This is what started our IVF funding journey!
"One in a million"
Jamie, pregnant 15 weeks 6 days
On Wednesday, December 14th 2011, our lives were forever changed. At 9:00am that morning, Jamie went to UNCC to complete a final exam for a course in teaching. While taking this exam another professor, Dr. Ian Binns, asked Jamie to step into his office before she left for winter break to chat about his course and the semester. Little did either of them know that this action would be an integral part in the chain of events which saved Jamie's life that day.
Around 10:00am, Jamie began feeling strange and fainted in her professor's office. Immediately after, Dr. Binns called Jamie's husband Jake to let him know that she needed to be taken to the doctor. The pain and discomfort increased by the minute, until Jamie could not respond to questions from the now growing group of professors trying to help the situation. Dr. Binns made the decision to call 911, and also called Jake to inform him that the paramedics were on their way. The paramedics and Jake arrived on campus, and Jamie was rushed to the hospital - CMC University.
Immediately, doctors swarmed Jamie in the emergency room and began diagnosing what could be causing the alarming situation. Dr. Jen Rollins, OBGYN, was on staff for surgery and discovered internal bleeding on Jamie's ultrasound; she questioned Jake about Jamie's medical history, particularly prenatal. Jake explained that the doctor had mentioned "bicornuated uterus" at their first prenatal appointment, and Dr. Rollins and her surgical team immediately swept Jamie into surgery. The answer would be clear to Dr. Rollins soon enough: Jamie's uterus had ruptured and the baby was now outside of the womb. A brief explanation of what was going on was told to Jake and also Jamie's parents; an explanation of what would happen in surgery was also delivered with a heavy heart. The outlook wasn't good for the pregnancy but emergency surgery was the only way to save Jamie's life at this point.
At 16 weeks and 3 days pregnant, Jamie and Jake's dreams were crushed as the life of their son was lost as well as the hope for Jamie carrying a child again. An emergency hysterectomy had to be performed after attempting 3 times to repair her uterus were unsuccessful; Jamie lost 4 pints of blood and received 4 transfusions during surgery. Dr. Rollins explained that the options for the couple to have a child in the future included IVF/Surrogacy or adoption, due to the fact that Jamie could not carry a child again; she also explained that the chances of this happening were unheard of, "one in a million", and that Jamie was extremely lucky to have lived. Jamie remained in the hospital for 5 days under the wonderful care of the physicians and staff of CMC University, during which time family and friends proceeded to shower the couple with care, concern, love, flowers and visits. She was released on Sunday December 18th.
She and Jake returned home to find that Jamie's coworkers from Acrofitness had completely unpacked and decorated the house they had moved into just weeks before. Boxes were gone, Christmas decorations were up, and a bedroom was set up downstairs so that Jamie wouldn't have to venture up the stairs. In the next weeks a parade of friends and family rotated through, bringing dinners and lunches as well as compassion and love.
Through all the visits and uplifting talks, one phrase stuck out in the couples' minds: "Something good will come out of this tragedy". After all of the praying and sleepless nights, the answer came to Jake: an organization to help them raise the money to start their family, and to help other couples experiencing the heartbreaking loss that they had just endured. Naturally, the organization would be named after their beloved son Robert William. And so, the Robert William Foundation was conceived - out of the same whole heart love that their son had come from just five months before.
Around 10:00am, Jamie began feeling strange and fainted in her professor's office. Immediately after, Dr. Binns called Jamie's husband Jake to let him know that she needed to be taken to the doctor. The pain and discomfort increased by the minute, until Jamie could not respond to questions from the now growing group of professors trying to help the situation. Dr. Binns made the decision to call 911, and also called Jake to inform him that the paramedics were on their way. The paramedics and Jake arrived on campus, and Jamie was rushed to the hospital - CMC University.
Immediately, doctors swarmed Jamie in the emergency room and began diagnosing what could be causing the alarming situation. Dr. Jen Rollins, OBGYN, was on staff for surgery and discovered internal bleeding on Jamie's ultrasound; she questioned Jake about Jamie's medical history, particularly prenatal. Jake explained that the doctor had mentioned "bicornuated uterus" at their first prenatal appointment, and Dr. Rollins and her surgical team immediately swept Jamie into surgery. The answer would be clear to Dr. Rollins soon enough: Jamie's uterus had ruptured and the baby was now outside of the womb. A brief explanation of what was going on was told to Jake and also Jamie's parents; an explanation of what would happen in surgery was also delivered with a heavy heart. The outlook wasn't good for the pregnancy but emergency surgery was the only way to save Jamie's life at this point.
At 16 weeks and 3 days pregnant, Jamie and Jake's dreams were crushed as the life of their son was lost as well as the hope for Jamie carrying a child again. An emergency hysterectomy had to be performed after attempting 3 times to repair her uterus were unsuccessful; Jamie lost 4 pints of blood and received 4 transfusions during surgery. Dr. Rollins explained that the options for the couple to have a child in the future included IVF/Surrogacy or adoption, due to the fact that Jamie could not carry a child again; she also explained that the chances of this happening were unheard of, "one in a million", and that Jamie was extremely lucky to have lived. Jamie remained in the hospital for 5 days under the wonderful care of the physicians and staff of CMC University, during which time family and friends proceeded to shower the couple with care, concern, love, flowers and visits. She was released on Sunday December 18th.
She and Jake returned home to find that Jamie's coworkers from Acrofitness had completely unpacked and decorated the house they had moved into just weeks before. Boxes were gone, Christmas decorations were up, and a bedroom was set up downstairs so that Jamie wouldn't have to venture up the stairs. In the next weeks a parade of friends and family rotated through, bringing dinners and lunches as well as compassion and love.
Through all the visits and uplifting talks, one phrase stuck out in the couples' minds: "Something good will come out of this tragedy". After all of the praying and sleepless nights, the answer came to Jake: an organization to help them raise the money to start their family, and to help other couples experiencing the heartbreaking loss that they had just endured. Naturally, the organization would be named after their beloved son Robert William. And so, the Robert William Foundation was conceived - out of the same whole heart love that their son had come from just five months before.
"Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward with the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence."