evaluation." My son, Talor, began grunting and struggling to breathe. It took the pediatrician 4 hours to come in to evaluate the situation at which time he counseled me on that he felt my son had a heart defect and that was causing his lack of oxygen. He requested that my son be sent to the Children's Hospital (8 miles away.)
The Baby Buggy arrived and because his symptoms progressed so quickly, they were unable to intubate him onsite and had to ambu bag my son the entire drive to the Children's Hospital.
Upon arrival, we were told that Talor was gravely ill and that they didn't think he would make the day. The only hope that we had was ECMO. He was placed on ECMO within two hours of arriving in the NICU.
When I arrived at the NICU, the neonatologist walked into the room and told me that he had not seen a case of Strep B this intense in twenty something years. He said, "Sweetie, if we knew you were positive, you could've been treated with anaphylactic antibiotics." I told him that they did know as I had told all medical personnel. His look was priceless. He told me this would have been expected in the 1970's before GBS testing but not in the 90's.
For six long days, my son struggled to survive. On the fourth day he developed a Grade II brain bleed (a common side effect of ECMO with a septic infant.) I kept the hope that he would get through this, no matter what, no matter what disabilities. I just wanted my son to live. On the morning of September 18th, in the NICU I knew that something was wrong. It was eerily quiet and I knew that he had just had a CT Head to evaluate the bleed. It was when the neonatologist walked in that I knew immediately that this was a day that I would have to make a decision. He asked me to step into his office. He explained that Talor had a massive brain bleed, that he would have some level of retardation, he would be blind, he would be deaf, he would be immobile and that he would never be able to live at home with his disabilities. In 30 seconds, my whole life flipped...I chose to turn the ECMO off and let my son go peacefully. Talor fought the fight to the best that his little body could and he deserved more than to be a human life in a vegetative state. At 10:30, they brought my son to me to hold for the very first and last time. My son earned his Angel Wings at 10:36 a.m. in my arms. I remember kissing him, telling him that I love him and fly high with the angels.
I fought at our local hospital to require GBS testing for ALL EXPECTANT MOTHERS. (GBSI Note: Testing was not routine for all pregnant women in the USA until 2002.) I had to go before the Physician Board and tell my story...my story that my son could have potentially survived if I had been treated during my labor. When asked how did I know that, I replied, Dr. Sir, I have birthed two sons since, I was treated in labor, they were both premature and they both survived. Dr. Sir, the antibiotic treatment DOES save lives.
— Jenn Casolari, USA
Jenn fought at her local hospital to require GBS testing for ALL EXPECTANT MOTHERS before testing was routine for all pregnant women in the USA.
In early September, I began having "contractions" that were diagnosed as Braxton Hicks. In my first pregnancy I had the same thing that began around 35 weeks. I assumed this was normal and would subside with exercise. On September 9th, I began to have significant cramping (not like contractions), vomiting and diarrhea. I called the doctor who referred me to Labor and Delivery for evaluation. I went to the hospital, they monitored me, told me that it was a virus, and treated my symptoms. Fair enough...so I treated my symptoms and carried on. On September 10th, I became very ill, I spiked a fever of 101, cramping increased, diarrhea increased, and I felt really bad and not normal. I wasn't responding to "treating my symptoms". I again called the doctor and was again told to continue treating my symptoms and up my dosage of Tylenol. In the very early morning hours of September 12th, I got up to get my toddler son ready for the babysitter's when I blacked out and fell in the hallway of our home. I was immediately rushed to the ER. The ER doctor suspected something more than the "flu" was going on. She ordered several tests, including a stool sample (because by this time, I was passing nothing but water). Before all of the tests could be completed, I was transferred to L&D for further evaluation per orders from my OB/GYN.
Once up there, I told the nurses that I collected my stool sample and that it needed to be sent to the lab. The nurse called down to the ER and asked if there was an order for a stool sample. The ER tech said they couldn't find any and that it wasn't warranted. The stool sample was discarded. The staff began monitoring the baby because I had also told them that his movements had slowed down considerably. His heart rate was really high and he wasn't responding to stimulation as expected...at this time my fever had spiked to 104. While doing my intake paperwork, I told the nurse that I had tested positive for Strep B in a urinalysis after my first pregnancy and asked if that could this be causing all of my symptoms. The nurse basically said, "No...this is just the flu." My OB/GYN came in around 8:30 a.m. and told me that I had the flu and that in order to terminate the flu she had to deliver the baby. I again asked her if this could be Strep B and got the same answer..."No, it's the flu." Needless to say, I wasn't educated enough on Strep B to know that I needed antibiotics during labor.
At 8:36 p.m. that evening, my son was born weighing 7lb and 3oz. He was beautiful, he looked healthy, he had a very strong cry, but immediately the nurse whisked him out of the room for "further evaluation." My son, Talor, began grunting and struggling to breathe. It took the pediatrician 4 hours to come in to evaluate the situation at which time he counseled me on that he felt my son had a heart defect and that was causing his lack of oxygen. He requested that my son be sent to the Children's Hospital (8 miles away.)
The Baby Buggy arrived and because his symptoms progressed so quickly, they were unable to intubate him onsite and had to ambu bag my son the entire drive to the Children's Hospital.
Upon arrival, we were told that Talor was gravely ill and that they didn't think he would make the day. The only hope that we had was ECMO. He was placed on ECMO within two hours of arriving in the NICU.
When I arrived at the NICU, the neonatologist walked into the room and told me that he had not seen a case of Strep B this intense in twenty something years. He said, "Sweetie, if we knew you were positive, you could've been treated with anaphylactic antibiotics." I told him that they did know as I had told all medical personnel. His look was priceless. He told me this would have been expected in the 1970's before GBS testing but not in the 90's.
For six long days, my son struggled to survive. On the fourth day he developed a Grade II brain bleed (a common side effect of ECMO with a septic infant.) I kept the hope that he would get through this, no matter what, no matter what disabilities. I just wanted my son to live. On the morning of September 18th, in the NICU I knew that something was wrong. It was eerily quiet and I knew that he had just had a CT Head to evaluate the bleed. It was when the neonatologist walked in that I knew immediately that this was a day that I would have to make a decision. He asked me to step into his office. He explained that Talor had a massive brain bleed, that he would have some level of retardation, he would be blind, he would be deaf, he would be immobile and that he would never be able to live at home with his disabilities. In 30 seconds, my whole life flipped...I chose to turn the ECMO off and let my son go peacefully. Talor fought the fight to the best that his little body could and he deserved more than to be a human life in a vegetative state. At 10:30, they brought my son to me to hold for the very first and last time. My son earned his Angel Wings at 10:36 a.m. in my arms. I remember kissing him, telling him that I love him and fly high with the angels.
I fought at our local hospital to require GBS testing for ALL EXPECTANT MOTHERS. (GBSI Note: Testing was not routine for all pregnant women in the USA until 2002.) I had to go before the Physician Board and tell my story...my story that my son could have potentially survived if I had been treated during my labor. When asked how did I know that, I replied, Dr. Sir, I have birthed two sons since, I was treated in labor, they were both premature and they both survived. Dr. Sir, the antibiotic treatment DOES save lives.
— Jenn Casolari, USA
Jenn fought at her local hospital to require GBS testing for ALL EXPECTANT MOTHERS before testing was routine for all pregnant women in the USA.