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CRAIG ELSEN
When people hear stories about infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), they often have images of tiny babies as small as one pound. But the NICU is intended to care for all critically ill babies ~ not just those suffering from complications due to prematurity.
The Kenneth and Georgianne Elsen family know all too well about the services that are provided by the NICU at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. Their story begins on May 25, 2001 when their sixth child, Craig James, was born. Although Craig was born weighing a strapping 9 lbs. 4 oz., something was terribly wrong. “Our newborn son was born blue and barely whimpering,” remembered Georgianne.
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Craig Elsen
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Because of Georgianne’s sudden onset of preeclampsia, Craig was born by Cesarean section at Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids. Because he was not breathing at birth, Craig was immediately given oxygen and resuscitation efforts began. “A parent’s dream is to hear a hearty, healthy cry,” shared Georgianne, “but Craig was struggling to breathe and looked so blue from lack of oxygen. I started to pray and asked God to heal his little body. I thought he couldn‘t die, he had to live.”
The Elsens were informed that Craig would need to be taken immediately to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. “The staff wheeled the isolette by me so that I could see Craig before he was taken away by the Spirit of Marshfield ambulance crew,” remembered Georgianne. “He laid there with an oxygen mask on his chubby face.”
This was especially devastating to the Elsen’s as seven years earlier their fourth child, Clara Marie, was stillborn. “We had already experienced the pain, grief and anguish of losing a baby,” says Georgianne. “We never wanted to relive that again.”
Ken and Georgianne soon learned that their son was diagnosed with a condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN). Normally, when a baby is in the womb, he depends on fetal circulation to supply the oxygen and nutrients and gets rid of carbon dioxide and other wastes through the placenta. When the baby is born, the birth process causes a big change in the blood flow through the heart and major blood vessels. When the baby takes his first breath, the circulatory system changes ~ basically from an aquatic to an air breather. The lungs fill with air, the pressure of blood flow through the lungs drop and normal blood flow begins. In Craig’s case, the changes in the blood flow through his heart and lungs did not occur.
Because Georgianne’s condition was unstable, she remained at Riverview Hospital after Craig was taken 40 miles away to the care of Dr. James Optiz, Marshfield Clinic Neonatalogist on staff at Saint Joseph’s Hospital. “Dr. Optiz called us immediately,” said Kenneth. “He informed us that Craig was very critical and was truly fighting for his life. He assured us that they were doing everything in their power to save Craig.”
Craig was placed on a ventilator and received cardiac medications and morphine to sedate him with the hopes that this would allow the blood vessels in his lungs to begin to open. “Even though Craig was out of my womb,” said Georgianne, “his body was reacting like he was still in utero.”
Georgianne’s condition stabilized the next day, allowing her to travel to Marshfield via ambulance to be closer to her newborn son. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw him,” remembered Georgianne. “All I wanted to do was pick him up and cuddle him. He was lying there so still. His eyes were covered with a shield. He looked so big compared to the other babies. Dr. Opitz informed us that of all the babies in the NICU at that time, Craig was the biggest and yet he was one of the most critical.”
The family stayed across the street at the Ronald McDonald House. “What a wonderful place of comfort that was for us,” said Ken.
“At that point it was just a matter of faith and time,” said Georgianne. “Then it happened. The numbers on the monitors began to show improvement and tests confirmed it ~ the lung vessels were beginning to function normally.”
As Craig’s condition improved, Ken and Georgianne finally had the chance to hold him for the first time. It was an especially joyous day as they were also celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary! “God is awesome and definitely blessed us with a true miracle,” said Georgianne.
Within a few days, Craig was able to go home to be with his parents, his sisters MaryKelly, Lindsay, Rebekah and brother Tommy. And almost two years later, the Elsen family welcomed their seventh child, Benjamin to their home, born without any complications.
“Craig’s life is a miracle,” shared Georgianne. “A miracle to me is seeing how God’s hand intervenes in our life and miraculously heals.”
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