Charlotte Miriam Horwitz

"We're Okay."

The Story of Charlotte from Mom and Dad

Our CHKD journey was not expected, planned or anticipated. It is a story of ups and downs, successes and setbacks, but one that has a very happy ending. 

During a routine checkup at 20 weeks, the doctors discovered Charlotte's mom was having complications that required immediate surgery. It was around this time that Charlotte's mom and dad began a motto, a mantra, “We're ok.” Throughout the entire story you're about to hear, Charlotte's parents would receive troubling news, and Charlotte's mom would look at Charlotte's dad and he'd reply, “We're ok.” This became the motto for the rest of the pregnancy and stay in the NICU. Her parents joked that when it was all said and done they'd have t-shirts made up. They said the words too many times to count.

 Mom and Charlotte went through the operation successfully, but the complications continued. A few days later, Mom was admitted to Sentara Princess Anne and doctors felt Charlotte's birth was imminent. After a very long night, Charlotte decided she wasn't quite ready, so the decision was made to move Charlotte and Mom to Norfolk Sentara/CHKD where Mom, Charlotte, and Dad would spend the next 10 days. There were many ups and downs during this period fighting to keep Mom pregnant, because the longer she did, the better chance Charlotte had at survival. There were many times the doctors felt Mom and baby were stable then the next minute they were being rushed to the delivery room. So back and forth our journey continued. 

After 10 days in the hospital, doctors felt Mom and baby were out of the danger zone and mom would carry Charlotte to term. Charlotte, however, had other plans… in the early morning hours on April 9th, Charlotte came fighting her way into this world. Literally. With no time to even make it to the delivery room, Charlotte was born in our hospital room at just 23 weeks.  She was immediately whisked away by the CHKD Neonatal team and Mom was rushed to surgery. Charlotte's dad was left waiting in the emergency room at Sentara, not knowing the fate of mom or baby. After their morning "huddle up,” where the Sentara and CHKD doctors and nurses meet to discuss patients, the NICU charge nurse popped into Dad's ER room and greeted dad while she laughed. Dad was extremely confused.  The nurse explained she was laughing because the NICU team had been trying very hard to get lines (Charlotte's IVs, breathing tube, and other medical devices needed for her survival) into and onto Charlotte, but at 1 lb 5 ounces, she was fighting off an entire team of nurses and doctors like a drunken sailor. From day 1 Charlotte was a fighter!  Charlotte would spend the next 5 months in the NICU at CHKD (as did her parents day and night).  

She worked through struggles with breathing, her major organs functioning, developmental issues (she was born with only 1 eye fully developed!), eating support, and a life-threatening infection. She almost lost a toe and ultimately her foot due to lack of blood supply! But don't worry, she has a set of beautiful blue eyes today and sprints through the living room with her fully developed feet! With only 3 tablespoons of blood in her tiny body at the time, transfusions were common place during her stay. Charlotte met every challenge and worked her way through all of her milestones with flying colors. For most of her stay she was the star patient of the NICU! She crushed each challenge as they came; however, she hit a major obstacle in the final phase of her time at CHKD. She was unable to keep any food down and could not gain weight. She continued to fight and finally hit a consistent weight gain for several days. The doctors finally felt it was time for Charlotte to come home.

After Charlotte came home it was by no means smooth sailing. Charlotte required 24 hour monitoring and care. Mom and Dad received extensive training by the nurses at CHKD. This was reflected in the level of care they were able to provide to Charlotte each day and night. Mom and Dad worked together around the clock taking both individual shifts and working in tandem. They had to provide life saving care to Charlotte many times at all hours of the day and night. Due to the extensive nature of care that Charlotte required, Mom, Dad, and Charlotte were unable to even leave the house for several months after her release from the hospital (except to take Charlotte to her many doctor appointments). After many seconds, minutes, hours, days, and months of intensive care at home by Mom and Dad, Charlotte got bigger and stronger each day, slowly shedding her need for different levels of care.

Progress seemed and still seems slow at times, but Charlotte is thriving today. She still relies on the amazing doctors and nurses at CHKD in several specialty areas. Charlotte still has struggles she's overcoming due to being a micro preemie but is a happy, healthy, beautiful, rambunctious, little girl.  Mom and dad are forever thankful and grateful to CHKD for giving the life saving care to their sweet baby girl.