This update is way over due so it's going to be a long one!
Tara and Jim named their baby
Bella Jean,
she already has a cute nick name
Bella Jean the Jelly Bean!
Tara and Jim had been hoping that Bella would be stable enough to go back Iowa earlier than her original due date of March 15. Around the 17th, one of Bella's doctors said that she was stable enough to travel on a medical plane to get back to Iowa. Tara and Jim contacted their insurance to find out about coverage for the flight. No big surprise their insurance would not cover the $33,000 plane ride to get her home.
Jim did not have as much vacation time as he had first thought so he had to fly back to Iowa on the 18th to go back to work. The University of Iowa, where Jim works has a program where people can donate their vacation time to other people. He had gone into the HR department to find out if there was any time available and explained that Bella was healthy enough to fly home but that the insurance would not pay for the medical flight.
He found out that the University budgets money for these types of situations every year and right after his first phone call to work around the 5th to let them know what was going on, an HR rep had gone to the approving committee and had gotten the approval to pay for the medical flight once Bella was stable enough.
On January 22nd Tara and Bella flew out of Vegas and arrived in Iowa, home.
Tara and Jim named their baby
Bella Jean,
she already has a cute nick name
Bella Jean the Jelly Bean!
Tara and Jim had been hoping that Bella would be stable enough to go back Iowa earlier than her original due date of March 15. Around the 17th, one of Bella's doctors said that she was stable enough to travel on a medical plane to get back to Iowa. Tara and Jim contacted their insurance to find out about coverage for the flight. No big surprise their insurance would not cover the $33,000 plane ride to get her home.
Jim did not have as much vacation time as he had first thought so he had to fly back to Iowa on the 18th to go back to work. The University of Iowa, where Jim works has a program where people can donate their vacation time to other people. He had gone into the HR department to find out if there was any time available and explained that Bella was healthy enough to fly home but that the insurance would not pay for the medical flight.
He found out that the University budgets money for these types of situations every year and right after his first phone call to work around the 5th to let them know what was going on, an HR rep had gone to the approving committee and had gotten the approval to pay for the medical flight once Bella was stable enough.
On January 22nd Tara and Bella flew out of Vegas and arrived in Iowa, home.
She is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Iowa Hospital.
I got an email from Tara today, Bella now weighs 3 lbs 7 oz, once she weighs 4 lbs she will be able to move from the incubator to a crib. She finally gets to wear clothes since she is maintaining her own body temperature. She had to have a blood transfusion because her red blood cell count was low which is a common for preemies.
Much love to everyone who helped this family get back HOME, thank you so much!
I got an email from Tara today, Bella now weighs 3 lbs 7 oz, once she weighs 4 lbs she will be able to move from the incubator to a crib. She finally gets to wear clothes since she is maintaining her own body temperature. She had to have a blood transfusion because her red blood cell count was low which is a common for preemies.
Much love to everyone who helped this family get back HOME, thank you so much!
