Elijah’s Daily Miracle

May 11, 2020 was one of the most terrifying night of my life. It started with excruciating pain that wracked my whole body, a sign that something was definitely not right. Blood started to flow down my thighs and at that moment, fear struck me like it never been before. But the only thing that went through my head as I gritted my teeth was I needed to save my baby.

Everyone around me was tensed, in the verge of panic. The night was silent as the streets were empty because the whole country was in the midst of an enhanced community quarantine. We struggled to find transportation to get to the hospital. And when we finally arrived, we were turned away. At that point, I was almost blind with pain but I understood... they could not accommodate me and my baby because there were COVID-19 patients in the facility and there was no OB-GYN available.

We searched again and again. It took the whole night and the next morning of May 12, 2020 but after three facilities turned us away, we were finally admitted to a private hospital's emergency room. But my blood pressure was at 230/109 and my bleeding continued.

The hospital staff tried to stabilize my condition and I was grateful for their efforts. After five days of being admitted, on May 16, 2020, the doctor decided it would be best to do a C-section to save my child.

I did not know what to think because it was too early... I was not due for another month. I cried due to fear and pain. During that past five days, all I was able to do was to pray to God and ask forgiveness and begged for my child to live.

My prayers were answered because around 1:30 PM, I survived and Elijah, my baby boy, was also alive.

But as I looked at him lie within the incubator, my happiness mingled with me fear. He was only 1.2 kilograms (2.65 pounds). But I was also filled with pride because I can see that he is a fighter. He is fighting to stay with me.

Until now, Elijah is still in the hospital within an incubator.

We are asking for your help as the medical expenses and the challenges of getting medical supplies due to the community quarantine has taken there toll. The C-section procedure has reach a bill of Php 200,000 pesos ($4,000 USD) while Elijah's running medical expenses is now almost Php 250,000 pesos ($5,000 USD), not including medicines and supplies.

In a world forced to a stand-still by the pandemic, we ask for your kind hearts to give baby Elijah a chance as he continue to fight and stay with us.