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Isabella and Olivia Rose were born at 26 weeks weighing just over a pound and two pounds even on January 7, 2024, at the Wynn Hospital in Utica, New York.
The twins received initial treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Wynn under the care of Rebecca Deeley, M.D., neonatologist and practice medical director, and the team at Pediatrix® Neonatology of New York in Utica. They were then transferred to a tertiary care center and returned to the Wynn for the remainder of their care. After three months of total NICU time, Isabella and Olivia have defied all odds and are now thriving one-year-olds.
“It’s really been such a journey this year,” said mom Hannah. “I feel like if I were to look back a year ago, I never would have thought that they have made so much progress and growth as they have today.”
Special Delivery
As Hannah began showing signs of preterm labor, she nervously prepared for delivery. Dr. Deeley sat with her at the bedside as she was getting an ultrasound done to see the positioning of the babies in preparation for the cesarean section.
“When they were born, they obviously weren’t crying or doing the normal things that a baby does,” said Hannah. “So, the emotions started to kick in and I was super anxious and worried, wondering are they going to survive and are their lungs developed enough to be able to sustain life. But Dr. Deeley worked her magic; her team stabilized and intubated them and performed the necessary protocols. It seemed pretty seamless, and that kept my mind at ease as well. Even though they were so premature, the delivery itself went very smoothly. I felt a little better after that, having them out and getting them the care they needed.”
After receiving their initial care at the Wynn, Isabella and Olivia were transported to a tertiary care center NICU, where they spent the next two months.
“But then they came back,” said Dr. Deeley. “That’s the amazing part about where I work – we get transports back from our tertiary care center. We got to work with the twins for another month.”
Building Life Skills
Back at the Wynn, the care team’s goal was to prepare Isabella and Oliva for discharge by developing their feeding skills and helping them meet the rest of their developmental milestones.
“Hannah and her husband and the grandparents were able to come visit and help with the girls because we have private patient rooms, so they got to be there as much as they want,” said Dr. Deeley. “We also have physical, occupational and speech therapists that work with the babies, which is a rarity in a Level II unit.”
Before going home, the twins needed to move from an isolette to an open crib by regulating their body temperatures more efficiently without the use of the heat; wean from high-flow oxygen, to low-flow oxygen to room air; and continue to gain weight and strength in occupational and physical therapy.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster that last month, but the individualized care we received in the private room and the intimacy of it with Dr. Deeley was amazing,” said Hannah. “She really goes above and beyond to spend time with her patients and not wash anything under the rug. It was a double room, so they were able to be together. We were able to hold them and do kangaroo care to bond them together. It was just such a great experience at the end.”
Beating the Odds
Isabella and Olivia turned one in January. The Roses hosted a ‘Winter ONEderland’ themed party to celebrate the milestone with family and friends.
Now a year-and-a-half old, the girls are thriving and meeting all their milestones. They’ve been evaluated by occupational, physical and speech therapists and are in the average range for everything. They were also cleared by a neurodevelopmental pediatrician.
“They’ve done so well,” said Dr. Deeley. “It was a pleasure to be taking care of Hannah and her girls. We kind of walked with them through the steps, meeting Hannah beforehand, being there when they were born, shipping them off and being there when they came back. The day they got to go home was a full-circle moment. I feel very lucky to get that opportunity and be a part of their life.”
“I can’t say enough amazing things about Dr. Deeley,” said Hannah. “She made a traumatic experience for a family a bearable one. She didn’t just treat them, she treated us.”
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