The Manager
The couple met in an espresso bar where Eliza was working as a manager. Eliza was immediately attracted to Ben when he first walked into the bar. The feeling seemed mutual as Ben became a regular customer.
The Manager
Conversations
The small chit-chat often associated with espresso bars soon became longer. Eliza and Ben began discussing more personal questions. It was obvious that they were both interested in one another, which is why Ben decided to make the next move.
Conversations
His Move
Ben was nervous but he worked up the courage to ask Eliza out. However, Eliza was quickly pulled away to resolve a problem with a non-paying customer. Once this issue was sorted out, he took a chance and asked her on a date.
His Move
Their Picnic
The pair enjoyed a picnic date on the beach where they spoke about various topics. During their date, Eliza told Ben that she was currently living with her parents but she was looking for a new residence. Ben was planning a business trip and had an idea.
Their Picnic
Housesitting
After finding out about Eliza’s living arrangements, he asked her if she would like to housesit for him while he was on a business trip. Even though Eliza was apprehensive at first, Ben welcomed her into his home and made her feel comfortable.
Housesitting
A Gift
Ben’s business trip lasted for two weeks. Once he returned, he brought back a questionable gift. As a token of appreciation for looking after his home, Ben bought Eliza a ring that was handmade according to Japanese traditions.
A Gift
Having Dinner
After arriving back from his business trip, Ben asked Eliza if she would want to have dinner with him. It wasn’t long until the couple fell head over heels for each other. Their love for one another only grew once they found out they were expecting.
Having Dinner
Her Pregnancy
Eliza enjoyed a smooth pregnancy. She was on cloud nine and this feeling was amplified once her beautiful daughter was welcomed into the world. However, Eliza soon found that she was suffering from headaches and drowsiness.
Her Pregnancy
Needing Advice
Eliza had many friends with children, so she asked for their advice. However, many of her friends thought that this constant fatigue was the result of her abrupt pregnancy. Yet, Eliza believed it was something else.
Needing Advice
Concerned
Eliza started experiencing intense mood swings. It seemed like Ben could do nothing right in the new mom’s eyes. They were both getting concerned, which led to the couple going to the doctor. What they found out was shocking.
Concerned
Expert Help
The feeling Eliza was experiencing wasn’t something new. She already had an idea of what it could be but she knew she needed to speak to an expert. The couple needed to be sure because it seemed unbelievable.
Expert Help
Her Results
As the new mom had expected, she was pregnant again. Less than six weeks after welcoming their first child together, Eliza was pregnant with another baby. Everyone was shocked by this news, even doctors were surprised.
Her Results
Silence
The couple remained quiet while driving back from the doctor. This news had left Ben and Eliza stunned. The new mom was worried. How was she going to give Charlie the attention she needs while pregnant?
Silence
Panic
Eliza was panicked. Her fear ran throughout her body for some time. However, she decided to turn to her mother for some advice. All her mom could do was offer her support. She had never been in such a situation but she wanted to be there for Eliza.
Panic
More Shocking
Eliza’s unexpected pregnancy was already shocking. However, finding out the couple was expecting again six weeks after welcoming Charlie into the world seemed unbelievable. This wasn’t all, as the doctors informed the pair that they were pregnant with twins.
More Shocking
A Secret Desire
The couple was certainly scared when they found out they would be having twins. However, Eliza had always had a secret desire to have twins. Nonetheless, their family was growing at a rapid pace.
A Secret Desire
Her Body
Eliza became more concerned as her pregnancy progressed. She wondered if her body had fully recovered from her last pregnancy. Eventually, her body grew to a size where she needed more support, as she couldn’t bend down.
Her Body
To the Rescue
Ben decided to take leave from his full-time job to help around the house. Eliza’s mother also offered additional support. The expecting mother couldn’t do anything a few weeks before giving birth, so the additional help was appreciated.
To The Rescue
A Problem
The doctors revealed that the couple would be expecting identical twins. Everything seemed to be going well until Eliza was awoken with severe stomach pain. It was the last few weeks of the couple’s pregnancy when she was taken to hospital.
A Problem
Couldn’t Wait
After arriving at the hospital, doctors understood that the twins could no longer wait. They wanted to be welcomed into the world immediately, which led to them being born prematurely. Nonetheless, the twins were healthy.
Couldn’t Wait
Her Pregnancies
Charlie became a big sister and was happy to have two little brothers in the home. After her pregnancies, Eliza revealed that she felt like she had been pregnant for years. However, she was grateful to have such a supportive partner.
Her Pregnancies
Dreams Come True
Even though Eliza’s pregnancies were unexpected, she had gotten the big family she had always wanted. Her dreams had come true. However, she was still waiting for one more dream – to marry Ben.
Dreams Come True
Marriage
Almost two years later, Ben had asked Eliza to marry him. Eliza’s final dream had come true and the couple had married in a stunning setting. Nonetheless, this didn’t mean their big day didn’t come without any drama.
Marriage
The Twins
After reflecting on their wedding day, Eliza remembered that the twins were quite annoying. She said that their white shirts were clean for around five minutes. They immediately jumped into the duck pond once arriving at the venue.
The Twins
Raining
This wasn’t the only problem the couple encountered on their wedding day. It began raining so heavily that the ceremony needed to stop. After this, the newlyweds decided to head straight to the reception. However, the rain didn’t stop the pair from having a beautiful day.
Raining
Rewarding
Eliza’s children have brought her great joy. She has said that she can see how kids interact with one another and begin forming a bond together. Charlie and the twins love each other. It’s easy to see how this can fill the mother’s heart with so much joy.
Rewarding
Three Years Later
Three years have gone by since the couple tied the knot. Since then, their children have only gotten more beautiful. Each child has their own distinctive personality. Wolfe is a cheeky troublemaker, Jack is a mommy’s boy, and Charlie is the chatterbox.
Three Years Later
Another Story
Even though Eliza and Ben’s story is unbelievable, Sarah and Benn share a similar tale. The couple had welcomed a beautiful baby boy. The new mother woke up in the middle of the night three weeks after giving birth. Something wasn’t right.
Another Story
Heading to the Hospital
Once Sarah was awoken, her pain wouldn’t go away and she began sweating profusely. That’s when the couple decided to head to the hospital. Sarah had complications falling pregnant with their little boy, Freddie, so they wondered if this pain was related to her previous pregnancy.
Heading To Hospital
Trying
Sarah and Benn had been trying to start a family for a year. However, they hadn’t received any good news and suspected that one of them was infertile. This led the pair to seek professional advice where they made a startling discovery.
Trying
Their Results
The doctors performed various tests and analyzed the results. The couple was surprised to find out that they were already pregnant. This news was completely unexpected. Sarah and Benn couldn’t believe what was happening.
Their Results
Going Wrong
Once the couple found out that they were pregnant, Sarah believed something would go wrong with their unborn child. Despite Sarah’s fears, their beautiful boy was born healthy while the pregnancy had no complications.
Going Wrong
Joking Around
After the couple left the hospital with their little Freddie, they joked around saying that they wanted to have another baby immediately. It had taken so long for Sarah and Benn to fall pregnant that they didn’t think they needed any contraception.
Joking Around
No Period
One month after welcoming Freddie into the world, Sarah didn’t receive her period. She believed this could be because of her hormones. However, that wasn’t the case, as they received some shocking news from their doctors.
No Period
Pregnant… Again
It seemed impossible but Sarah was pregnant once again. Less than six weeks after giving birth to Freddie, the couple was expecting another baby. Sarah’s belly began growing rapidly – even faster than when she was pregnant with Freddie.
Pregnant… Again
Her Big Belly
Once she found out she was carrying another baby, Sarah expected her stomach to grow a lot bigger. This was because she was already carrying additional weight after her first pregnancy. However, her rapid growth was for another reason.
Her Big Belly
Having Triplets
After heading to the doctor for more scans, the couple was shocked to find out that they were expecting triplets. Although they were stunned, the couple was excited. From originally struggling to fall pregnant, Sarah and Benn were going to be parents to four children.
Having Triplets
A Risky Ride
Benn and Sarah were warned about the risks involved in this pregnancy. The triplets could potentially be born premature, which is why the doctors decided to ask the couple if they would consider ending one of the triplet’s lives to reduce these risks.
A Risky Ride
Against
The pair was against this idea and accepted the risk. However, Sarah was rushed to the delivery room when one of the babies’ heart rates dropped. Luckily, the delivery went well and the triplets were healthy.
Against
A Massive Task
Even though Freddie and the triplets were incredibly cute, raising these babies was a daunting task. The couple could barely think straight. Each week, they had to make 80 milk bottles and change 200 diapers. However, they wouldn’t change it for the world.
A Massive Task
Something Wasn’t Right
In another pregnancy tale, Danielle was expecting her fourth child in 2016. Her pregnancy seemed to be going well until something unbelievable took place. Nobody expected this to happen. She was faced with a life-or-death situation.
Something Wasn’t Right
A High Risk
Danielle hasn’t experienced any issues with her three previous pregnancies. That’s why her doctors didn’t see anything wrong with Danielle falling pregnant for the fourth time. However, she soon started experiencing serious pain during her pregnancy.
A High Risk
A Sharp Pain
Danielle started feeling a severe and sharp pain in her chest. This pain started to get worse until she couldn’t handle it anymore. Her main worry was about her unborn child and she feared this pain was connected to her pregnancy.
A Sharp Pain
Medical Intervention
After Danielle described her fears to her family, they called 911. An ambulance quickly showed up and the expecting mother was taken to hospital. Doctors quickly saw that she had Marfan syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue.
Medical Intervention
Life-Threatening
An individual suffering from Marfan syndrome has an increased risk of aortic aneurysm and mitral valve prolapse. This can lead to the sufferer being placed in life threatening situations. Circulation could stop, which was alarming for Danielle.
Life Threatening
No Cure
The devastating news was that there isn’t any cure for this syndrome. Meaning, those suffering from Marfan syndrome are required to live with it for the rest of their lives. Additionally, Danielle’s baby was at risk of inheriting this syndrome.
No Cure
Even Worse
The pain Danielle was experiencing had become serious. After doctors examined her, they saw that the mother’s main cardiac artery, called the aorta, was torn. Because of this, there wasn’t any circulation going to her main organs.
Even Worse
Not Optimistic
Danielle was offered severe pain medication while doctors continued assessing her overall condition. Many of the doctors weren’t optimistic about her situation. Dr. McGinn stated that Danielle was in the process of actively dying.
Not Optimistic
Saving Them
In many cases, those with Marfan syndrome who have had their main arteries torn are rushed into emergency surgery. However, Danielle’s situation was far more complicated, as she was pregnant. Doctors had to act fast.
Saving Them
At-Risk
Dr. McGinn explained that there wasn’t any circulation to the baby’s organs as Danielle’s main artery was torn. She wasn’t even getting any proper circulation herself. Doctors were also concerned about the effects of the surgery’s stress on the mother and baby.
At Risk
The Same Time
Cardiothoracic surgeon Jeko Madjarov added that the only way doctors could save patients and their unborn babies in this condition is to perform the procedure at the same time. However, this high-risk surgery is associated with low success rates.
The Same Time
The Only Way
Danielle’s body was slowly shutting down, so doctors knew that they needed to work together to save the mother and baby’s lives. The only way to save both of them was to perform open-heart surgery and deliver Danielle’s baby at the same time.
The Only Way
An Unusual Situation
Doctors have gone on to explain that these two surgeries are typically performed separately. However, they understood that they didn’t have enough time. Four teams worked together to ensure they could get everything done correctly.
An Unusual Situation
The Moment of Truth
A team of 15 nurses and surgeons started open heart surgery on Danielle while delivering her baby. This procedure took six hours and with the tremendous effort from the team, they were able to miraculously save the mother and baby.
The Moment Of Truth
Working Together
The team did the impossible and saved both baby and mother even though there was a one percent chance of survival. One of the reasons for this incredible result is the exceptional teamwork displayed during the procedure.
Working Together
Her Recovery
The intense nature of this situation prevented Danielle from seeing her newborn son immediately. Her path to recovery was going to be challenging, as Danielle’s body had gone through a massive amount of distress.
Her Recovery
A Long Process
Dr. McGinn explained that Danielle’s recovery process wasn’t going to be easy. She would have to undergo an incredibly aggressive rehabilitation and occupational therapy. They wanted to get the mother back to normal and confident that it was possible.
A Long Process
The Baby
Danielle’s newborn baby was born premature, which is why he needed a few days in a neonatal intensive care unit. He was suffering from a lack of oxygen but he was stabilized and discharged after being under this intensive care.
The Baby
Free
It took time for Danielle to complete the rehabilitation process and recover from her surgery. After being in hospital for 111 days, the mother was able to meet her son. It was evident that the mother and son shared a strong bond after everything they had endured together.
Free
An Emotional Reunion
Danielle was filled with emotion the moment she could hold her baby for the first time. The mother stated that she was grateful she could hold her baby, thankful that she was living, and happy that she could be a mother. She was thankful that the doctors had saved her life. It was an unforgettable moment.
An Emotional Reunion