10th Annual 10th Annual - Orlando Health

The Right Place at the Right Time
The lights were dim as all eyes focused on the black and white image. At first, it looked like static from a poor
television connection, but then the image sharpened. “You’re having twins!” The words echoed as Tshai and
Erick Knowles stared at the two dark circles that represented the newest additions to their family. They didn’t
know whether to laugh or cry, or do both.
10th Annual
The family watched as mom’s belly grew, and her obstetrician closely monitored her high blood pressure. At one
of her checkups, an ultrasound showed that the little boy was not getting enough blood to continue to grow. He
threatened the life of his twin sister.
Immediately, Tshai came to Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, but it was too early to deliver the
twins – they were just over six months along. Doctors performed ultrasounds every few hours as they monitored
them. She could not bear the thought of losing her son. Then her little girl began to decline.
The doctors explained that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) offered the best chance of survival for the babies. Tshai was relieved that
at this point the NICU could offer her twins the specialized care – that even as their mother – she could not give them.
More than two months early, Audrey was born weighing 2 pounds 3 ounces, while Daniel weighed only 1 pound 9 ounces. Neonatologist David
Auerbach, MD, and the NICU team immediately began caring for the tiny babies.
Under their care, Audrey and Daniel began to grow. Within two months, they were ready to join the rest of their family. Now, Audrey and
Daniel can hardly sit still; they are crawling and pulling themselves up. Every family hopes for a healthy baby. For Tshai and Erick, one was
not enough. Thanks to the Winnie Palmer Hospital NICU, they went home with two.