In February 2010, Arcadian Stacy Lovell was six months pregnant with twins and settling in for the final trimester – getting the babies’ room ready, packing her go bag, and reveling in the love from family and friends. She was grateful for the healthy journey she’d experienced thus far… and entirely unprepared for what happened next.
After dealing with a couple of days of not feeling well and initially being diagnosed with a sinus infection, Stacy decided she needed to speak to her OB. She was admitted to the hospital with a 104.9-degree fever. Things took a turn for the worse, and Stacy ended up in the ICU in critical condition with a case of septic pneumonia that was in her lungs and blood.
Her condition continued to deteriorate, and before long, she had to be intubated and put in an induced coma. Not only was Stacy in danger – her 28-week-old twins were also fighting to survive.
The doctors determined that the best course of action would be to begin pumping steroids into the fetuses in hopes of speeding their lung development. The nurses were constantly tracking their heart rates. In the middle of the night, one of the babies’ heart rates suddenly began to dip, and the team at HonorHealth sprang into action – it was time for delivery.
A team of 17 healthcare professionals headed to the operating room: one team for the babies, another to handle post-delivery care, and a third to care for Stacy.
Brandon and Aubrey Lovell were born on February 28, 2010, at 29 weeks old and three pounds each. They settled in after resolving the initial challenge of getting the babies to breathe by intubating them. They needed oxygen and feeding tubes and fought hard to stay alive.
“I have no memory of delivering my babies. I was unconscious and in a coma for the first five days of their lives. Imagine my surprise when I woke up, and my pregnant belly was gone,” Stacy said. “Tears streamed down my face. I was still on oxygen, unable and too weak to speak. Not the delivery I had envisioned.”
Stacy could not see Brandon and Aubrey right away, but Nurse Ann DiChiara decorated the hospital room with photos and filled a scrapbook with pictures. On her breaks, she came to the room to check in and share updates. Stacy’s husband, Mike, and daughter, Mia, camped out in the room every day.
Six days later, she was wheeled into the NICU to hold her babies for the first time – but her fight was far from over. She had severe pain in her back and another fever as the pneumonia spread to the lining of her lungs. She’d developed pleural effusion and empyema and required a six-hour surgery (one of three) that resulted in chest tubes being inserted.
“I was in the hospital for a total of three weeks, two of those in the ICU. Brandon and Aubrey were at the hospital for eight weeks,” Stacy said. “I was so sick and terrified they were not going to survive, and if they did, they would have so many lifelong complications. I was worried about Mia. Our entire family was at risk in so many ways...the three of us with our lives on the line.”
Dr. Karrie Francois, MD, and the team at HonorHealth provided round-the-clock care for Stacy, Brandon and Aubrey – both physically and mentally. Stacy’s sadness quickly turned to tears of happiness and hope as the nurses sent photos and updates constantly.
“They gave me courage and strength,” Stacy said. “They even helped provide donor breastmilk, and one of the nurses would even help me ‘pump and dump’ because I had to have chest tube surgery and was on too much medication to give them my own.”
After two months, Stacy and her family were together again – and finally, safely, at home. The new mom of three was so grateful for the help of everyone at the hospital that she decided to create an event to raise funds for the department. This – and a favored family beverage – helped her develop High Tea for HonorHealth.
“There are amazing galas out there, but I wanted to separate ours from others. I wanted it to be an event where people could grab clothes from their closet, have no pressure to get their hair and makeup done, and attend with or without their kids during a weekday,” Stacy said.
The first High Tea took place in 2018, and since then, it has raised over $1,145,000. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.
High Tea usually occurs in September or October to coincide with NICU Awareness Month. Attendees are welcome to come out, listen to stories from those in similar situations to Stacy’s, and enjoy lunch and a silent auction. This year’s theme is Wish Upon a Star, and the event takes place on October 2.
Each year, the NICU lists its most pressing needs, and the money raised through High Tea helps provide new technology, specialty equipment, and comfort services to families in need. Thus far, the funds have helped purchase GE Giraffe Omnibeds with warming technology to help infants maintain their temperature and reduce the risk of infection.
Another year, the event funded the purchase of privacy screens for the NICU rooms, giving parents their own space for nursing and bonding with their babies. At this year’s event, the community will help the NICU obtain an ultrasound machine, new cardiopulmonary monitors, and defibrillators.
“My goal, mission, and ultimate dream is to build a new neonatal unit where families can have private rooms,” Stacy said. “This incredible community has been so supportive. I am forever grateful for the precious gift of life, the giving hearts, and the HonorHealth Foundation for making my desire to make this event a reality!”
