Little miracles happen every day. Just ask Charles and Shellie Scott about Jordan Grace Scott. Born 16-weeks premature, Jordan entered the world much sooner than expected.
"Shellie called. I knew it was serious because I could hear the tears in her voice," said Scott, a contract specialist with the Army Contracting Command-Warren, Mich.
"'Did we lose her?' I asked. Shellie said no but that the baby would have to be delivered early."
"'Hurry!' she said." "I just made it. When I arrived at the hospital they were wheeling her into the emergency room. A doctor handed me a gown and shoe covers then escorted me to the delivery room."
Jordan entered this world at 5:24 p.m. and her battle to survive began.
After only 24 weeks gestation, Jordan was not fully developed and needed the assistance of a ventilator and around-the-clock medical attention.
During the next 14 days, Jordan received blood transfusions and intravenous medication because her body could not yet produce red blood cells. After several days, she was gradually weaned from the ventilator.
"There were times when she had up to three IVs in her, along with a breathing tube. At three weeks, she reached the 2-pound weight goal," Scott said.
With her weight gain, things started to look up. Then she suffered a setback.
"She developed some internal bleeding," Scott said "She was too tiny for the medical staff to use any device to try and locate the origin of the bleed and she was put back on the ventilator for six days until God resolved the bleeding."
As Charles and Shellie celebrated Jordan's 5-pound weight goal, they were told that she would need laser eye surgery. Through the ups and downs, Scott's life was anything but routine.
"I was part of a special project. It was a busy time that required having to work the weekend, just two days after Jordan was born," he said. "My (procurement contracting officer) wasn't aware of Jordan's birth."
Scott struggled with his commitment to the family and to those Soldiers and Marines serving the nation.
"I thought about the sacrifices that our Soldiers and Marines make," Scott said. "My thoughts were on being there for my wife, being there for the special project team and being there for our war fighters. With my wife's blessing, I didn't miss one day from work during the busy
peak of the project."
Scott's daily routine, if one can call it that, consisted of waking up at the hospital and leaving early to shower at the gym before going to work and leaving work to go back to the hospital.
"I kept a week's worth of clothes in my work closet," he explained. "While at work I drew strength from God, my wife as she healed from the C-section, from my daughter who fought every day, and from the Soldiers and Marines that I saw each and every day."
After three long and tiring months, Jordan was finally released from the hospital, three weeks before her due date. Jordan was able to breathe, feed and swallow on her own.
"Our reception happened at church and here at work. My pastor and church family never stopped praying for us," said the proud papa. "Upon learning of my situation, my ACC family and Program Manager - Light Armored Vehicle family showered us with prayers and gifts."
"Shellie's mom and dad stopped by the house to see their first grandbaby outside the hospital walls," Scott added. "My parents live in California and they'll be flying out here soon."
Now four months old and a whopping 8 pounds, 4 ounces, Jordan has passed her hearing tests as well as the battery of tests given to newborn babies. According to the doctors, Jordan has a bright future and should be a healthy baby girl.
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