Return to story

This mom sings hospital's praises

March 30, 2009 12:49 am

By CATHY DYSON

When Frances Croasdale-Simmons hears people complain about their hospital experiences--and as a hair stylist, she says that's the gripe she hears most often--she tells them about her little Gavin.

He was born 3 months early and weighed a pound and a half. His veins were as thin as strands of hair--his parents could see them through his translucent skin--and his tiny hands were the size of nickels.

At first, Croasdale-Simmons and her husband, Kris, who live in Lee's Hill, wondered how their baby could survive.

He had been in the womb only 24 weeks, compared to the normal gestation period of 40 weeks.

As premature babies go, he was among the smallest of the small and in the category with the biggest risks, according to the March of Dimes.

Three of 10 babies born at his gestational age don't make it. Of those who do, half are disabled. Half of the disabilities are severe problems such as cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness.

Gavin's parents, who should have been celebrating their baby's birth, didn't know if their son would make it through the night, much less what his future might hold.

But then--and this is the part of the story Croasdale-Simmons likes to tell her customers--she says a miracle happened.

Workers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mary Washington Hospital took over Gavin's care, as they did for the 404 premature babies brought to them in 2008. They told the couple the odds their son faced, but also urged them to hang on to hope.

They hooked up machines to help Gavin eat and breathe and gave him treatments to develop his lungs. They kept his doll-size body warm, monitored his underdeveloped systems and staved off deadly infections.

"If it wasn't for them, he wouldn't be here right now," his mother said. "They went above and beyond the call of duty, I'm here to tell you."

And she does tell her story, often. She's been a stylist at the Downtown Salon in Fredericksburg since 1998 and graduated from Chancellor High School the next year.

Customers know her by her middle name of Daniela, because that's what her parents call her and that's how she was introduced to the salon owner.

Several times a week, Croasdale-Simmons says she hears horror stories about hospital care. She tells clients that she had a different experience and raves about NICU nurses and Dr. Jyoti Amin, the director. She talks, not just about the incredible care, but about the warmth and compassion.

Amin calls that the "high-tech soft touch," and says "you need both."

NICU nurse Sarah Burton watched as Gavin's parents dealt with the emotional issues surrounding their son's care. She helped them realize that, for every improvement Gavin made, he'd inevitably take a few steps backward.

"I remember just sitting with them at the bedside, many nights, while they were telling their story," Burton said. "I love this family. They're awesome."

Gavin stayed in NICU for 3 months, "and it wasn't an easy ride," Amin said. He was still getting oxygen when he came home, and even though he doesn't need help breathing anymore, Gavin's crib remains in his parents' bedroom.

"I'm still paranoid," said Croasdale-Simmons, who's 28. "I wake up constantly in the night, just to hear him breathe."

Other fears that she and and Kris, a 30-year-old who works in building supplies, had about their son have evaporated.

Gavin celebrated his first birthday Jan. 30. He's still small--and wears clothes sized for a 6-month-old--but shows no signs of any serious disability.

His development is right on track, said Mary DiSalvo, a physical therapist who has seen Gavin for six months.

She works with Parenting Education Infant Development program, offered by the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board.

She monitors Gavin's progress, based on his adjusted age which is 3 months less than his chronological age because that's how early his birth was.

"Gavin's doing beautifully," DiSalvo said. "Considering how early he was, he looks terrific."

Amin, in the NICU, agreed with that Gavin is out of the woods in terms of any severe problems. Minor issues may come up as Gavin gets older, such as slight learning disabilities, DiSalvo said.

"You're past the major hurdles now," Amin said. "Will he be able to do calculus? I don't know."

Gavin has some lingering conditions, which he should outgrow, his parents said. His lung capacity should improve by age 4; so will the problem he has with acid reflux. He's scheduled to have a treatment in May to correct his eyes, which are crossed slightly.

And he won't spend much time with other kids until he's older because a cold can cause him serious respiratory problems.

But considering the outlook Gavin might have faced, his parents feel incredibly lucky.

"This kid is a miracle," Croasdale-Simmons said. "We've watched him grow from a little bean and isn't he the greatest? We just love him to death."

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com