An Amazing Family

My sister Ashlee and her husband Neil have spent the last month enduring some very stressful and unimaginable circumstances. After trying unsuccessfully to conceive they turned to IVF (like Ken and myself) to get pregnant. Their first round was last December and they got a positive pregnancy test. Sadly my sister miscarried at around 6 weeks. In May they went for their second round of IVF. They were excited and thrilled to have another positive pregnancy test along with an ultrasound showing they'd be expecting twins the end of January.

Ashlee was having a good and uneventful pregnancy until the end of September when she was around 22 weeks pregnant. While laying on the couch and relaxing, her water for one of the babies broke. After driving two hours to get to the hospital (yes, we live in the boondocks) she underwent some tests. She then was rushed by ambulance another 100 miles to a hospital in Bismarck, ND. It turned out she had some sort of infection (they think some sort of staph) that caused her water to break. She was put on bed rest and had to stay in the hospital until she delivered, which we hoped would still be a number of months away. The first couple of days had their ups and downs and she finally got to a place where she was stable. The babies and Ashlee were constantly monitored and both babies seemed to be doing good. It looked like Ashlee was going to have a long couple of months laying in a hospital bed.

That all changed the night of October 8th. Right before bed time the nurses came in to check the babies heart rates. All looked good, Ashlee took her sleeping pill and got ready for some rest. She went to the bathroom and noticed some blood. The nurse checked and said not to worry. A couple of minutes later she went to the bathroom again and there was more blood. The nurse came in again and they got her to bed and checked the babies again. Ten minutes later Kirsten Hope was born stillborn. Åshlee then had to make the decision if she wanted to have a c-section to deliver the other baby or try to keep it in longer. If she started to have contractions the other baby might not make it, but it was still so early for it to be born. Ashlee was 24 weeks pregnant. The doctor told her that neither was a good option, but she had a decision to make. Neil had been home in Baker and was on the road for the 3 1/2 hour drive to Bismarck when this was happening. Ashlee opted for the c-section. Kynlie Faith was born in the early morning on October 9th. She weighed 1 pound 4.5 ounces and was 12 3/4 inches long. The neonatal doctor came and talked to Ashlee and told her she absolutely made the right decision. Kynlie was doing amazing and has continued to do amazing in her short 3 1/2 weeks with us.

Kirsten had the infection that my sister had and held on long enough in the womb to give Kynlie a fighting chance at life. There was no way of telling and nothing could have been done to save her. I can't describe the heartbreak my family has went through with the loss of Kirsten. Ashlee and Neil have been amazingly strong in dealing with their heartbreak also.

Kynlie will be in to hospital until probably sometime in January. My sister has settled in at the Ronald McDonald house down the street from the hospital. Neil travels back and forth when he can. Kynlie has defied the odds and is a fighter. She's doing great and now just needs to do some growing.

I can only hope that if faced with a challenge like this I could be half as strong as my sister and Neil have been. Their little family of three is incredible and please keep prayers coming their way. If you're interested in following Kynlie's progress just click on the link to the right that says Kynlie Moore.