Aid Morgan and Josh in remembering baby Owen

My husband Josh and I our expecting our first baby boy, who we have named Owen Alexander. We are over the moon to be parents!

We knew that my pregnancy would be difficult, but we could have never expected a diagnosis of preeclampsia and my hospitalization at 25 weeks of pregnancy.

It felt like it came out of nowhere. I had been cleaning out home to prepare for Owen's arrival and all of a sudden my hands were very swollen. My doctor had said to monitor my blood pressure and it was high when we checked it. Before pregnancy I had excellent blood pressure, even low blood pressure a lot of the time! I rested and we checked several times and decided to go to the emergency room that Sunday morning.

They sent me to labor and delivery for monitoring. It wasn't anywhere we expected to be for many more weeks. My blood pressure came down on its own, but there was protein in my urine so they sent me home to collect 24 hours of urine and monitor at home.

I rested as much as I could and my blood pressure was high first thing in the morning. I packed my bag before we went back just in case.

They were supposed to monitor me a few hours and run my labs, but my first blood pressure got me an admission. They put in an IV and started me on magnesium to help my blood pressure and baby Owen's neural development. They gave me a steroid shot to help baby Owen's lungs develop. I wasn't here long before they said I have severe preeclampsia.

We have spoken with many doctors! My OB and the MFM doctor have both said the goal is to make it to 34 weeks, but I will not be able to go home until then. Preeclampsia is very unpredictable and I can become sick very quickly, often without many symptoms. I feel peace here in the hospital because they are watching over me and baby Owen closely.

The doctors have said 34 weeks is our goal, but we are taking things day to day. We pray that baby Owen can stay in my belly as long as is safe for both of us! We spoke with the NICU and they said that if he is born now that he will have good outcomes. He will probably be in the NICU close to his delivery date of March 8th, but it could be longer (or shorter!). We are praying I can stay pregnant until the end of January. I was put at ease by the doctors knowing the high level of care Owen will get here at HCA Kingwood.

The doctors have said every day that I can stay pregnant takes 2-3 days off baby Owen's NICU stay. I am blessed to have my attentive husband and my mom close by me during all of this. The nurses, doctors, and hospital staff have been so attentive and caring.

There are many blessings in this crazy situation, but it is difficult to understand why it would happen to us. All of your prayers, thoughts, kind words, and visits help us so much.

This is not an easy thing for us to ask, but any support will help us meet the financial challenges ahead. The medical bills for my stay and baby Owen's NICU care are estimated to be very high and there are many additional expenses we’ll face, including transportation, food, everyday bills, and baby supplies. These costs add up quickly, and we are doing everything we can to ensure that baby Owen's arrival and care are as secure as possible.

Our cost estimates for this year for our coinsurance and out of pocket maximum have been estimated to be about $15,000. For next year they have estimated it to be about $9,000. I have estimated $144 for gas, $1,260 for food, $4,000 for our bills, $500 for any special equipment baby Owen may need, and $500 for miscellaneous costs that may pop up.

We are so grateful for any amount of support you can give—whether it's a donation, a share, a kind word, and your prayers. Every little bit will help us get through this difficult time, and give our baby the best possible start to his life. Thank you for being a part of our journey.

With love and gratitude,

Morgan, Josh, and Owen Alexander