When Laura's daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, her world stopped. What followed was a powerful journey through fear, resilience, and fierce advocacy. In this episode, Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree—a lifelong educator and now author of The Cancer Parent’s Handbook—opens...
Episode 161 | Dana’s Story – Micropreemie Twins Born at Home
Podcast Show Notes
Katie along with Co-host Cortney Given, host of the podcast Mindset for Medical Moms , interviews Dana who had micro-preemie twins at home. She bravely shares her story and how she and her husband acted quickly with the unexpected home birth. Dana shares how she navigated the long NICU stay and the moments to come afterward. You will get a glimpse into their life today and what it looks like to manage their medical care. You will hear about Dana’s journey to advocacy and letting others into your life during challenging seasons as a medical parent.
[10:50} Introductions
[11:47] Fertility struggles reveals PCOS diagnosis
[13:04] Finding out she was having twins
[13:55] Ultrasound revealed possible complications
[14:30] Delivering the babies at home
[15:57] How giving medical history is a whole process
[17:41] Lower back pain just before bedtime
[18:56] Dana delivers at home
[19:55] James begins to breathe
[20:34] Vera was born breech
[21:44] Not cutting the umbilical cords saved their lives
[23:42] Babies rushed to level 4 NICU
[25:44] A humbling experience
[26:39] Being released 3 hours after giving birth
[28:02] No explanation of early delivery
[30:08] The support of family
[32:10] Allowing others to support you as a medical parent
[34:16] Learning to be an advocate
[38:00] It’s ok to snooze support groups
[40:30] James and Vera today
[41:21] Mild Cerebral Palsy diagnosis
[44:51] Giving people the benefit of the doubt
Whether you are a parent or professional, we want you to join our community. Sign up for our newsletter here.
Parents, download our free parent starter kit.
When you download our starter kit, you’ll learn how to:
- Give medicine to your child without it becoming a wrestling match
- Prepare your child (and yourself) for a shot so they can feel less anxious
- Create and use a coping plan for any medical appointment or procedure
The first sign of sniffles, or worse, shouldn’t send you into a tailspin. Feel confident in your role as a parent and advocate, no matter what medical situation you’re facing.
Child life specialists, get affordable PDUs on-demand here.
Shop for your CLOC gear here.
You Might Also Like…
259: Navigating Childhood Loss Through Storytelling -B.R.’s Story
This episode is dedicated to Katie’s dear friend Joe, who recently passed away, leaving behind his wife and two young sons. Joe’s story reminds us to live in alignment with our purpose and to cherish the people we love. In this heartfelt episode of the Child Life On...
258:How a Nurse Practitioner Faced Her Daughter’s Tetralogy of Fallot Diagnosis- Sarah’s Story
We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to our episode sponsor, reStickity®. Their innovative, mess-free reusable sticker sets allow families to personalize hospital spaces with familiar photos and comforting images, helping bring a sense of home to the hospital. To...