Twins Born Prematurely: Our Story 28 Years Later

Each November as families around the U.S. celebrate Prematurity Awareness Month, my family also has a celebration of our own. My twin sister Lauren and I were born prematurely at 28 weeks on January 18, 1986 and were cared for by the incredible team at Texas Children’s Newborn Center. We weighed 2 pounds, 2 ounces and 2 pounds, 7 ounces, had a serious lack of lung development and couldn’t breathe on our own. I also gave my parents a scare when my heart stopped beating on Valentine’s Day. 

While I don’t remember my NICU experience, I have vivid memories of my parents sharing stories with us about the ups and downs of our first few months of life. During each conversation one theme remained the same – we were lucky to be at Texas Children’s. Texas Children’s Newborn Center, ranked #2 in the nation, is also the largest NICU in the nation caring for nearly 2,500 babies each year. As a Level IV NICU, Texas Children’s provides care for infants with complex interdisciplinary issues. Today, Lauren and I are healthy 28-year-olds who show no signs of ever having been premature. I also have the privilege of working each day on the Texas Children’s PR team to share inspiring patient stories like mine at the hospital that saved my life. My parents explained their routine that is oftentimes echoed by the patient families I am lucky enough to meet. Each day and night I spent in the NICU, my parents were there. They would wake up, visit Lauren and me until dinner time, eat at a restaurant a few blocks away and come back to the hospital. They yearned for a sense of normalcy and although this was not what every new parent hoped would be a normal routine, it was theirs. Lauren and I were discharged from the NICU on our due date and thankfully had a very healthy childhood. Even though we think back on our experience each November, our family is grateful every day for the Texas Children’s Newborn Center, because without it, we would not be here today.     

Author

Lindsey Fox, Patient