2020 Lexington SCA Program

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2020 Ambassador FamilyI could not shake the feeling something was wrong, so I went to check my blood pressure.It was higher than usual and right on the line to report to the hospital. I figured I wasstressed out from the news and decided to go home for lunch, lay down for a minute andcheck it again. I told my work colleagues I was running out for lunch and would be backshortly. I didn’t return for 3 months. Anthony insisted we go to the hospital immediately. Iwalked in with just a purse and assumed they would do a check of the baby and I wouldget back to work. Within the hour my doctor was there, telling me it was time to have thebaby. We were going to start an induction and it may take 2-3 days, but the baby wascoming. Within another couple hours, that plan changed again. We had time for a shortmeeting with the NICU staff. They explained to us that they would be at the delivery. Fora 33-weeker it was possible no intervention would be needed, but they were prepared.Later that evening, Blake Stephen Russell made his early and unexpected arrival. Heneeded intervention to help him breathe and was whisked away to the NICU before I evenlaid eyes on him. After a few hours in recovery, my husband Anthony and a nurse wheeledmy hospital bed into the NICU room where I finally met my son. He was in a tiny incubator,with a ventilator and so many wires. In that moment, I realized I didn’t need to lay eyes onhim to know that I loved him more than life itself.The next few hours and days and months would bring even more surprises. Next was anunexpected Down Syndrome diagnosis. A few hours later, it was the news that we wouldneed to be transferred to the UK NICU in order to receive a higher level of care. A few dayslater, a diagnosis of transient abnormal myleopolisis, which is a rare blood disorder thatcan occur in children with Down Syndrome. It almost always resolves itself, but in our caserequired a round of chemotherapy when Blake was around 2 weeks old. There wereairway issues. There were lung development issues. There were surgeries. There were 11doctors and over 100 nurses that treated us like family and cared for Blake like he was theirown. And there was also a baby that smiled and kicked his feet when his favorite nursescame in the room and loved music and being swaddled. More importantly, there was ababy that taught those that met him and many that didn’t more about love and faith thanany other person I know.We only got to spend 209 days with Blake on this earth. Despite receiving all the love andmedical care imaginable from the doctors and nurses of two of our Lexington NICUs, hisbody could not handle it anymore. We strongly believe it is our role as Blake’s parents toform his legacy, and we want that to be one of life and community and giving back. We aregrateful to collaborate with the March of Dimes as the 2020 Ambassador Family with hopethat the Lexington community will join us to support this organization. We believe Blake’slife had value before his birth, during his time on earth and even still today. Our hope isthat through the work of March of Dimes, families facing many of the challenges we facedwill have even more support. Whether through research that might one day prevent theneed for an early delivery or through support for the families with babies in our localNICU’s, the March of Dimes is changing our community. We cannot think of a greater wayto honor our son’s legacy.
2020 Signature Chefs EmceeAmber PhilpottWKYT AnchorAmber Philpott is an awardwinning news anchor with WKYTTV in Lexington, Ky. She is livingher dream as a television newsjournalist, she proudly brings thenews to Central and EasternKentucky each night as co-anchorof the 4, 4:30, 5, 5:30, 6 and11pm newscasts.
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2020 Lexington SCA Program

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