New Birth in the New Year: Baby Rori's 101 Days in the NICU

"This morning, I sit in the living room, watching our almost-one-year-old daughter pick up lettered blocks. It’s hard to let 30 seconds pass without reflecting on the miracle she is and the extraordinary odds we overcame to get here," reflects dad, Cliff Harris. "All children are miracles — but Rori’s journey comes with a dose of extraordinary."

On December 18, 2023, Kamm McKenzie patient, Ashton Harris and her husband, Cliff, went for a routine maternal-fetal medicine appointment. After some evaluation, they were ushered into their provider's office. While his demeanor was kind and gentle, they could tell he would deliver life-changing news. 

A Shocking Turning Point

Ashton’s blood pressure was dangerously high (preeclampsia), and she also had hemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome — a life-threatening pregnancy complication. She required immediate medical intervention. The provider contacted Kamm MecKenzie to coordinate Ashton's admittance into the hospital. She was then whisked away via ambulance to WakeMed Raleigh Campus. 

Cliff recalls the doctor saying to him: “Go home; pack some clothes. This won’t be a short trip.” He rushed home to let the dogs out, called family and prepared for what lie ahead. By the time they arrived to WakeMed Raleigh Campus, it was nearly dark. 

An Introduction to Exceptional Care at WakeMed

Ashton was whisked away for expert care in the labor and delivery unit. In her room, overhead, metallic lights glowed as doctors scrubbed up and nurses busily notated charts. Among the stewarding, was a place of calm as a nurse remained by Ashton’s side, praying with her. 

The situation escalated rapidly. Ashton was moved to the antenatal unit to give Rori more time to grow. The goal was to reach the 25-week mark — a critical milestone for survival.

The days that followed were agonizingly slow for the Harris'. Each evening, they marked another day on a whiteboard — one more day of growth for baby Rori. 

Cliff and Ashton's dad, Dave, drove back and forth daily from Wake Forest to the hospital, balancing obligations at home along with hours analyzing lab results and medical updates in the hospital cafeteria.

A Pause for Christmas as the Wait Continues

"Christmas arrived, and we celebrated in the hospital, decked out in festive pajamas," says Cliff. "Ashton's mother, Annette Tucker, worked feverishly to decorate our room with lights, ornaments and even a small tree. We opened presents and spread holiday cheer down the hallway, but beneath the silliness was a palpable tension as we awaited every knock on the door from doctors with the latest update. One lesson we learned in those weeks was not to treat any single update as definitive. This journey wasn’t linear — things could change in an instant, sometimes for the better."

On December 27, Ashton was moved to a delivery room. Rori was head down, Ashton’s platelet count had dropped to the lowest it could safely go, and it was time to start the Pitocin drip to induce labor, but as the day turned to night, Ashton decided to delay the induction for the early morning. In the early hours of dawn, she started having contractions, and her family surrounded her quietly awaiting the critical delivery.

The Christmas Miracle of More Time

What happened next was nothing short of amazing. The medication administered to Ashton had boosted her platelet count significantly.

The care team weighed the decision of delivery versus keeping baby Rori inside for as long as possible, so the plan was diverted once more.

Within an hour, the Harris' were back in the antenatal unit, buying baby Rori a few more days to grow and strengthen her lungs. 

Nurses excitedly shared with the couple that this kind of reversal was incredibly rare — the kind a care team member might experience only once in an entire health care career.

As the days leading up to New Year’s Eve were filled with hope, the couple began to ponder, "Could baby Rori make it to mid-January, maybe even February?"

Sharp Pain and a Bid for Just a Little More Time

On the morning of December 31, Ashton experienced excruciating pain in her upper left quadrant. The doctors quickly ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan. 

In reflecting, Cliff states, "I’ll never forget the image of her on the gurney, her hand gripping mine tightly. Her face was expressionless, but silent tears streamed down her cheeks. It was another moment to summon strength — for both of us."

The pain subsided, and the couple anxiously awaited the next update. Around 6 pm, a provider entered the room with news that Ashton’s liver labs had reached critical levels. She shared that it was time to deliver the baby.

Cliff recalls inquiring in that moment, “When are we doing this?” to which the doctor replied, 'Right now.'”

However, there would again be a reversal as the doctor observed that Ashton's levels. This amended the time for delivery by six hours. 

With this delay, baby Rori was scheduled to to be born on New Year's day. 

Cliff notes, "I glanced at the clock — just past 6:05 p.m. It hit me: Rori was about to be born on New Year's Day. I felt as though I had just left a black ops mission briefing. The next six hours flew by. Ashton entered full zen mode, radiating a calm that seemed to envelop everyone around her. We all felt its effect — a kind of collective serenity born from her strength."

A Celebration of New Birth in a New Year

At 11:59 pm, nurses hurried around to mark the moment, counting down with joyful enthusiasm for the delivery of baby Rori "Ten! Nine! Eight..."

In the operating room as the team prepared to deliver baby Rori via cesarean section, the atmosphere felt welcoming — a mix of looseness, confidence and camaraderie. The care team was calm yet focused as they brought forth their individualized skillset, collaborating to bring a new life into the world. Amazingly, Ashton delivered at 27 weeks, but due to a blood delivery issue with her placenta, she was gestationally 25 weeks growth confirmed by ultrasound and measurements — this meant baby Rori met the most critical milestone.

While the world outside celebrated the birth of a new year, the people in that room celebrated the birth of a very special little girl.

Cliff recalls seeing his daughter for the first time, "She was tiny, so fragile, yet she was my whole world, right there before me. In that surreal moment, I whispered, 'Happy Birthday, sweet girl' and received the tiniest-ever high five."

A Transition to Topnotch Care in the Level IV Regional NICU

Rori was moved to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Since she was extremely premature, it was critical that she receive extensive care to provide her respiratory support for immature lungs' feeding support for difficulty feeding, as her sucking, swallowing and digestive systems were not yet matured; temperature regulation due to an immature temperature control center in her brain; time for brain development to overt the risk of bleeding in the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage); oversight for other complications, such as jaundice, infections, heart problems; as well as maturation of vital organizes to include her kidneys, liver and intestines. 

Ashton was able to see baby Rori for the first time 24 hours later as providers worked around the clock to resolve her health conditions, as she'd received three rounds of magnesium and was still being treated for severe HELLP and pre-eclampsia — all requiring extensive medical intervention. The couple remained in the hospital for a few more nights before Ashton was discharged home.

Back at home, the couple was greeted by loved ones with an outpouring of help — meals, flowers, well wishes. Soon Cliff returned to work, and Ashton began her new job: NICU Mama Ninja Warrior Extraordinaire — as weeks ebbed by with their daughter receiving round-the-clock care in the WakeMed Raleigh Campus Level IV Regional NICU. 

Finally Home Sweet Home for Baby Rori

After 101 days in the NICU, Rori was finally discharged home April 11, 2024. She was the picture of health. As the couple wheeled her out, the NICU nurses lined the hallways for a celebratory parade, cheering on the Harris family. 

"The exceptional care and kindness we experienced from the moment we entered on December 18 continued right through to the discharge of our daughter. You all left us in awe. Though the pain will soften, the lessons and memories of this experience will remain etched in our hearts as a quiet reminder of how far we've come and the love and expertise at WakeMed that carried us through."

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About WakeMed Level IV NICU

WakeMed’s highly specialized Level IV Regional NICU offers:

• 48 patient beds, including 27 single private rooms and eight rooms that accommodate multiples (twins and triplets)
• Full-time neonatologists – Specialists in the care of critically ill babies
• Full-time perinatologists – Specialists in treating high-risk pregnancies
• A team of neonatal, pediatric and family practice nurse practitioners
• Highly skilled neonatology staff, including pediatric psychologists, child development specialists, speech-language pathologists, registered nurses and PhD-level physical therapists
• Lactation consultants
• WakeMed Mother’s Milk Bank – Direct access to one of the few human milk donation programs in the country and the only one in the southeast
• Special Infant Care Program for outpatient follow-up 
• Special neonatal delivery team 
• Dedicated neonatal respiratory therapists