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Meet Kavan
In week 34 of her pregnancy, Krista began having complications and went to the ER where she was later diagnosed with HELLP syndrome – a rare and serious variation of preeclampsia. Paramedics rushed Krista to University of Minnesota Medical Center where a team of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center specialists were prepared to care for her. The team collaborates with University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) providers, who also were all set to care for Krista’s unborn baby.
“Everything happened so quickly and I didn’t have time to react. I replied solely on my doctors’ expertise which was both scary and comforting. HELLP syndrome was not a rare condition to them; they deal with serious situations every day,” notes Krista. “We were very fortunate to have the wonderful staff from the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center and the NICU caring for us.”
Krista says that the nurses in both specialty areas left a lasting impression on her and her husband, Mark. “The nurses were extraordinary. They gave us helpful and thoughtful advice on how to care for our newborn son,” she recalls. “One of the nurses even took photos of Kavan and put them on construction paper to hang in my hospital room since I wasn’t able to see him until I recovered.”
Mark adds that everyone at the hospital seemed to care about them. He says, “I remember walking into the NICU one day and hearing a volunteer singing to my son. For someone that we didn’t know to take time to show love to our baby nearly brought tears to my eyes.”
Kavan is now an active 2 year old and older brother to Layton, who was also treated at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. Learn more about Layton’s story.
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