Edward Hospital NICU baby cared for by same doctor as mom

Lizzie Reese was 26 weeks pregnant when she flew from Texas to Illinois to visit her two sisters and new nieces.

Lizzie, who grew up in Bolingbrook, attended Texas Christian University where she met her husband, Garrett. After college, the couple traveled around Texas and Florida for Garrett's advanced U.S. Navy flight training, which currently has them in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Soon after arriving in Illinois for the family visit, Lizzie did not feel well.

She says, "The morning after I arrived, I went to an urgent care and they quickly identified that something wasn’t quite right and sent me to the emergency room. I came to Edward Hospital because both of my sisters recently delivered there and my family is familiar with the hospital." It’s where Lizzie herself was born in 1997.

Lizzie was told she would stay in the hospital until she delivered the baby because her water broke. Knowing they were in for the long haul, Garrett was granted emergency leave from the military, rescheduling his training and drove to Illinois with their dog, Blakely.

Full circle

Nolan Reese was born at 29 weeks. Once in the NICU with her newborn, Lizzie's circle got closer.

After she was born 24 years ago, Lizzie spent eight days in the Edward Hospital NICU. Her neonatologist at the time was Bob Covert, M.D., an independent neonatologist and medical director of the Edward Hospital NICU — the same doctor who was now taking care of Nolan.

"After hearing Lizzie's story, that she grew up here and was a NICU baby herself, I realized that I took care of her," Dr. Covert says. "I hope the connection made Lizzie feel that much more at home with us."

“Aside from the unique connection, we are also just immensely grateful for Dr. Covert because of his expertise and experience in this field,” Lizzie says. “He is an excellent doctor, so responsive to our questions and very proactive in caring for Nolan. It was easy for us to quickly trust in his knowledge and discernment.”

On the road

In January 2022, Nolan was stable enough to be transported via a medical team to Corpus Christi Medical Center. Kerry Sharar, Edward Hospital case manager, worked with the insurance company, transport team and both hospitals to coordinate the trip. Her job was not easy with high winds delaying the flight twice and insurance approval delaying it one more time. Then finally, Lizzie and Nolan flew back to Texas, while Garrett and Blakely drove home towing a freezer of breastmilk.

"We were excited to finish Nolan’s nursery and get to know our community in Corpus Christi! Since he came so early, and we had just moved to Texas about three weeks before everything began in Naperville, the nursery was still completely full of boxes and empty of furniture." Lizzie says.

"From working in a visit from my dog when in antepartum, to Kerry working tirelessly to coordinate a medical transport back to Texas, to all his nurses, especially Inger Malone and Laura Flynn who spent so much time answering all my questions and providing nurture and love far beyond medical care, to all the doctors who work as such a well-designed team, Edward Hospital is unmatched,” Lizzie says. “The NICU provided such peace for us as new parents and allowed us to just focus on the joy of our sweet baby. We are eternally grateful.”

Get more information at EEHealth.org/services/pregnancy-baby/after-delivery/nicu.