Annika Volschenk My Micro Preemie

Our miracle daughter was born on the 22/01/2020, weighing 640g and about 30cm in lenght.

She was born at 29 weeks exactly.

I had developed hypertension in December 2019 while I was pregnant, I was booked into the hospital for one night and sent home the next day on 500mg of hy-po-tone, things where fine until I had my next doctors visit, she found protein in my urine and booked me in ASAP (this was on the 16th of January 2020) so then I stayed and hoped the doctor would send me home the next day again, but she didn't. They did blood tests and a glucose screening and as it turned out I had pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. The Dr said the blood tests have show my kidneys not functioning properly due to the pre-eclampsia. On the Tuesday(21/01/2020) I was suppose to have a 4D scan and a diagnostics scan. The horror struck when she said the blood flow in the umbilical cord is not constant (absent end-diastolic flow) and there was only 2.7cm of amniotic fluid left at 29 weeks. She wrote a report to my OBGYN and as we got back to my room the nurse said the Dr wants to see me, so when seeing the Dr she said we will have to take her out tomorrow (yes, take her out. I don't feel like I birthed my baby girl) which was the Wednesday she was born, and with that she was already 4 weeks behind on growth so actually being the size of a 24/25 weeker.

So the day came, I have never been this frightened in my life as they rolled me to the theater. I went in and as the anesthesiologist was poking me saying " I can find her spine", I freaked out a little bit more wanting to run for the hills but also knowing my baby has to be taken out otherwise she might not make it. Surgery was over and done with I felt like dying when they woke me up because of the pain... The surgery went great but, the not seeing your baby and not knowing if she is okay, then finally knowing she is okay, but still not being able to see her because of all the PAIN; It really takes a toll on you emotions. This NICU journey as taken it's toll on me in every way possible, I would not wish this upon anyone and i most definitely wouldn't wish away this experience, it has given me so much knowledge.

Enough about me.

She is doing wonderfully, her weight is going up at least 30-40g a day and she will most probably be home by Easter this year(10/04/2020).

Follow her progress on facebook.

Annika Volschenk.

She has proven to me how miraculous our God is and how He does give of what you ask.

Annika means grace

Grace is what we feel from God.

She is my purest form of grace.