LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Kyle and Anne Rutherford say there was a \u201cmiracle vibe\u201d in the room, after a big concern over their premature baby seemingly solved itself, in what they called a medical mystery. What they say was no mystery at all, though, was the level of care they received in the NICU at UMC Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n
Their baby girl\u2019s story is part of the 43rd Annual Children\u2019s Miracle Network City Bank Celebration Broadcast on KCBD NewsChannel 11. The United Supermarkets Phone Bank can be reached at 806-747-KIDS (5437). <\/p>\n
The Rutherfords, both Lubbock natives, married nearly two years ago. Anne said she always wanted kids, and the couple decided it was time to add a little one to the family mix after getting married.<\/p>\n
Their little girl was due in March 2026, but Anne\u2019s water broke in December, three months early.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was admitted to the hospital and they were like, yeah, you\u2019re going to be here for the next eight weeks at least,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
When a mother\u2019s water breaks early, Neonatologist Dr. Joy Tenpenny says the goal is usually to keep the baby in the womb as long as possible, while balancing the risk of infection. The Rutherfords\u2019 baby girl had other plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was like, no, just kidding. I\u2019m going to come two days later,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
Eleanor Rutherford arrived at 26 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 14 ounces and measuring just over a foot long.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe could like fit in the palm of his hand, basically,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
Little Eleanor was sent to the NICU soon after she was born. Dr. Tenpenny said premature babies face challenges across multiple organ systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny time a baby is born prematurely, I tell mom and dad to think of it as every organ system is premature,\u201d Tenpenny said.<\/p>\n
The Rutherfords became familiar with sudden drops in Eleanor\u2019s heart rate and oxygen levels during her time in the NICU. Anne said leaving Eleanor at the hospital each evening was difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, it was really hard. It was one of those gut-wrenching things of you\u2019re leaving your baby somewhere. And this is not how you kind of envision having your first child of having to leave her behind when she should be coming home with you,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
Kyle said the round-the-clock care Eleanor received provided reassurance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is, we do this 24\/7, 365. And although it wasn\u2019t quote-unquote, ideal, it was very, at least calming for me, knowing that the level of care that she was having around the clock was almost routine,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n
At three weeks old, doctors found a hole in Eleanor\u2019s heart and scheduled surgery to repair it. Just before the procedure, doctors called Anne with different news.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey called me, they were like, hey, we actually aren\u2019t doing surgery. Um, we can\u2019t close the hole because there is no hole in her heart,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know in the medical field, they prefer to have some sort of potential reasoning, but there was a very big, I guess you\u2019d call it \u2018miracle vibe\u2019 in the room that day,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t the only miracle along Eleanor\u2019s journey. AngelEye cameras in the NICU helped the Rutherfords watch over Eleanor even when they had to leave the hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that was a help I didn\u2019t realize how big it would be, especially for us just to be able to quickly look and go, she\u2019s okay. She\u2019s sleeping, you know, or she\u2019s, you know, making a funny face or whatever she was doing,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n
Little notes let them know when Eleanor was hitting milestones, like moving out of her isolette and into to her crib.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose angel-eye cameras meant everything to us while we were in there. And so, knowing that the Children\u2019s Miracle Network provided that for us is huge,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Tenpenny said the cameras ensured families didn\u2019t miss a thing, inside or out of the hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen things are so crazy and you have a baby in the NICU, you do need a component of stability in your life. And so, to be able to go home and sleep in your own bed and to see your dogs and your other kids, I don\u2019t think that you can put a price tag on that,\u201d Tenpenny said.<\/p>\n
Eleanor spent 12 weeks in the NICU, and she had a lot of people watching over her. Kyle said the family got to know the staff well during that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter a while, we basically knew everyone\u2019s name and if they were in a relationship and how long they\u2019d worked there and everything else,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n
Anne said the staff\u2019s care made leaving the NICU bittersweet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UMC staff was incredible to us and it was kind of funny. Not that we wanted to stay in the NICU longer, but I mean, they made it hard to leave. And you just knew that your child was cared for,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
While it was hard for them to leave, making sure premature babies like theirs can go home is the whole idea. Kyle says Eleanor is an example of the direct impact of donations to the Children\u2019s Miracle Network.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to know where your donations and where this stuff can lead, exhibit A,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n