Maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Geisinger Medical Center started monitoring mom and baby on a weekly basis, watching for any changes – good or bad. Roy remembers the list of possible problems their baby could have, including spina bifida or a deformity. During ultrasounds, they prepared for the possibility that they could see fluid sacs attached to the baby or a baby with no brain. “I’m just not used to letting something in the hands of somebody else – especially something as important as this,” Roy says. “There was nothing I could do but pray. I just kept believing that both of them would be fine.” During the 27th week, Melissa visited the doctors for what was to be a regular glucose tolerance test and was admitted to the hospital. Ben had stopped growing and his heart rate had slowed; he was suffering from intrauterine growth restriction, or IUGR. Melissa also was having a number of problems and was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) – a disease that could affect her liver, damage her blood cells and cause other serious complications. “Basically, he stopped growing and I was dying,” Melissa says. It was an agonizing experience just listening to Ben’s heartbeat, Roy says. “His heart would be pounding along just fine, around 150 beats per minute, like a little rabbit. Then it would slow drastically, below 40 beats per minute, and sound very labored. I was so scared that his little heart would burst or just give out. I hated that sound.” James Cook, MD, director of neonatology at Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, says that IUGR is a relatively uncommon problem. “These babies are lagging behind in growth. Nine out of ten babies at 27 weeks weighed more than Ben,” Dr. Cook says. “In Ben’s case, he was at a point where he should have been between 900 and 1,000 grams, but he weighed less than 700 grams” – a difference of about a half a pound. For both mother and son’s sakes, Ben would have to be delivered early and would be treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. Roy waited to be taken into the operating room, but Melissa’s health had deteriorated so quickly that there wasn’t time to get him, he remembers. “It was a very nerve-wracking moment,” Roy says. “That night would decide if we left the hospital a family of three, two or one.” Only four days after Melissa had been admitted, Ben was born by C-section. He weighed only 1 pound and 7 ounces, and was 11¾ inches long. “I didn’t realize he would be so small,” Melissa says, noting that Roy’s wedding band fit on Ben’s upper thigh. “He looked like a perfectly formed human being – just miniature. His fingernails were just tiny pinpricks.” Though he looked perfect, Ben was battling a number of problems. He had two hernias. He could not tolerate his formula and was suspected to have gastroesophageal reflux. His potassium levels were low, and he had a Vitamin A deficiency. He was suffering from anemia and apnea of prematurity. The list of complications Ben would have to overcome was extensive. Of all his problems, Ben’s lungs were one of the main concerns for his doctors. Because he had been born so early, his lungs had not fully developed; he was on a ventilator to help him breathe. “Ben had more problems with his lungs than we expect to see,” Cook says, “and he needed to be on oxygen longer than we thought he would.” The oxygen would help him until he grew and his lungs were strong enough to help him breathe on his own. For 84 days and 14 hours, Ben battled these issues and more. His health often would move two steps forward, followed by one step back, Melissa says, adding that, despite all of the problems he faced, Ben still was fortunate not to have some of the difficulties that other premature babies do. His parents put their faith in God to lead the doctors caring for him. It was a slow process, but Ben overcame each of his problems, one by one. He was growing and getting stronger, and his parents celebrated every ounce. Everyone, including Cook, was somewhat surprised when it finally was time for Ben to go home. “Once he started growing, it happened very quickly. He gained weight faster and started feeding well,” Cook says. Melissa and Roy also were surprised – and a little scared at the prospect of bringing home their tiny newborn, their firstborn, without having doctors and nurses nearby. It still was a few days before his anticipated due date, and while he had grown considerably in the NICU, he weighed only 4 pounds. “It was traumatic,” Melissa smiles. “He was coming home with a monitor and all these medications. … In a way, we were fortunate to have a three-month training on how to care for him.” She says they also were fortunate to have had such skilled caregivers taking care of their son for those three months. “We weren’t aware of how good the program at Geisinger is,” she says. “It’s what you think of when you think of a big-city hospital.” They are very grateful, she says, and that gratitude extends to the entire staff at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital – from the doctors and nurses to the cleaning staff – and to Ben’s Geisinger pediatrician, Michelle Neff-Bulger, DO, who saw Ben through a number of follow-up appointments and continues to care for him – and his new baby brother, Brian – today. “You can see Ben getting better every year,” Melissa says. “He’s really bright and doing very well.” “I never understood the bond between a father and son, until now. I can’t imagine my life without him,” Roy says. “I know we went through this experience so we could share with others what a success Ben has been, and there is hope for other people who are at the beginning of the journey we have been through. I only pray that I am up to the challenge to raise him right. If sharing his story helps one person keep going or gives them comfort, it was worth it.” | 
