Pamela Abboud knew her daughter would have a difficult road ahead of her when she was born at just 23 weeks and 657 grams, just over a pound of butter. Doctors typically consider the 24-week mark to be the point of potential viability, but from the beginning, baby Sophia was a fighter.
“Every part of her life was medically supported for the first couple of months,” recalls Pamela.
Amongst all the complications she was up against, her biggest challenge was her lungs. Sophia had to be intubated immediately after birth and was on a ventilator for 25 days. Her delicate skin proved to be another obstacle as she would get lesions from bandages and the equipment, requiring antibiotics to fight off infections.
It seemed that every time Sophia would recover from one scare, another one would pop up, but one thing remained constant, her ability to overcome each roadblock that was put in her way.
Early in Pamela’s pregnancy she was diagnosed with complete previa, where the entire cervix is obstructed and almost always requires a caesarean section. At her 20-week ultrasound, she was showing signs of early labour and was admitted to the hospital multiple times.
During one of these visits, Pamela was in a lot of discomfort and when her doctor checked her, she was fully dilated. Teams sprung into action to prepare an operating room, but Sophia had other plans and despite doctors thinking she couldn’t be born naturally, as soon as Pamela was put on a bed, Sophia was born.
She was whisked away into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Foothills Medical Centre while her mother had to recover after losing 2.6L of blood, requiring a blood transfusion.
It was a long 12 hours before mother and daughter were reunited and their journey through the NICU would begin.
“I can’t think of one single thing that I would change about her team or her care. They were so dedicated to her.”
Sophia remained at the NICU at Foothills Medical Centre for over three months before she became strong enough to go to a lower level NICU at Rockyview General Hospital. In total, she spent four and a half months in the NICU.
She will be celebrating her first birthday in April and is doing very well – most people who meet Sophia could never tell she was a micro-preemie. She’s been followed closely by a team of professionals who follow her lung, eyes and heart development.
“We’re forever grateful for everything the NICU staff did for our baby. I know their lives aren’t easy doing what they do, day in and day out. I hope they know how appreciated they are. They will always be part of our family.”
Pamela and Sophia will be walking in the Mercedes-Benz NICU Charity Fashion Show, a cause that has become very important to their family.
“The money raised goes directly to Calgary NICUs and I know firsthand how important the work is that goes on there. I wouldn’t have my baby if it wasn’t for the NICU. Not only that, but they gave her the best chance at life possible.”
She understands how limited the space is for critically ill babies that require intensive care in Southern Alberta. The equipment required to support these babies is incredibly expensive and she hopes that all the money raised will help ease that burden so those amazing staff who work in the NICU have access to the latest technology to help babies thrive.
Please consider donating to support families and patients like Sophia and Pamela.
