On October 26, 2019, Heather Dannelley and her husband, Scott, were running some pre-Halloween errands when their day took a turn for the worse. What should have been a day filled with sweet treats and costume crafting was suddenly cut short by a serious car accident – another car flew through a stop sign and t-boned Heather and Scott at 60 mph. At 26 weeks pregnant with her first child, a daughter, the accident left Heather shaken and experiencing severe abdominal pain. Terrified, she was transported immediately by ambulance to WakeMed Raleigh Campus.
Placental Abruption
Upon Heather’s arrival to WakeMed, her care team quickly determined that she had experienced a placental abruption, and she was immediately admitted to the hospital. There, she spent the rest of the weekend being treated with steroid shots to help her daughter’s lungs develop, just in case an emergency delivery was needed. Fortunately, after several days of close observation and treatment, both Heather and her daughter’s condition had improved. She was discharged with orders to remain on bed rest, and scheduled a follow-up appointment with a specialist to determine next steps.
An Untimely Delivery
However, mom and baby weren’t out of the woods yet. After only one week at home, Heather woke up in the middle of the night to sharp abdominal pain and bleeding. She and her husband immediately rushed back to WakeMed, where she was informed that her water had broken, and she would be hospitalized until her daughter’s delivery.
“We were hopeful that delivery would be several weeks down the road,” Heather said, “I was given antibiotics and we hoped for the best.”
Despite all efforts, Heather went into labor just a few days later on November 6. Her contractions returned with a heightened intensity, and she began to dilate. Her team made the decision to transfer her to a labor and delivery room, where she was given magnesium and once again told to wait.
“All day we just kept hoping labor would stop,” Heather said. “I was so determine that I was not going to deliver that I didn’t even ask for an epidural – turns out that was a huge mistake!” she added.
When it became clear that there was no stopping her daughter’s arrival, Heather was moved to an operating room that was in closer proximity to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“Delivery was terrifying,” Heather said, “but I had an amazing experience during delivery despite the circumstances. The nurses who helped me were angels and provided incredible care on the hardest day of my life.”
Everleigh’s Grand Entrance
After a harrowing delivery, her daughter, she named Everleigh, made her grand entrance at nearly 3 months premature. Weighing in at just 2 pounds 4 ounces, she was quickly rushed to the NICU. “I didn’t see Everleigh after delivery,” said Heather, “she was taken immediately and put on a ventilator. But, on the way to the NICU, she pulled her tube out! She always has been a fighter.”
In the NICU, Everleigh received constant and attentive care. Physical therapy, light therapy, respiratory care, and lactation therapy quickly became a part of her daily routine. “Scott and I were terrified, overwhelmed, sleep deprived, and extremely stressed.” Heather shared. “We drove to the NICU every single day, where I would usually stay for 8+ hours. It was very important for us to be a part of her care – we wanted to learn and be present for everything.”
Finally, after spending 86 days in the NICU, Everleigh was healthy enough to go home on January 30, 2020 – exactly one day before her due date on January 31. A year and a half later, both mom and baby are still healthy and happy.
“Everleigh is so full of life – she is always smiling and laughing,” Heather said, “She is the sweetest little girl.”
Since Everleigh’s delivery, Heather has continuously expressed her gratitude for her care team at WakeMed. Thanks to them, she and her family are more joyful than ever.
“WakeMed was above and beyond anything we could have hoped for. I still talk to several people who cared for Everleigh.”
About WakeMed Neonatal Intensive Care
WakeMed is proud to offer a high level of neonatal expertise with physicians and nurses who specialize in high-risk obstetric care, an expert team of maternal fetal medicine specialists, and the clinical expertise, vast experience, and technological resources available in the neonatal nursery or intensive care. Read more about what makes our neonatal care special by visiting Neonatal Intensive Care, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Raleigh & Wake County, NC.
