Local mom isolated from family
In the pre-coronavirus world, when a woman was expecting twins, their birth would be a joyous celebration for family and friends.
Those special moments for one local couple would include two big sisters being introduced to their new baby sisters, dad would be able to witness the birth and then the family would visit mom and the babies at the hospital as often as possible.
Everyone would get to know one another and anticipate the day everyone could go home to start the newest phase of their lives together.
In the post-coronavirus world, things are very different.
Jai-lene Gear was admitted into the University Hospital of Northern B.C. on April 1 because she had several serious health issues that developed as she carried her twins to 35 weeks.
Gear’s partner, Ed Goodfellow, was able to attend the Caesarean birth of their twin girls on April 3 but that’s the last time he’s seen the twins and only saw Gear with plate glass walls between them as he and his older daughters were on the outside of the hospital looking in and Gear was on the inside looking out. Right now visitation is restricted at UHNBC and those under 16 years old can’t visit at all.
To watch her partner walk away after the twins were delivered was so hard for Gear.
“I was so stressed,” she said. “You know this should be a happy time but knowing that you can’t have your family come visit is not exactly the best but I mean it’s for a good reason. We have to keep them safe, too.”
Gear turned to social media to share her feelings about the situation on April 6 about her April 1st hospital admission.
“If I knew that was the last day I was going to hug and kiss Cassiopeia and Raeduan in person for a while I probably wouldn’t have left my house,” Gear said. “I know that it was the right thing to do and I know that anytime from 1 more week to May 4th-ish we will all be together again. But it doesn’t make it easier. I’m a mess. I’m not going to lie. I’m pretty strong but when it comes to dividing my family, I don’t do well.”
Raeduan is 11 years old and Cassiopeia is 18-months. Gear said she’s never been away from her 18-month-old and only for a night or two when Raeduan goes for sleepovers.
Gear talked about her visit with the family as they stood outside.
“It was amazing that they came to visit at a socially acceptable distance tonight,” Gear said. “I even got to hear the parade honking through the phone! Way to go PG showing support for all the amazing staff at UHNBC! They are amazing putting their lives at risk and on hold to help save all of us and keep us safe in this trying time.”
Residents of Prince George have often showed their support for healthcare workers at the hospital by convoying around the parking lot honking their vehicle horns.
As Gear’s personal health issues improved, she was released from hospital April 8 only to go into lockdown in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where her newborn twins, Ainslee and Brinleigh, are being cared for.
The choice was to be in NICU with the twins or go home and stay away until the twins were ready to go home.
“That’s not an option,” Gear said during a phone interview early Thursday morning.
The little twin-cesses, as Gear affectionately calls her new daughters, are not able to eat on their own right now and Ainslee stops breathing a bit. Both girls have monitors on them, she said.
Once the twins are incident free for five days, everyone will be allowed to go home.
“We’re just working on feeding right now for the most part,” Gear said.
Ainslee is the smaller of the twins and has the most issues, Gear added.
For that reason it looks like they could be in hospital for a while.
“But that’s OK, she’ll catch up with her sister,” Gear said.
Being separated from family is heartbreaking for her.
“When we video chat Cassiopeia says “up”,” Gear said with great emotion.
She can’t wait for the day she can hug all her family members again.
During this separation, mom and dad check in with each other often.
“Ed says he’s putting out fires at home but not getting a lot done otherwise,” Gear said.
“It will be so nice when the girls all get to meet each other.”
After all this is over and they get to settle into their new routine at home, Gear knows they’ll be fine.
“I have a great support system at home,” she said. “My family is kind of wonderful that way.”