Sesma Twins Pull Through

Donyetta Phipps and Cesar Sesma were excited to learn they were expecting twins. But what they weren’t expecting was such an early delivery.

“ I suffered preeclampsia so my blood pressure was dangerously high,” Donyetta explained. “I wasn’t feeling well so I went to Hurley and, after examining me, the doctor said ‘We going to take your babies in 30.’” Donyetta thought he meant in 30 days. What HE meant was 30 minutes! That’s how quickly her life changed.

On June 24, 2013 Donyetta had an emergency C-section and her twin boys were born at Hurley three and a half months early! LaVentez (aka: Tez) was born at two pounds, nine ounces. His brother, Eziquiel (aka: Zeek) weighed in two minutes later at two pounds, eight ounces. “I’ve never seen any babies so small,” Cesar said of his sons. “It was overwhelming.”

Both babies were on ventilators for the first week of life. Both suffered PDA’s (a congenital heart condition where the small opening between the pulmonary and aortic valves doesn’t close).  Their condition was treated with medication as opposed to surgery. Neither one suffered any brain bleeds.

Donyetta and Cesar couldn’t hold their sons for weeks but they visited their tiny miracles every single day. They learned to trust the nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) who became like “second mothers” to the boys.

After three very long months, Zeek finally came home. But his discharge was a bitter sweet moment. Tez had to stay behind in the NICU for another two and a half weeks.

“We are so grateful to Hurley for our miracles,” Cesar said.  “God’s hand guided them and through His grace we have our sons.”