03 Nov McCarthy Family Story

On the evening of Wednesday, February 19, 2025, when I was 26 weeks and 5 days pregnant, I began experiencing dangerously high blood pressure. My OB provider at MaineGeneral in Augusta advised me to report to the Labor and Delivery department immediately. Tim, my husband, and I made the trip, and I was checked in right away. I was placed on the fetal monitor, and my vitals were checked. My blood pressure was still elevated. They checked it two more times with elevated results, and it was then determined that I was presenting symptoms of preeclampsia with severe features. The doctor on call informed me that I would likely need to deliver Winston right away to keep both of us safe. She told me that I was going to be sent to Maine Med in Portland because they did not have the proper accommodations to care for Winston in Augusta. I arrived in Portland via ambulance just before midnight. When the provider in Portland was able to talk with me, she also informed me that it was likely I would deliver Winston that night. After more tests and monitoring, they determined that they would not have to induce labor, but would just keep me for monitoring.

On Friday morning, an ultrasound revealed that Winston weighed only 1.1 pounds, leading to a diagnosis of severe fetal growth restriction. The technician also couldn’t locate my cervix, and a follow-up exam showed I was already 1 cm dilated. I was admitted for a week of monitoring, during which I experienced contractions that doctors tried to stop with medication. By Thursday, February 27th, at 27 weeks and 6 days, the contractions returned stronger, but the care team initially believed they were just practice contractions and prepared to discharge me. Thankfully, my support system encouraged me to speak up, and after I insisted something felt wrong, another cervical exam showed I had dilated to 4 cm. From there, everything moved quickly—I was told I needed to deliver immediately, and since Winston was breech, I was prepped for an emergency cesarean section with Tim by my side.

“I will never forget the sound of Winston’s first cry, it was incredibly beautiful.”

Tim and I were both concerned about Winston’s size, and although he was still teeny tiny, he weighed in at 2 pounds 4 ounces and was 13.4 inches long. Tim was torn between staying with me and going with Winston, but I assured him that I would be fine and that I wanted him to go with Winston when they transported him to the NICU. Eventually, Tim, my mother, and I went to the NICU. I could not believe how small he was and required a CPAP. He had an umbilical line through which they delivered medications and IV fluids, and he had an oral feeding tube. I felt overwhelmed with happiness, but also guilt. I couldn’t help feeling responsible. I was assured time and time again that there was nothing I had done or that I could have done differently to prevent his preterm arrival.

Tim and I live in Newport, and I knew that I was not going to be going home and traveling back and forth to see Winston every day. We were determined to find accommodations in Portland, even if it meant staying at a hotel. Thankfully, a social worker came to see me the day before I was discharged and informed me that there was a Ronald McDonald House just a few streets away from the hospital and that they had rooms available if we decided to stay there. I immediately jumped at the opportunity. This was not the first time RMHC has provided its incredible services for my family. As soon as we arrived, we were treated with nothing but kindness. The volunteers jumped at the opportunity to help bring all of the belongings we had acquired during my hospital stay to our room. They then gave us a tour of the house and explained all of the amenities available to us. There were a few accommodations at the hospital, such as a recliner in Winston’s room and a shower and laundry available just outside the unit. These were nice in a pinch, but having the separate space away from the hospital was a saving grace. Countless occasions at RMH made our experience just a little bit easier. There was a kitchen on our level that provided space to store our personal food. We were provided a mini fridge in our room for my breastmilk storage. There were pumps available around the clock. We utilized the laundry room many times. We were even able to have important packages delivered directly to RMH. While we were at the hospital, home-cooked dinners were being made, and we would return to ready-to-eat meals in the community fridge, not to mention the countless nonperishable goods and snacks available.

“Day in and day out we were treated with kindness and generosity.”

All of the staff and volunteers were willing to drop what they were doing to help if we needed anything. It was a long, hard road, but Winston truly did amazing. Every day, the team of providers told us how well he was doing for his gestational age. He exceeded pretty much all expectations. We were told how uncommon it is for “27 weekers” to be discharged by their due date, but we can proudly say that Winston not only got to go home by his due date, but the day before! On May 22, 2025, we made the journey home. We stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for 81 nights. We never imagined we would need to utilize this type of service, but we are incredibly grateful that it was available to us in our time of need.

McCarthy Family Photo Gallery by Development Team