New Year babies are always very exciting. What a perfect way to ring in the new year -- with a new baby you've been patiently waiting for! However, the delivery outcomes are not always perfect, which is what Jimmy and Tiffany Goodwine experienced.
Jimmy and Tiffany Goodwine are two parents that rang in 2010 by welcoming their preemie son, Ian, 4 months early.
Ian's Story
Eight years ago, Jimmy and Tiffany Goodwine welcomed their beautiful son, Ian, as a 27-week preemie. Tiffany's water broke when she was 23-weeks pregnant, and was admitted to the hospital on strict bedrest. Four weeks later, Tiffany developed an infection and needed to be induced -- Ian was coming into the world ready or not. After a long night, Ian James was born a two-pound preemie.
Other than being born too early, Ian seemed to be perfectly healthy. He was crying when he was supposed to, and passed all his tests with flying colors. When Ian was taken off of the ventilators he was successfully breathing on his own. Everything seemed to be as perfect as it could have been. That was until 3 weeks later things went terribly wrong...
Jimmy and Tiffany went home January 18, 2010 after spending the day with Ian. That night they were awoken by a phone call from their doctors. Tiffany said,
"I answered and it was the doctor telling me that they had received some labs back on Ian and that we needed to get back to his bedside asap. When we got there, a surgeon was at his bedside waiting to speak with us. Nothing could have prepared me for how my precious boy looked when we walked into that room. He looked totally different than what he had when we left him just hours earlier. His little body was so swollen and his eyes glazed over but still looking at me... I'll never forget that look, it haunts me... It was like he needed his mama to help him and there was nothing I could do but be there..."
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Ian had contacted necro enteriocolitis (NEC) and needed parts of his small intestine removed. Tiffany said Ian's doctors made the decision to wait to perform surgery in order to wait for Ian's belly to be distended a certain circumference before taking him into surgery, which she believes determined Ian's fate.
Unfortunately after the surgery, Tiffany and Jimmy were given the worst news possible. Ian's entire small intestine was already dead and there was nothing they could do to save him.
"The rest is kind of a blur. I remember them taking him off of intubation and letting me hold him while he gained his wings and slipped away from me, and we spent time with him alone in a room" said Tiffany.
Ian gained his wings on January 19th, 2010.
Exactly seven years ago today.
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Advice For Other NICU Parents
Some advice Tiffany and Jimmy gave about having a preemie in the NICU is:
Be there.
"I regret every second that I wasn't by his side that 19 days. We were there daily but I still wish I would have had more time. If I knew then what I know now I would have been by his bed for 19 days straight without ever leaving even once."
Take lots of pictures.
"You never know what is going to happen and those pictures could be the only thing you have left in the future God forbid OR they could be a special prize for you to share with them later to tell them all about their amazing journey into this earth."
Ask questions.
"Don't just go along with what the doctors and nurses are telling you. Yes, follow their lead but if something doesn't feel right, research and ask questions."
Talk.
"I love to talk about my boy. I miss him so much it physically hurts but when I talk about him I can feel him with me and it is a very calming feeling."
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NEC Statistics
NEC is one of the most devastating conditions that can affect a growing premature infant, and is responsible for many deaths after the first two weeks of life. Like so many conditions that affect preterm infants, there is much that is not known about NEC. Because it tends to occur in clusters in any given NICU, it seems to have an infectious cause.
According to the March of Dimes, NEC surgery can have 50% fatality rate.
Ian had contracted the most serious and least frequent version of NEC, which is why he seemed perfectly normal the first three weeks of life.
Although this is the least frequent form of NEC, it does happen and it does seriously effect preemies.
Share Your Story With Us!
This is truly a devastating and real story. However, sharing stories like Ian's shows parents and families that they are not alone. It also teaches us that these conditions do happen, and understanding the outcomes helps us move medical practices forward. We should not let Ian's story go unnoticed, and it should be used to prepare families as much as possible towards the devastating outcomes that can occur.
If you, or someone you know, would like to share your NICU's stories please submit your story on our Facebook page, or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Knowledge is power.
RIP Ian James Goodwine -- 1/19/2010