Summer’s First Hours

These are the events as they transpired on 6 & 7 Feb 1998 at Alexandria Hospital in Virginia. Re-posted on the occasion of our daughters 16th Birthday this year.

First Hours

09:26  Summer Marie Muccio was born.  She was in a lot of trouble from the circumstances surrounding her delivery.  In the first minute of her life she has no heart beat, respiration, and her skin color was poor.

09:31  After a supreme life saving effort by doctor Z, and a dose of epinephrine, Summer began her battle for survival.  She has a heart beat, is breathing, and her skin color is improving.

09:36  Summer has a stable heart beat, is breathing regularly (although she will require a ventilator  for many weeks), and her skin color has improved 100%.  She is in the fight.

10:30  Dad visits Summer for the first time.  Dad looks over Dr. Z’s shoulder as two tubes are feed into Summer’s umbilical arteries.  These tubes serve two purposes.  First, transfusions and blood can be drawn from the tubes without having to puncture Summer’s skin every time to insert an IV.  Second, vital fluids enter Summer’s body to feed and hydrate her.  The procedure amazes Dad.  Dr. Z’s hands are rock steady as she essentially threads a thread with a thread.  Think about that.

11:30 Dad visits Summer for the second time.  Some of the equipment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) takes on a face and a name.

Bunnell High Frequency Ventilator -  This device was not around four years ago.  Without it, Summer would have little chance for survival.  This ventilator keeps Summer’s lungs expanded with a certain back pressure, then, it vibrates a mixture of air and oxygen at a high frequency (about 400 bpm) into and out of Summer’s expanded lungs, calibrating with a full breath of air ever 30 bpm.  Dr. Bunnell, who is both a doctor and an engineer designed and developed this miracle device.  His home phone number is hand written on a  is 3x5 card taped just beneath the ventilator in case any doctor or nurse has a question.

Monitors - Summer is hooked up to a series of four devices to monitor her vital signs.  All four of this devices feed into a single monitor mounted above the equipment.  They monitor heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and oxygen saturation in her skin.  If any sign moves above or below a specified limit adjustments can be made.  The NICU professionals use this monitor to communicate with Summer.  They listen to what Summer tells them she needs.

Sun Lamp - Summer basks under the light of a Billy Rubin lamp.  This lamp stays on until  Summer’s skin is free of a disorder call Billy Rubin.

Temperature - A temperature monitor measures Summer’s skin temperature a makes changes to a heater above her.  This heater looks like a heating tray to keep french fries warm.  Except it is more effective.

Humidity - Summer has a tube blowing purified water vapor around her to keep her skin moist.

Saran Wrap - A veil of Saran wrap is drawn across the top of where Summer is laying.  This unconventional use of Saran wrap keeps humidity in and unnecessary infections out.

12:30 Dad visits Summer a third time.  This time he actually begins to notice things about her.  First,  he is not shocked by her size.  Although small, she is fully developed.  Arms, legs, fingers, toes, and hair is clearly visible.  Her skin color is thick and pink.  She just looks like a little person.  Her respiration is extremely deep, however.  Dad recognizes that she definitely looks like she is fighting to survive.

02:00  Dad runs into the Hospital Chaplain, Gus.  He tells Gus about Summer.  Gus and Dad go up to the NICU where Gus prays for Summer and Blesses her.

Some of you may be wondering where's mom?  Lisa just came through what can only be described as a shot gun blast to the abdomen.  Over the next week Lisa would be laying in intensive care and would take five full units of blood to recover from her loss of blood during the delivery. During this critical time, in the minutes during which Dr. Z struggled to save Summer's life, or I should say, give Summer life, Dr. A was upstairs in surgery trying to save Lisa's life.  He had to bring her back from the brink without the help of an ER surgeon...who had been summoned but had yet to arrive.  Dr. A did the job. When she was stable, the nurses wheeled  Lisa up to the NICU on her gurney.  When Lisa spoke to Summer, eyes still not open, and hooked up to tubes and wires, Summer's vitals jumped off the charts.  She squirmed and trashed about...she knew her Momma's voice.  Mom's ordeal exists as a separate chapter in these early weeks, it's time I tell that story as well.