Help Rylee, Ja’Kwan & baby Eila during a NICU stay
Eila Elizabeth Parra was born on July 1, 2021 weighing a little over 4 pounds, at 7 weeks premature to Rylee Bennett & Jakwan Parra, high school sweethearts. They are both 20 years old, full time students and also working. They just moved into their own home this past May in preparation of their daughter.
During routine lab work and a follow up ultrasound in March, it was discovered Eila would be born with gastroschisis, a rare condition where intestines and some organs are formed on the outside of the abdomen. During Rylee’s pregnancy, it was looking that Eila’s case of gastroschisis would fall into the 70-80% of cases that are simple and can be closed relatively soon after birth, most of the time, the same day. After Eila was born, it was quickly realized that she somehow lost blood flow to her intestines and she would not be a simple case, after all.
Surgeons attempted closure on 7/2, but her intestines were too angry and swollen and her tummy too small to tolerate the surgery. On July 3rd, Eila suffered a perforation in her intestine and had another surgery to repair it. At that time, we were told she needed time for her intestines to calm down and hopefully heal enough and become healthy after the perforation. On Tuesday July 6, Eila went back to surgery where unfortunately 20cm of her intestines did not survive and a bowel resection was performed. Three T tubes were inserted to allow the bowel to flow adequately and hopefully learn to heal. We were told we just had to wait and see what happens. Yesterday, another procedure was performed to examine the process of her intestinal health and check to see if the T tubes were doing their job. At this time, no new signs of necrosis were seen. Unfortunately, Eila and her family have a very long road ahead of them. Eila has also struggled with breathing & blood pressure issues and now she is retaining so much fluid that she is nearly unrecognizable.
The surgeons have changed her estimated time in the NICU from 4-6 weeks to possibly 6 months!!! This tiny baby has been the through SO much in just a little over a week since she has been born. She also beat an IUD to be here so we already know God has quite the purpose for her! She has proven to be an incredibly strong baby with one fight after another in her. Her family faces a lot of uncertainty in the days ahead and are far from out of the woods.
****Im Jennifer Stanfield and the creator of this page. Rylee’s Mom Meagan and I went to college together. I can remember Rylee just a toddler in the back seat as we dropped her off to day care before we headed to school. They sure have been through a lot this past week and it hasn’t been easy. I’m hoping to lessen their worries in the coming days ahead in regards to bills, gas, food..etc while enduring this heartbreaking NICU stay. We want to say thank you to all who have already helped and the many, many prayers that are being said daily for baby Eila. All is appreciated so much! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
***This is the only site that will be receiving donations. I will not be sending any personal messages asking for donations. It will all be done here.