Yorba Linda mom has long road to recovery after overcoming odds battling COVID while pregnant
YORBA LINDA, Calif. (KABC) -- An Orange County mother faces a long road to recovery after a monthslong battle against COVID-19 while pregnant and giving birth to her second child via emergency cesarean section.
The moment when Jennifer Nash held her newborn baby in her arms was a miracle.
Doctors told Ryan Nash they thought his wife had a 5% chance of survival at one point.
"Thank God she's with us today and awake and actually starting to see signs of recovery," Nash said.
Jennifer's battle was far from over. The Yorba Linda woman contracted the virus in late March when she was 24 weeks pregnant.
On Easter Day, Jennifer was transferred to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with COVID-19 pneumonia.
She needed her blood pumped out of her body to be oxygenated and put back in.
"That's when she got intubated and sedated and that's where she's been. She's still (there) to this present day," Nash said.
During that therapy, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, also known as ECMO, Jennifer's blood was clotting.
Blood thinners helped, but the growing baby was pushing on her lungs and the baby's father had to make a call.
Pregnant SoCal woman battling COVID faced life-or-death dilemma as she approached due date
In early May while 29 weeks pregnant, Jennifer had an emergency C-section, but then another complication emerged.
"When they did the C-section, one of her arteries were cut and so she was bleeding internally. So, yeah, that was another thing... and that almost cost her her life," Nash said with tears in his eyes, adding, "Sometimes it's hard."
For more than two months, he has played two roles for their toddler, He even threw their 2-year-old a birthday party.
"Things you take for granted when you have your wife at home like, I didn't even know how to do hair for a girl," Nash said laughing. "Still learning that. I'm getting pretty good."
Jennifer has a long road to recovery. She'll be on a ventilator at least another month and may need oxygen for the rest of her life.
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Though it came nearly a month after Pressley Marie's birth, the family is grateful that both of them are alive and for the medical team and loved ones who helped get them there.
After nearly losing his wife and child over and over, Nash encourages other families to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and mask up if they don't.
"We have a social responsibility for not ourselves, but other people," Nash said.
The medical bills are rolling in. A GoFundMe account has been set up for the Nash family for anyone wanting to help.
