A gift of good health is the best gift of all
Amy and Chris Malton were keeping their fingers crossed for a New Year’s baby when the couple were expecting in 2016.
Their daughter, Mya, wasn’t supposed to arrive until the calendar changed to 2017, according to doctor’s calculations.
But Mya had other plans. She started making them known in late October 2016 when Amy found herself in Niagara Health’s Women and Babies’ unit at the St. Catharines hospital.
Amy thought it was a case of Braxton Hicks contractions, or false labour. the swift work of the nurses and doctors at the hospital confirmed otherwise. At 29 weeks pregnant, Amy was in labour — 11 weeks early.
“It was kind of like an out of body experience,” Amy recalled. “It was like, ‘ No, this isn’t happening.”
Doctors did what they could to
She weighed less than four pounds and would spend her first weeks in an incubator in intensive care.
“She was hooked up to a CPAP ( machine) to help her breathe. She had a feeding tube and was under a light for jaundice,” recalled Chris. “It’s just not how you picture things.”
The good news was Mya was healthy and strong. She was simply small and needed time to grow.
She got that time in St. Catharines at the hospital’s special care nursery, where she was transferred two weeks after her birth.
There, Mya benefited from the hospital’s state- of- the- art equipment and care. Chris and Amy watched as their daughter thrived, and one- by- one, the machines and monitors she was hooked up to were shut off.
All the while, nurses taught the new parents all they needed to know about changing diapers, bathing, and feeding the tiny human in their midst.
The family was given a private room they could make their own while Mya was in care. Some nights, they’d fall asleep with their baby girl. Others, life outside the hospital beckoned. they squeezed in every minute of time together, only going home to sleep for a few hours before returning to hospital.
After three weeks in the special care nursery, Mya was able to go home.
“It was a long haul but we really appreciated the nursing staff,” Amy said. “It was so nice to have a brand new facility and have a section to ourselves. ey made it as comfortable as possible while we stayed there.”
On Oct. 22, the family celebrated Mya’s first birthday. they marked the occasion by saying thanks to those who helped her reach this milestone. Family and friends honoured Mya’s caregivers at the hospital by donating to Niagara Health Foundation, which has launched its annual Celebration of Lights fundraiser. Just like Mya’s family, many foundation supporters who donate to the Celebration of Lights campaign give in honour of someone special in their lives — family, friends, doctors, nurses, teachers… the list goes on. And, donations can also be made in memory of loved ones who are no longer with us but are often in our thoughts during the holiday season.
The focus of this year’s campaign is to raise money for new equipment that will benefit Niagara Health sites across the region. Anesthesia machines for Welland, an ultrasound unit for Douglas Memorial, transport ventilators for St. Catharines, low- profile Spirit beds for Port Colborne, and intensive care Linet beds for Greater Niagara General are all on the foundation’s wish list. “It’s important to have up- to- date equipment for the best care to be provided to all our families here,” said Kristina Manzi, Niagara Health Foundation’s Director of Events and Marketing. “It’s great to know when a family like the Malton’s have had such good care here, they want to give back so we can advance equipment and care at the hospital.”
Chris and Amy see it not only as giving back, but paying it forward.
“Anything that could help other patients with care, anything to help people get through these times, we’re happy to do our bit,” Chris said. Visit niagara health foundation.com or call 905- 323- FUND to learn more about the Celebration\ of Lights campaign and to donate this holiday season. Every gift makes a difference at Niagara Health. This story was created by Content Works, Metroland Media’s commercial content division, on behalf of Niagara Health Foundation.