Morgan’s pregnancy journey with baby Jack

Hi friends and family! I am attempting to raise medical funds for my dear sister Morgan. Morgan is in need of our help and prayers as she is carrying her much prayed for baby boy Jack who is suffering from the most severe case of spina bifida. She goes to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where they specialize in corrective surgery in order to give the baby a fighting chance and a normal life. The surgery is high risk for both mother and baby. She will have the surgery this week and will be in Philadelphia for the remainder of the pregnancy on strict bed rest. As you can imagine being in a Philadelphia until February will be a major financial burden for the family and has caused the Branch family one more thing to worry about when her plate is already so full. Morgan is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County, WV. If you know Morgan she is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. She is an outstanding citizen and an all around wonderful person. She has dedicated most of her life to serving her community and state as a volunteer, advocate for Children’s Miracle Network and former Miss West Virginia she gives back everyday to the enriching the lives of her young students as a beloved teacher. Her husband Jamin is an assistant prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County and a wonderful husband, father and friend to all. Morgan and Jamin need us and I would love to help relieve their little family of some of the financial burden of helping baby Jack.

On September 19th, Morgan went to a doctor’s appointment assuming it was just another routine appointment. During this appointment, though, the ultrasound took much longer than usual. The mood changed drastically as the doctor walked in the room to deliver the news. Having only heard of the diagnosis by name, Morgan listened as the doctor described the medical issue known as “spina bifida.”

Spina bifida is a neural-tube defect with the spine that occurs when the neural tube doesn’t close all the way. As a result, the backbone that protects the spinal cord doesn’t form and close as designed. The malformation can cause significant and debilitating disabilities. Specifically, Jack was diagnosed with the most severe type of spina bifida-myelomeningocele. This type occurs when a sac of fluid comes through an opening of the baby’s back with parts of the spinal and nerves housed within the sac. Jack’s lesion, the area where the sac comes out of his back, is fairly high. It is located at the L1 vertebrae. At this level, Jack’s future mobility is at stake. Left untreated, children born with myelomeningocele Spina Bifida at this vertebra may have little to no strength and movement in their hips, knees, ankles, and feet. Additionally, children with this medical condition can face bowel and bladder issues. Further, babies born with Spina Bifida face potential significant consequences on their brains. Children with this condition may need shunts in their brain to help alleviate excessive level of fluid in the brain.

Faced with this news, Morgan was also referred for a life-altering program located at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She scheduled a consultation with various doctors involved with the program. Together, Morgan and Jamin ventured to Philadelphia to learn more about a fetal surgery intervention at CHOP. They learned about the benefits and risks of their state-of-the-art procedure that can address the lesion. This surgery can prevent future damage to the nerves, thus limiting the overall effects of the exposed nerves and spinal cord. After various testing and interviews, Morgan and her baby were approved for surgery to seal the neural-tube defect.

The benefits of the surgery are profound. On average, the 72-minute procedure can reduce the effects of the lesion by approximately two vertebra levels. For example, there’s hope for Jack’s lesion to only affect his ankles and feet. Even greater, the surgery decreases the potential need for a shunt to be placed in his brain. Morgan, without a doubt in her mind, told the hospital staff to sign her up immediately.

On the date of the surgery, Morgan will arrive at the hospital at 6 am. She will undergo a brief monitoring session from the hospital staff. Eventually, Morgan will be taken to the operating room. Operating staff includes, but is not limited to the following: multiple nurses, a nurse practitioner, a maternal fetal medicine doctor, a neurosurgeon, and two general surgeons. The general surgeons are the architects of the hospital’s spina bifida clinic, which has been conducting these surgeries for over 25 years.

The surgery requires an incision on Morgan’s abdomen to give access to the uterus. They will make another incision to access Jack’s lesion through the uterus. The neurosurgeon ensures the nerves are properly sealed and place them back into the spinal. Finally, they seal the lesion to ensure no external fluid continues to harm the nerves.

To qualify for the surgery, Morgan and Jamin must commit to relocating from their home in West Virginia to Philadelphia during the duration of the pregnancy. This change in venue requires a lot from the young couple. Unfortunately, and most dreaded, there will be a period of time when Morgan and Jamin will be without their two daughters. Their living arrangements post-surgery will not be ideal for two little girls.

As expected with such an intricate and specialized procedure, Morgan and Jamin will battle increased financial pressures. Also, the family’s relocation adds additional financial strains. The Breeden and Branch family would be incredibly grateful for any help you can provide to this young family as they make this sacrifice for their baby. Any amount of aid if greatly appreciated. Most importantly, the family asks for your prayers during this difficult time.