One photo after the next fill the walls and bookshelves in the north woods home of Julie and Greg Morse. Photos of family, friends, dogs, fishing and hunting trips. And in the middle? A framed quote:
Our family is a circle of strength and love
With every birth and union the circle grows
Every joy shared adds more love
Every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger.
On Sunday, March 15, the quote came to life. Julie was in the kitchen fixing breakfast when she noticed the cramping. In her six months of being pregnant with twins, this wasn't the first time. Walking usually helped.
"But as the morning went on, I could tell this was different," recalls the first-time mom. "By noon, the cramps were unbearable and I told Greg we needed to get to the hospital."
Julie knew it was too early for labor, but she also knew her twin pregnancy put her at increased risk. Under the care of Dr. Mark Colliton, board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist at MeritCare Bemidji, she'd had frequent checkups and ultrasounds. All was on track, but this was no time for chances …
Fast action in Bemidji
Still dressed in their pajamas, Julie and Greg rushed 27 miles from their home near Bagley, Minn., to the emergency room at North Country Regional Hospital in Bemidji. The hospital's birthing center responded immediately.
"The room filled up with doctors and nurses and everything happened so fast," says Julie. "We were scared to death, but the team was great. They comforted us, kept us informed and took really good care of us."
Baby Adam arrived at 3:11 that afternoon, followed by Baby Bradley at 3:13. In critical condition, each weighed a little over three pounds.
Just before the twins arrived, the Bemidji team contacted MeritCare Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Fargo, activating two specially trained NICU transport teams and MeritCare LifeFlight air ambulance. "When these situations happen, it's absolutely critical that we in Bemidji have access to a center that offers highly specialized care," says Dr. Colliton.
Shortly after the babies arrived in Fargo, Julie and Greg received a call from Dr. Waseem Altaf, board-certified neonatologist. "Just finding out the babies survived the trip gave us hope," says Julie.
Critical days ahead
Premature babies struggle with basics – breathing, staying warm, getting proper nutrition. MeritCare's state-of-the-art NICU has the technology, specialists and experience to help them survive and thrive.
"We kept seeing signs of progress," says Julie. She and Greg spent almost every waking hour at the hospital. After five days, Julie could hold Adam. Several days later she could hold Bradley, who had a more complicated course due to respiratory problems.
"Those were definitely milestones," she says. "When we saw the boys in Bemidji, they looked so fragile. To finally be able to hold them was amazing."
With highly specialized care and devoted parents, the boys survived their first 12 days. Even more, they gained weight, grew stronger and could breathe on their own.
Another unexpected event
"After all the boys had been through, we couldn't believe there was yet another hurdle," says Julie, referring to the hospital evacuation prompted by the Red River Valley flooding. "We were so thankful that Deb Smith (NICU nurse) and Stephanie Nilles (neonatal nurse practitioner) could go with them on the flight. They'd been caring for them all along."
On March 27, Adam, Bradley and their neonatal team flew to the Twin Cities, where care was transferred to St. Paul Children's NICU. Twenty-five days later, the boys went home to Bagley.
Today Julie loves her life as a full-time, stay-at-home mom. Surrounded by two of everything, she calmly holds "Big Guy" (Bradley) in her arms while stroking Adam's forehead. Both coo and kick when she talks to them – and she talks to them a lot.
The days ahead? "I have every reason to believe these babies will do really well and thrive" says Dr. Colliton. "Julie was always on the spot with her prenatal care – she asked questions, did the right things, took good care of herself. That carries forward. Another key piece is caring, attentive parents. These kids will be raised in a very good, very loving family. It's wonderful to see."
And so the circle grows …