Lilliana March 2025
It has been 12 hours since the birth of little Luis. He is doing well. The doctors did an MRI and see evidence of brain damage but it appears to me small. The doctors think he will have cerebral palsy but they won't know the extent for a while.
As for Vanessa, she is stable. She is still unconscious but is stable. Usnavi has not left her side since he was brought to her room. Vanessa's parents arrived last night and Carla has also stayed by her side. Daniella is between the Luis, the kids, and Elizabeth. She is currently with Luis in the NICU.
"Usnavi , I need to go home and check on the grandchildren. Also, Mari has class in two hours. Are you going to be okay?"
"What time is it?"
"Almost 7am."
"Mom, you can't tell them. You can't tell the kids yet!"
"Okay! We can wait until the end of the day, but Usnavi, we need to tell them. You know Javier. He is going to be worried sick."
"Please, just not yet. After she hits the 24 hour mark, maybe. I just, I don't want them living with this fear. I don't want them to worry they might lose their mom," Usnavi says, voice cracking. I wrap my arms around him.
"She is strong. Also, most people who die from this condition die within the first few hours. She is past that. I suspect soon, they will be able to dial it back on some of life support. Now, I'm am going to get the oldest two to school, Camilla to preschool and drop Daniel off with a friend. Then I will be back."
He nods.
"Usnavi , you should go hold the baby. It will make you feel better. He is doing so well. He needs his parents and right now, you are the one who can hold him."
"What about Vanessa? I can't leave her alone?" He says voice cracking again.
"Usnavi, I will come get you if anything changes," Carla says. "Go see your son."
He hesitates and nods. "You're right. Vanessa, Amor, I will be back in a little while. I'm going to go check on Luis."
I see a tear fall from her eye. Usnavi sees it and wipes it away before kissing her head. "I love you Vanessa. You will wake up from this."I get back to Usnavi and Vanessa's house and am swarmed by kids.
"Abuela, did mom have the baby. Do I have a brother or a sister?" Iris says excitedly.
I smile and cup her face. "You have another little brother. His name is Luis."
"Aww. I wanted another sister!"
"I know sweetie but your baby brother is just as sweet."
"Do you have a picture. When can we see him?"
"Later sweetheart. You will see them later. Now let's get you to school. Auntie Mari needs to leave to go to class. Where is she?"
"She is in the mom and dad's bedroom."
"Okay, you guys stay here. I need to talk to her alone."
I walk back and find Mari in the room. "How is she?" Mari asks worried.
I remind her to keep her voice down and whisper, "she is stable. The baby is doing well."
"How is Usnavi?"
"He is struggling. He is worried sick right now."
"I am too. Please tell me she will be okay. She is the closest thing I have to a sister."
I hug my daughter. "I know baby. I truly believe she will be okay."
"Who will be okay? What's going on Abuela?"
I jump at Javier's voice.
"Javier, what are you doing in here. I asked you to stay with your siblings."
"What's going on. Auntie has been sad since yesterday and mom hasn't called. She always calls after the baby is born. Did something happen to Mom?"
"Javier..."
"Please. I'm almost a teenager. Tell me what happened to my mom."
I shut the door behind him and pull him into my arms.
"Honey, your mom is very sick right now."
"What happened?"
"She had something called an amniotic fluid embolism. She got fluid in her blood which made her heart stop beating. They got it beating again, but she is still very sick. She currently needs help breathing and she is still sleeping."
"Is she going to wake up?" He asks, looking near tears.
"We don't know yet baby. I believe so, but I really don't know."
He hugs me tight and begins to cry. "I want my mom."
"I know baby. Things will be okay. I truly believe they will be okay."
"When can I see her?"
"Let me talk to your dad. Now, we need to get you and your siblings to school. Please, don't let them know anything is wrong. We don't want to worry them until we have to. Are you able to go to school today?"
He sits up, wipes his eyes, and nods. "Yeah. Just, when you see mom, please tell her I love her."
I hug him close to me again. "Of course baby. She knows how much you love her but I will tell her again."Later that day, we hit the 24 hour make. Vanessa has been removed from ECMO. Usnavi, feeling relieved, went to spend more time with his son.
Carla and I are talking when Usnavi walks in after seeing his son. This time though, he is holding the baby.
"What's going on?" Carla asks.
"Well, I am hoping that a little skin to skin with Vanessa, will help her start to wake up. The doctors agree that it could definitely help."
Carla nods. She bends down to Vanessa and whispers, "Nessa, your son is here. Are you ready to meet him?"
Carla and I pull her gown down a little while a nurse adjust the tubes. Usnavi walks over and gently places Luis against her chest. Luis fusses for a second and then quickly settles. The baby is asleep within seconds and I hear him snoring gently. Usnavi's breath catches in his throat.
"The nurses say they have struggled to settle him. I guess he just needed his Mommy."
"Yes he did," I say smiling.
Usnavi lays a hand on Luis's back and kisses Vanessa's head. "This is our son Vanessa. We need you to wake up now."
A minutes later, Usnavi gasps. "She squeezed my hand. It was very gentle but she squeezed my hand."
Carla immediately takes her hand. "Vanessa, can you hear me? If you can, squeeze my hand."
We all wait eagerly and a moment later, Carla gasps as she does it again. "Oh thank god! Baby, we are here. You are going to be okay."
Usnavi, breaks down into sobs and kisses Vanessa again. "You are going to be okay Amor. You are going to be okay!"