Infertility
In the United States, 1 in 6 couples struggle to conceive. After a miscarriage and struggles to get pregnant again, my Mommy and Daddy, Jessi and Wil, decided to seek out the help of a fertility clinic. They were thrilled to partner with the Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine (FIRM). Working with FIRM was a wonderful experience.
During this process they discovered 33% of fertility struggles are related to female reproductive issues, 33% of fertility struggles are related to male reproductive issues, and 33% of fertility struggles are unknown. Hearing the words "we don't know why you can't conceive" can be heartbreaking. So many couples have to hear these words, including my Mommy and Daddy.
With the support of their family and friends, Mommy and Daddy bravely entered into their journey with FIRM. There were two surgeries, countless medications, and two rounds of In-Utero Insemination (IUI). Through faith, prayer, and lots of patience, they took things one step at a time and in July 2019 Mommy and Daddy were thrilled to see a positive pregnancy test at last.
Born during COVID-19
In March of 2020, COVID-19 had begun to run rampant in the United States. It was clear things were very serious and by mid-march a state-wide "stay at home" order was put in place for the state of Florida, where we live. My Mommy, Jessi, was due on April 5. On March 16, Mommy and my Daddy, Wil, began working from home and self-quarantining along with the rest of the state. Daddy works from home anyway but he usually went into the office, located in Daytona, one day a week. The week before he had stopped going into the office as Mommy was nearing my due date.
On March 22, after 6 days of quarantining, Mommy's water broke around 10:45AM. Off to the hospital we went. Because things had just started to get very strict at the hospital, only Daddy was permitted to go with us and we were not allowed any visitors. Labor and Delivery was the only floor of the hospital where patients were permitted one guest and it had to be the father or other parent of the baby. We were crushed. Mommy had wanted her mommy, my Pippa, in the room with her when I was born, especially since this was her very first grandchild.
The doctors and nurses at Baptist Medical Center in downtown Jacksonville were wonderful. Many safety precautions were taken, everyone was careful, and we were very well taken care of. After 37 hours of labor it was clear things was not progressing so Mommy had a caesarian section and I was brought into the world at 1:16AM on Tuesday, March 24.
But our COVID-19 birth story does not end there. After 5 days in the hospital we begged our doctors to send us home. Despite the fact that Mommy was still having on again, off again blood pressure spikes, we were sent home with very strict instructions about monitoring Mommy's blood pressure.
Two days after coming home Mommy was readmitted to the hospital with complications from preeclampsia. Mommy's blood pressure was dangerously high and she had fluid on her lungs. Unfortunately, fluid on the lungs was also a symptom of COVID-19. Because of this the hospital could not take any risks. Mommy was tested for Covid and placed on a floor in the hospital with other patients experiencing symptoms and waiting for test results. Mommy had no other symptoms and was treated with medication for preeclampsia.
Very quickly, it was clear Mommy was suffering from preeclampsia and not COVID-19. The medication she received worked immediately and Mommy was sent home the next day feeling a million times better. Two days after coming home Mommy was officially given a negative COVID test result.
Viola Jane Stead was Wil's beloved paternal grandmother. Nana was full of life and love for her family. She lived an exciting life full of many great adventures and loved her family. Although she preferred to go by Jane, we know she'd be honored to have Violet as her namesake.
Ima Jean Pratt Rhodes was Jessi's beloved maternal grandmother. Grandmother was a spitfire, sassy, loving and generous gal who looked over her family like any great matriarch would do! She loved life, loved a good game of Black Jack and loved a sweet southern whiskey. At the age of 18 Grandmother changed her name from 
