Surprise arrivals seem to be the theme surrounding the birth of a baby named Axel. It started with a sudden arrival by a daughter and her daughter to the hospital bedside of a man in North Central Ohio who wasn’t expected to live.
Here’s how that daughter, Laurie Davis, tells the story of how it all began:
“Two weeks ago we went to Florida for a vacation. Then my dad got very sick after having a seizure and having radiation for stage 4 brain cancer. So my daughter Brittney and I flew here to Ohio from Key West to be with him. He was on life support and sedated. After we got here they took him off life support and he woke up like nothing happened (well a little weak).
On Saturday, Brittney started to feel contractions so I took her to the emergency room at Mansfield General Hospital. They gave her meds and told her to go back Sunday to make sure all was ok. Before she flew back on to St. Louis Tuesday, where we live. Well, Sunday she was getting ready to go back to Mansfield General and as she was getting into the shower when her water broke. So we hurried to Mansfield where – 8 hours later – she had a baby boy 6 weeks early.
He was having some stomach problems there and then they found a hole in his intestines so they brought him here to Columbus to the NICU at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to have surgery. He has an ileostomy (poop bag). But, now, he is recovering really well!”
Laurie & Brittney had made a sudden arrival in Ohio to visit Laurie’s father, when baby Axel decided to start his sudden arrival. That meant Axel’s grandma and mom would need to make a sudden arrival at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Fortunately, his great grandfather recovered in Mansfield, and Axel himself is doing well here in Columbus.
But probably the happiest sudden arrival, besides Axel’s, was that of Brittney’s two friends who came all the way from St. Louis to surprise Brittney at our Ronald McDonald House. Because visitors aren’t allowed inside the House, the three friends gathered outside and sat next to the Ronald McDonald statue on the bench near the front entrance to talk and visit.
In a Facebook post about the surprise, sudden arrival of her friends, Brittney said, “Y’all the love!!! I can NOT thank each and every one that has reached out, prayed, sent good vibes and support. Being a mother for only a week, I see how strong you have to be!!! I am in deep gratitude for everything everyone has done and showed! Huge huge huge thank you to my bestfriends Trisha Greathouse Kayle Marie and India Jackson for their much needed support and love. India has made a go fund me to help bring my baby home back to St. Louis and to help cover any medical and financial cost. Trisha and Kayle both surprised me today, came all the way from St. Louis for some much needed love and support for only a couple hours. And I needed it. I don’t think I’ve smiled in days. Axel is already loved so much by so many and I’m overwhelmed with joy! Keep praying prayer warriors. Axel is recovering peacefully and making progress as far as recovery post op. We’re not out of the woods at all but everyone’s love is definitely keeping his strong little self uplifted!”
Laurie knew the friends had made their sudden arrival at the House and caught the moment on video. Click below to watch this special moment.
[Photos & video courtesy: Laurie Davis & Brittney Christine Davis/Facebook]