December 14, 2020, started out as an ordinary day for Haley Rice, of Moab, Utah. She was 27 weeks and 6 days pregnant. Rice went to work and then to dinner with her husband. As she was getting ready for bed, the day took a traumatic turn.

“I thought my water broke, but instead, I was hemorrhaging. I had placenta previa with a complete previa which caused me to hemorrhage,” explained Rice.

Rice and her husband jumped in the car and headed to their local emergency room in Moab. There, she was met by her primary care provider and learned quickly that she was going to be delivering her daughter sooner rather than later.

“I was so afraid that something was going to happen to her. Not only because our hospital does not deliver babies before 37 weeks, but because it was also COVID, and I had to be all by myself,” recalled Rice.

Rice needed a higher level of care, but due to the circumstances and how quickly labor was progressing, it was too risky to fly her to Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, so the St. Mary’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) transport team came to her.

St. Mary’s Regional Hospital offers a Level III NICU, which means their team is equipped to care for infants born at all gestational ages and birth weights.

“I was called out on the transport late that night. The Moab team actually waited for us to arrive with the isolette before they started the C-section,” said Jennifer Quarles, NP, CareFlight of the Rockies NICU Transport Team.

An isolette provides controlled temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels and has armholes which the caregivers can use to reach the baby with minimum disturbance to the controlled environment. 

“It’s actually a NICU in the sky. It has all our supplies. It has everything we need to stabilize and maintain a baby through transport. In this case, we brought the isolette into the OR during the C-Section so we were ready the moment she was born,” added Quarles.

Lyndie was born December 15, 2020, just after midnight at 28 weeks and a tiny 2 pounds, 4 ounces. Moments after her unexpected entrance into the world, she was whisked away by the CareFlight NICU team and flown on their fixed wing airplane from Moab to Grand Junction.

“The thought did cross my mind that one or both of us wouldn’t make it. I was worried that she might not have a mom and my mom might not have a daughter. But, as soon as the CareFlight team arrived, I knew that my daughter had a fighting chance,” recalled Rice.

According to Quarles, the babies guide them in their care. “Even though they can’t talk, somehow, they tell us what they need. If they’re working hard to breathe, we help them with their airway. If their blood glucose is low, we help them with fluids.”

As Lyndie was fighting for her life at the St. Mary’s Regional Hospital NICU, Rice remained in Moab. She was hemorrhaging, and the doctors could not stop the bleeding. She needed a blood transfusion, which was not available at the local hospital.

“Lyndie was in Grand Junction and that’s where I wanted to be too, and they could better care for me there,” Rice said. “I was transported by ambulance to St. Mary’s where I was in the ICU for several days before being transferred to the mom and baby floor.” 

As Rice received a life-saving blood transfusion, NICU nurses were working around the clock to care for Lyndie.

“We try to stimulate the womb as much as possible. We keep that isolette warm and moist. We try to limit the light exposure and the noise exposure,” explained Kindra Loyd RN, NICU, St. Mary’s Regional Hospital.

Quarles added, “Our whole NICU becomes parents to these children when the parents aren’t there.”

And with these micro preemies, it doesn’t take long for bonds to form.

“We talk to them, we sing to them, we tell them all kinds of little stories. We get to know their personalities and even give them nicknames,” Loyd said.

Lyndie got her nickname early on and apparently earned it.

“Princess Lyndie. She was sassy and told you exactly what she wanted, even though she couldn’t use words,” Loyd said.

“She was the boss of all of us,” Quarles added.

Rice was officially discharged about five days after arriving by ambulance to St. Mary’s.

“As soon as I was discharged, I chose to stay with Lyndie for every care time for 75 days. I was thankful to get a room at the Rose Hill Hospitality House, just across the road,” Rice said.

Rose Hill Hospitality House, a St. Mary’s program, provides free lodging for St. Mary’s patients and family members who live outside of Mesa County.

Lyndie had a lot of firsts at the hospital. She celebrated her first Christmas with a visit from Santa, she rang in 2021, and spent her first Valentine’s Day in the NICU.

“We learn a lot about them and honestly, they learn about us. The bonds we build with the families are awesome. We make lifetime friendships,” shared Loyd.

“They did become like family to me. It was COVID, so I couldn’t have my own family with me, and they filled that void and were my support every step of the way,” Rice explained. “When it was time to go, I cried a lot. I wouldn’t get to see them every day. I’m just so grateful for each and every one of them in our life.”

“It’s bittersweet for all of us. But we know that's exactly what they're supposed to do, go home with their families. But we do miss seeing them,” said Quarles.

Lyndie is now 3 years old and has met or surpassed all her developmental milestones. And when it comes time for Lyndie to have a brother or sister, her mom knows just where she’ll be.

“Now that I have gone through a traumatic birth story with a preemie, having St. Mary’s being this close to me is such a comfort. When I plan to have other children in the future, I will be here to deliver.”