Winchester Hospital Celebrates Miracle Baby's First Birthday
WINCHESTER (CBS) - Doctors and nurses in Winchester celebrated what they call a miracle. Clapping and smiling, you'd never know what baby Ava and her mom Kerry Kawai went through last January.
Kerry was 26 weeks pregnant, the morning of a blizzard, and wasn't feeling well. She thought it could be morning sickness, and used all her strength to tell her husband to call 911 before she collapsed.
She was rushed to Winchester Hospital, where she had a cardiac arrest in the emergency room.
WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson reports
Dr. Terry Ciccone and Winchester Hospital's team delivered Ava by emergency C-section.
Neonatalist Elizabeth Doherty said, "In my medical career, it's the most incredible case I have ever been a part of. It's a day I will remember forever, January 27, 2011."
Kerry had suffered a blood clot on her lung. Kerry said, "I thought I'd wake up at Winchester Hospital. When I woke up at Mass General five days later I knew it was more serious. I went through open heart surgery, open lung surgery, all the doctors nurses along the way at four hospitals have been amazing." She and Ava were treated at separate hospitals, so they weren't able to see each other for a month.
Today the staff at Winchester Hospital came together celebrate Ava's birthday, and the lives they helped to save.
Dr. Ciccone said, "To see her like this healthy happy clapping. It's amazing, amazing and enriching." At the gathering he said, "You have shown courage far beyond your years. You have a bright wonderful future ahead of you. We wish you and your family all the best."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports
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Kerry says Ava has a bright future, with no surgeries expected in the future. She is grateful for all of the excellent care and support. "Because of all the wonderful people surrounding us today in Winchester, we have been given the opportunity to continue our beautiful life. It's all happy right now. We overcame a lot. We're stronger, this is all happiness."
