140 days in the NICU: Four years later, Mackenzie Rae is thriving

For Jordan Green, Hunter Stallard and their daughter, Mackenzie Rae, the MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) feels like a home away from home. In 2017, the trio spent 140 days in room 306 fighting for Mackenzie’s life with the help of compassionate doctors, nurses and staff — something you’d never guess seeing the smiley 4-year-old today.

While Jordan’s pregnancy was considered high risk due to severe polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, the first several months were somewhat uneventful. But that all changed when her water unexpectedly broke 22 weeks and six days in.

Jordan rushed to the emergency room at Tacoma General Hospital, arriving already 2 centimeters dilated with a placental abruption — a condition that occurs when the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before birth. She thought she was going to give birth at any moment.

“Then suddenly, everything stopped; I stopped dilating, I stopped contracting and I stopped bleeding,” Jordan remembers.

When babies are born prematurely, every day the pregnancy can be extended is critical to reducing potential health complications down the line. To help Jordan stay pregnant as long as possible, she was admitted to the hospital.

Several days later, on October 31, 2017, Mackenzie entered the world weighing just 1 pound, 0.09 ounces, making her the smallest baby Tacoma General staff had ever seen survive. Because of her fragile state as a “micro preemie” — a term used for babies born weighing 28 ounces or less — she was wheeled off to the Tacoma General NICU.

As the only Level IV NICU in Southwest Washington, the donor-supported Tacoma General NICU provides the highest level of care possible for babies born prematurely or with serious health problems like Mackenzie. Over the next months, her expert care team would help her access the support she needed to develop and thrive.

Mackenzie flourishes, supported by NICU staff

In 2014, MultiCare Health Foundation donors supported the expansion of the Tacoma General NICU, so families like Mackenzie’s could have their own private room. Jordan calls this expansion “a huge saving grace,” given how much time they spent in the hospital.

Despite the initial fear and uncertainty of having a baby in the NICU, Jordan’s care team provided reassurance almost immediately. They stayed by Jordan’s side every step of the way. Staff made sure Mackenzie had the care she needed to grow, and volunteer NICU baby rockers provided support to Mackenzie, while Jordan was getting ready to return home. Philanthropy also helped fund gasoline gift cards to assist Jordan with the cost of traveling to and from appointments.

“I honestly believe we wouldn’t have gotten through it without the community we had,” she explains. “And that was the community of doctors, nurses and volunteers.”

One of those incredible nurses was Deanna Underwood, RN, who Mackenzie and Jordan still call “Auntie Deanna.” Deanna was with Mackenzie from the moment she was born, providing an above-and-beyond level of care.

Hunter, neonatologist Michael Kuluz, MD, Deanna Underwood and Jordan celebrate Mackenzie’s final day in the Tacoma General NICU.

After spending so long in the NICU, Mackenzie struggled to take her bottle. Deanna jumped in to ensure Jordan would feel comfortable taking her fragile newborn home.

“I was moving at the time, and I’d spread myself so thin trying to get everything prepared and being at the NICU constantly,” Jordan explains. “Deanna made it a point to be there for every feed Mackenzie had for three days straight. And in three days, we were able to get Mackenzie to fully take her bottle at the volume she was supposed to, and we were able to be discharged to come home. Without that extra effort on her part, I don’t think we would’ve gotten home as quickly as we did.”

A ray of sunshine

Now, Mackenzie is a radiant 4-year-old with an equally bright smile. And her weight and health are on track with other children her age.

“If you saw her today, you’d have no idea she ever had such a rough start to life,” Jordan shares. “She’s just a ray of sunshine.”

As Jordan reflects on the experience that brought her baby girl into the world, she’s thankful for the team who supported her and her daughter through one of their most difficult journeys.

“The day she was born, I was told she had less than a 1 percent chance of surviving,” Jordan says. “And not only did she survive, but she’s thriving. She’s amazing, and I’m so blessed to have her.”

You can support infants born prematurely like Mackenzie with a donation to Tacoma General Hospital’s NICU through the MultiCare Health Foundation. Give today at give.multicare.org/tgnicu.