February 19th, 2021, my husband and I found out we were expecting twins, after the initial shock wore off we couldn’t believe how blessed we were to become a family of five. My pregnancy was fairly easy and all three of us were healthy. That was until at 32 weeks when my placenta detached causing heavy bleeding. This was not only scary but the twins were at high risk. I spent a week in the hospital and was cleared to go home, four days later I went back for a 33-week routine check-up to find out that Odin’s placenta had stopped working completely and I was suffering from severe preeclampsia. The doctors decided to deliver the twins that day via emergency c-section and we were rushed from Swedish Issaquah to Swedish First Hill in Seattle as Issaquah had no room in the NICU for us.
Odin and Waylon Markus were born on August 10, 2021, around 3:45pm and both were slightly over 4 lbs each. I was able to briefly meet both the boys for a moment until they were rushed off to the NICU. I felt robbed as a mother of those first few precious moments with your babies. After a very intense delivery, I spent the next several hours recovering while the incredible team at Swedish First Hill took amazing care of our precious boys.
Both the boys exceeded expectations in the NICU and after 19 days, we were able to bring our healthy boys home to meet their big brother Baker (age 3) for the first time!
We know how lucky we were to only spend a small amount of time in the NICU, but that doesn’t discount what other families experience. Dealing with more heartache, complications, and much longer intense stays in the NICU. While we were there, we heard many stores of families that had been there for weeks if not months with no set date to come home.
To the doctors, nurses, caretakers, and teams within the NICU, you will forever hold a special place in our hearts and we cannot THANK them enough for everything they did for our beautiful twin boys.
My NICU warriors are now 4 and half and enjoying all the boy things alongside their big brother. The Markus family will be walking in this year’s March of Dimes in Seattle to help support all families and babies that spend time in the NICU
Please visit our fundraising page to donate, so we can help every mom and baby have the healthcare they need.
March of Dimes is dedicated to bringing people together to tackle America's maternal and infant health crisis—one person, one community, and one step at a time. More than a series of walks, March for Babies is an annual tradition that supports moms and babies every day, every step of the way.
March for Babies connects friends, families, and coworkers to improve the health of families nationwide. Together with March of Dimes, each step forward brings us closer to a healthy future for all.
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