My daughter Miracle Rose Acosta is truly a miracle!
I had been told that I would never get pregnant. Then the doctors thought my daughter would not make it to the viable age of 23 weeks because of my many pregnancy complications and I was encouraged to choose ‘comfort care’. Every decision I made was to keep going forward for my daughter every single time I was asked. My water completely broke at 23 weeks. I had to be immediately admitted in the hospital because I chose for the team of doctors to intervene and do everything they could possibly do to save my daughter. I was bedridden in the hospital until I couldn’t hold her myself anymore, and for 7 weeks, my daughter lived in a ruptured membrane with no fluid. At 30 weeks, I had to have an emergency c-section. Both my daughter and I almost lost our lives that day, but God kept performing miracle after miracle.
I chose my daughter’s name to be ‘Miracle’ because of the true miracle she is! She was born not breathing and was in the NICU for 84 days before she was discharged to go home. We were only home for two weeks before we were back in the hospital where she was admitted for another month and a half, spending some of her time even in the PICU. Miracle’s first year of life was spent more in the hospital than at our actual home. The hospital became more like our home and our actual home felt more like a hotel stay. I never left my daughter’s side during her NICU stay and even through every hospital admission.
Now three years later, we are still seeing a team of all high-risk pediatric doctors in the Texas Medical Center located in Houston, Texas. Miracle is still dependent on some machines, but she is such a happy baby! She is hooked up to a ventilator where she requires BiPAP and C-PAP through a cannula. She also is dependent on extra supplemental oxygen. She has a pulse oximeter to continually monitor her pulse and respiratory rate. She has a g-button where she is tube fed and given meds. She has progressed and come so far in three years. She has her mama’s personality, and she is her mama’s lil best friend.
Miracle loves to talk, and she is a fighter just like her mama. She loves giving lots of hugs and kisses to her Mama, Papa (grandpa), Bibi (grandma), Tio Abel (uncle), Tia Jenny (aunt), and Bentley (cousin). She tells us how much she loves us all the time. She is such a blessing to all of us and brings such joy to everyone she meets and knows.
What amazes everyone about Miracle is that if you look at her and spend time with her, you would never even guess that she is an immunocompromised, medically complex child because of how happy she usually is when her health issues aren’t flaring up. She deals with respiratory issues, gastric issues, and seizures (absent/silent seizures) 24/7. Miracle only wants her mama during the times she’s not feeling good. But when she is feeling good health wise, she loves to smile and laugh!
Miracle loves to sing. Singing is her passion. She sings every single song with all of her heart. Her most recent favorite songs are "Happy Birthday", "5 Lil Monkeys Jumping on the Bed", and "Jesus Loves Me". We just recently celebrated her 3rd birthday in May and her theme was Paw Patrol. She also loves Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
One tough challenge is dealing with people who judge and don’t understand what it’s like raising a medically fragile complex child, especially during a pandemic. As a single mom, I’ve sacrificed everything for my daughter to protect her immune system, especially due to the COVID pandemic. Miracle only knows the 4 walls of the inside of a hospital, the clinic, all the doctors’ offices, and our house. Per her doctor’s orders she is transported only via ambulance, only for anything medical, and I am always right alongside with her every single time. I have and will continue to treasure and cherish every single moment with my miracle baby and I’m looking forward to the many days ahead of more beautiful moments and memories between my daughter and me. No one can tell me that miracles aren’t real because I am reminded daily of miracles still existing. My daughter Miracle Rose is my living proof of that!!! ❤️