Erica

Erica became a mom right after her 20th birthday and right before her boyfriend's 18th birthday.

When she was pregnant, she and her boyfriend Phillip didn't tell anyone for close to a month after they first found out. They just weren't sure what to do.

In July of 2007 Erica was the passenger in a car which rear ended the car in front of them. The police officer who came to the scene of the accident made Erica go to the hospital. When she heard her baby's heart beating for the first time, at 9 weeks pregnant, she knew that she would love this baby forever and always be there for her child.

In October she had her first ultrasound. Erica and Phillip were so excited to meet their baby and find out if it was a boy or a girl. The ultrasound technician acted as if the baby were perfectly healthy and told them that they were expecting a little boy. After the ultrasound, Phillip went to school and left Erica at her doctor's appointment.

When the doctor came in Erica found out that her baby boy had club feet, an abnormal heart, a small chin and a host of other things that pointed towards Edwards Syndrome. All she could do was cry. When she had seen the screen all she had been able to see was a piece of perfection that she had helped to create. She was sent to a bigger hospital the next day to get a higher ultrasound, a 4d, and had various doctors looking at her little boy all day. They found out that the congenital abnormalities were something that the previous ultrasound had picked up but the new ultrasound had ruled out. Luckily it was not Edwards Syndrome. But the club feet still remained.

 

For the rest of Erica's pregnancy she was in and out of the hospital. She and Phillip picked the name Kasey during one of these visits. On December 26, 2007 she went into preterm labor. Steroids and other drugs helped her and she was placed on bedrest to help her baby stay inside. While on bed rest she did nothing but research club feet, realizing so few know about it while it affects 1 in every 2,000 babies born.

 

Her baby was born on February 9, 2008 a healthy 6 pounds 12 ounces 20 inches long. She got to take him home and hold him and love him. They went through the first step of treatment, casting from his knees all the way down. Then, less then a month after he was born they were back at the hospital. He had to have a spinal tap because an x-ray had shown spots on his lungs. The doctors told her to expect the worst, meningitis, but also said they would do their best. He ended up having a kidney infection and in just over a month he was fine.

 

Since then, Erica says, there have been falls down the stairs, falls off the beds, falls in the yard, there have been bumps, bruises and cuts. Each time one happens she can feel his pain and she remembers when she made a promise, after hearing that strong heartbeat, that he would never have to bear it alone.

 

Erica's son Kasey turned five this year. Erica says it is amazing to see how much her son is growing every day, he's starting kindergarten already!  Phillip and Erica have been together over 7 years and they are doing excellent, working on buying a house and getting married. Erica graduated from college in December of 2011with a degree in Criminal Justice and Phillip owns his own business. They're happy, healthy and working together and Erica says:" there isn't any more that I could ask for."