In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Bobbi Kline — a fellow BPD mom who just gets it.

We talk about the honest realities of raising boys with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the kind of medical mom banter that doesn’t require explanation, and what it looks like now that our kids are growing up and doing better than we ever imagined. From sending them to preschool to learning how to let go a little after years of hospital living and 24/7 high alert, we reflect on what it means to find your footing again.

Bobbi shares her traumatic birth experience with severe preeclampsia that led to heart failure, the heartbreak of transferring her son Thomas far from her other children, and the uncertainty her family carried during that season. Thomas required a tracheostomy and ventilator to come home — and today, he almost needs neither.

We also dive into the gaps in care for children with severe BPD and tracheostomies, the lack of resources many families face, and the practical side of advocacy. Bobbi shares why educating yourself on your child’s diagnosis can be just as important as advocating in the room — and how that mindset helped shape Thomas’ outcome.

Bobbi is also the founder of T. Rex Little Lungs, a foundation based in Idaho that supports trach families both in the hospital and transitioning home. The organization connects families, fills critical care gaps, and provides financial assistance for essential equipment that insurance often won’t cover.

This episode is for the mom who is in the thick of it — wondering what the future might look like — and not realizing yet that she’s already making a positive impact.

In this episode, I’m joined by NICU mom and advocate Essie Weiss, founder of The Cuddle Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring NICU babies are held when families can’t always be at the bedside.

Essie shares how her own NICU experience inspired a mission to bring trained volunteer cuddlers into hospitals across the country. We talk about why physical touch and kangaroo care are so critical for NICU babies, including benefits like improved heart rate and breathing regulation, better oxygenation, reduced stress, brain development support, and improved growth and outcomes.

Essie also opens up about her daughter Elizabeth’s medical journey. After a short NICU stay, Elizabeth was diagnosed with a severe staph infection that led to osteomyelitis and multicystic encephalomalacia. Essie walks us through what those diagnoses meant, the challenges Elizabeth faced, and how finding the right support—particularly through the Family Hope Center—became a turning point in her development. Through therapy, education, and the power of neuroplasticity, Elizabeth began overcoming obstacles that once felt impossible.

This episode is a powerful conversation about advocacy, faith, healing through connection, and how one mom turned trauma into meaningful change for families everywhere.

This episode is the most special one to me. And I'm happy to be back!!

You’ve heard pieces of our story throughout the last 21 episodes, but for the first time, I’m not helping someone else tell theirs..we’re telling ours. And for the first time, I’m bringing on our first dad: my husband, David! 

Our son was born at 28 weeks due to complications from IUGR and was later diagnosed with very severe lung disease (BPD). He spent close to the first 2 years of his life in three different hospitals receiving lifesaving care. There were many moments we didn’t know how we would make it through as a family. Living in the hospital and the constant uncertainty felt endless…but we did it, one hard day at a time, and I’m really proud of us.

Today, Donny is 3 years old. He’s off his vent during all waking hours, and as of recording this episode, he’s starting to walk! Saying we’re grateful for where he is today is an understatement. 

In this episode, David and I talk about IUGR, having a micropreemie, transferring hospitals, and explain why our son eventually needed a trach. We shared our earliest experiences stepping into this very unique type of parenthood together. The emotions we felt, the impossible decisions we made and what it was like living in constant uncertainty.

David is the best dad. He has always been loving, helpful, and very technical. He learned everything he could about our son’s diagnosis, asked the best questions, and always advocated. He understood when I was too emotionally exhausted to be at the hospital. I truly could not have gotten through this without him and he feels the same about me. We make a good team, and I hope parts of this episode help other families going through something similar.

We also share what we wish we had known then, what we would have done differently, and the frustrations we’ve faced within hospital systems. 
People often tell us, “I don’t know how you got through that,” and we always say, “You just do what you have to do.” In this episode, we talk honestly about that and we also share some of the practical things we actually did to cope with the heavy days and impossible decisions.

I started The Trauma Mamas Podcast last year after having Donny home for a couple of months. During our hardest days, I desperately needed to hear from other parents who had lived through it and not necessarily perfect outcomes, but honest stories. I’m honored to now to be another voice for NICU families and parents raising medically complex children.

🎧 This episode is now available on all platforms.
Here’s to a new season!

https://www.instagram.com/traumamamaspodcast/?hl=en

It feels so good to be back behind the mic! In this bonus episode, Alison is joined by co-host Tori for a laid-back but much-needed conversation about life with our trach/vent-dependent toddlers — and what the holidays look like when they happen inside the hospital instead of at home.

We know the weight of spending the holidays in the ICU: the grief, the guilt, the exhaustion, the “this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.” If that’s where you are right now, we want you to know there can still be joy — even in the most unexpected places.

We reflect on our own ICU holidays from 2022–2024:
• Tori’s incredible decorating skills
• Elias’s iconic 90s rapper Halloween costume
• Emotional (but joyful) first birthdays in the hospital
• Donny being in a medically induced coma over Christmas
• And the years we almost ignored the holidays completely

Through all of it, we’ve learned this: do the best with what you have, focus on the people who truly care, and remember that grief and joy can exist together. You don’t have to love the season, but you can find small moments of light — and you and your child deserve a good day, no matter where you are.

We also talk about how different life feels now that we’re no longer living in constant fight-or-flight. When this podcast started last year, neither of us imagined we’d someday feel this much happiness and contentment within medical complexity.

If you’re in the hospital or going through something heavy this holiday season, this episode is for you. 💛

This week, I’m joined by Erin. She’s an involved and empathetic NICU mom who just gets it. We talk candidly about what it was like to live in the ICU, the weight of advocating for your child, the emotional whiplash of NICU life, and how those challenges don’t magically end after discharge.

Erin shares what it’s been like raising her funny, sweet son, born at just 24 weeks, and what life looks like now as a preteen. We talk about the ongoing obstacles he’s overcome, including BPD and restrictive airway disease. We talk about how NICU trauma can linger long after the monitors stop beeping.

Erin explains how that trauma can resurface years later, and how therapy, community, and finding your people—especially fellow medical moms who truly understand, can make all the difference. Erin has beautifully turned her pain into purpose through her nonprofit photography business, Capturing Courage, offering free sessions to NICU families in Columbus, Ohio. She also serves on the executive committee of the BPD Collaborative, working to improve outcomes and support for families of medically complex children.

This is as real and lighthearted as it gets in the world of Trauma-Mama-ing. Erin and her son have overcome so much, and her story is a testament to resilience, healing, and finding meaning in the mess.

Whether you’re in the thick of it or years past discharge—you’ll feel like we get you.

We’re a mess, you’re a mess, you know we’re a mess, and we all know it. 😆😉 And it’s going to be okay. 👍🏻

This episode is an essential listen to learn more about bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)—whether you’re a NICU parent, provider, therapist, nurse, respiratory therapist, or someone supporting a medically complex baby. I’m joined by Dr. Audrey Miller, neonatologist, educator, and chair of the advocacy committee at the BPD Collaborative, for a conversation that’s both informative and honest.

Dr. Audrey is a gifted and compassionate teacher, deeply committed to helping families and clinicians better understand this complex diagnosis. She explains how BPD exists on a spectrum—some babies may go home with low-flow oxygen and a nasal cannula, while others, like my son Donny, fall on the severe end, requiring a tracheostomy and ventilator. Our conversation focuses heavily on that severe side of BPD, because that’s the path we’ve lived—and I truly believe this information can change the trajectory for other families the way it did for ours.

Dr. Audrey said:

“If you’re the only family with a severe BPD patient at your hospital, you can feel very alone and maybe even feel like no one knows what BPD is. When in fact we do, and there’s a large group of people working to do the best things we can for your baby. So one of the ideas with starting the Parent Social Hour is that no matter where you are in the country, you can connect with other parents who have gone through this before—or are currently going through it.”

She reminds us that outcomes can be great in this population. The Collaborative is committed to improving care through research, education, and clinical guidance—not just in the NICU, but beyond, as these babies grow and go home.

We talk about the challenges that both parents and providers face—challenges the BPD Collaborative is actively working to address. These include the difficulty of developing standardized protocols, the mindset shifts still needed at many medical centers, and the reality that BPD is a disease of prematurity with many gray areas and no one-size-fits-all approach. While there’s still much to learn, there is also hope, meaningful progress, and real answers being offered.

I share what it was like to receive Donny’s severe diagnosis, and how frustrating it was to fight for BPD-specific care. Things finally started looking up when we found the continuity and guidance we had been searching for—help that changed everything for our son.

One of Dr. Audrey’s greatest passions is empowering parents to feel involved and confident in their child’s care. She believes strongly that parents aren’t just part of the care team—they’re essential to it.

If you need help advocating or need more answers for your child who’s received this diagnosis you can get in contact with the Collaborative here. (https://thebpdcollaborative.org/)

When Sydney’s son Walker was born with diastrophic dysplasia, a rare form of skeletal dysplasia, she lost hope for what the future might hold. In this episode, Sydney shares the challenges of receiving a diagnosis that few people — even medical professionals — truly understand, and how devastating it can feel when answers are nearly impossible to find.

We talk about the role of timing, luck, and connection — how one chance encounter, whether through social media or in daily life, can completely change the trajectory for medically complex kids. For Walker, finding a specialized team across the country opened doors that once felt firmly closed. He was even able to “graduate” from hospice care, bringing new hope and possibilities for his future.

Sydney and I discuss the realities of raising a medically fragile child, the deep isolation that often comes with it, and the difficult decision for Walker to live at a medical facility to manage his critical airway due to grade 4 subglottic stenosis. Still, amidst the hard days, they continue to create joy — from simple movie days at home to family outings at the zoo — giving Walker a full and happy life. Now, on the other side of that initial hopelessness, Sydney is passionate about encouraging and guiding others navigating their own complex diagnoses.

“The one thing I want people to know is that skeletal dysplasia is not a death sentence. Yes, there are health challenges and they’ll be smaller than everyone else, but they can still do everything — just a little differently.”

Thank you so much, Sydney, for sharing your remarkable story and experiences with us.

When your child is critically ill, one of the hardest things to accept is how little control you have. Many people go their whole lives without facing that kind of powerlessness. For medical parents, it’s reality. So how do you begin to accept that and still move forward?

In this episode, I talk with Molly Trexler—a pediatric nurse practitioner, medical mom, and founder of Heartstrings, a coaching practice for parents navigating complex medical journeys. Molly helps families find clarity, confidence, and peace in the chaos by blending her clinical and lived experience with compassionate emotional support.

Together, we discuss:

      • How to communicate effectively with      your child’s medical team, even when emotions run high

• Why preparation brings peace—and how to let go of the rest
• The everyday stressors that pile up (insurance, finances, siblings, logistics) and how coaching can help lighten the load
• The importance of accepting help and building a trusted circle of support
• The Four Ps that guide Molly’s work: Pardon, Power, Peace, and Purpose

“This is a time in your life where you have permission to say, ‘I need help,’ and ‘thank you.’ And that’s it.”

 I truly believe so many of us medical parents can benefit from this kind of thoughtful and informed support.

👉 To learn more about Molly’s coaching services, visit her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mollytrexlercoaching?igsh=cTd2ajQ2cWNzcnk3 or her website mollytrexler.com, where you can watch testimonials from other parents who’ve completed her 9-step program.

“You don’t even understand the gravity of what it means to have a premature baby. Then you have to explain to people that it’s not just a super small baby—it means they’re born with underdeveloped lungs, brain, everything.”

In this episode, Paige tells us what it was like having two high-risk pregnancies, and how we’ve adjusted to life as stay-at-home medical moms. We both had IUGR pregnancies, and we explain the challenges that come with that diagnosis—comparing our experiences, what we knew (or didn’t know), and how unprepared we felt when our babies were born.

Paige shares her son Graham’s story in detail, from his complex airway issues to the emotional rollercoaster of caring for a micropreemie with severe BPD and unexplained respiratory distress. Graham has undergone around 23 airway reconstruction surgeries, and Paige walks us through what that journey has looked like for their family.

She’s so down to earth, and her love for Graham shines through as she talks about how far he’s come. He’s been through so much—pulse ox 24/7, a ventilator, oxygen support—but now, he hasn’t needed any of it for almost two years, except when he’s asleep. She says he amazes them every single day.

We also talk about the line we walk as complex care parents—the constant balance of being grateful things didn’t turn out worse, while still grieving the more typical experiences we imagined. If you’ve ever felt caught between gratitude and grief, or alone in your journey, this conversation will absolutely resonate.

And if you hear us laughing at slightly inappropriate times… we had our youngest guests join us during this episode—Graham and Nora! 😆

I could not have picked two better people to help me with this conversation—Kim, a mental health professional, and Sammie, a medical professional who walks beside families in their hardest moments.

Kim has a master’s in counseling and a bachelor’s in psychology. She worked in the school system for 10 years, including in the Sandy Hook district, where she developed a deep understanding of PTSD and secondary trauma. She also brings powerful lived experience—spending a year in the hospital with her daughter Quinn, and surviving the loss of both Quinn and her twin sister Amelia due to complications from prematurity and BPD. Now, Kim is a certified life coach for children and adults and has started kindmindscoaching 

She says, “I’m a lifelong learner. I love learning about the brain, mental health, coping, resiliency, and emotional intelligence.”

Nurse Sammie is a pediatric ICU nurse who has witnessed trauma daily and is trained in therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI). She shares what it’s like to navigate traumatic events on the job, and how mental health awareness and connection with families is essential to her role.

This episode is about the emotional aftermath of long hospital stays with your child, ICU life, and child loss. When the alarms stop and the chaos fades, many parents are left carrying trauma they weren’t expecting and are unequipped for.

When you’ve spent months watching monitors more than sleeping, your nervous system doesn’t just bounce back. Anxiety, anger, numbness, hypervigilance..it’s more common than people think, and for many of us, it hits after going home, when the world assumes we’re “okay now.”

We talk about the power of real connection. Of being seen. Of tiny moments of validation, and how mental health care needs to rise to meet the weight of what ICU parents carry.

We also explore the frustration of not being listened to as a parent—and how impossible it feels when someone asks, “What do you need?” and you honestly don’t know. We talk about what trauma looks like after survival and what healing can look like, too.

This week, Kami shares her journey as a medical mom to her son Landry, a 28-week micropreemie born after a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. Landry has severe BPD and is trach, vent, and G-tube dependent. But none of that defines who he is—he’s been a fighter since day one, and his mom and dad have been right beside him every step of the way.

Kami opens up about the chaos of those early NICU days, including transferring hospitals when Landry was just 3 days old, the devastation of reintubation, and sitting through palliative care discussions. She also shares about the moment she decided to move forward with tough medical decisions:

“It was devastating to have to reintubate him. I saw a part of my kid I’d never seen before with the CPAP mask. I got to hold him and love on him. So when his doctor asked if I had ever thought about him getting a trach, I said, ‘Let’s do it. I’m ready to hold him.’”

Her love for Landry shines through in every part of this conversation. She reminds me so much of so many of our past co-hosts—all of us parents with one shared goal: getting our kids better.

We talk about what it was like to move her son from Florida to Ohio to receive specialized care, and the stress of advocating for your child when everything feels urgent and you’re desperate for answers. We also reflect on the beauty of holding our preemies for the first time, the emotions that come with making high-stakes medical decisions, and how difficult it can be to advocate for your child when they need you the most.

Kami is an honest, tough, and loving mom. And she’s a reminder of how resilient medical moms are—and how far we’ll go to give our kids a fighting chance.

This episode is all about bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) — not from a medical textbook, but from two moms who’ve been living it for over two years. Tori and I share how we’ve come to understand our sons’ diagnoses of severe BPD: what it is, how it shows up, what treatments our kids have needed, and what we’ve learned from being in the trenches of the ICU for almost 2 years. 

We explain things in the way they were explained to us, in layman’s terms. From symptoms and types of mechanical ventilation, to why we both hate blood gases and what we’d advocate for or against, this episode is for parents trying to wrap their heads around this complex diagnosis.

Just because your child receives a BPD diagnosis doesn’t mean they’ll end up trached and vented — there is a wide range of severity, and every child’s path looks different. What we do want to share is hope: our boys both had severe BPD, and we’re so grateful they’ve made it through hospitalization. The good news? These kids can grow out of this disease with time, lung development, and the right support.

We also talk about the importance of individualized care, how to advocate for your child, when to consider transferring hospitals for higher-level care, and what we learned from being at a specialized BPD unit. This isn’t the medical deep-dive — we hope to bring you that in the future — but it is a real and practical conversation from two moms who’ve walked this path.

When your child is hospitalized—especially far from home—everything changes. Whether your stay is just a few days or nearly 700, you need more than a bed. You need care, consistency, and people who understand what you’re going through. That’s exactly what Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio provides.

In this episode, I sit down with Kate, Chief Program Officer, and Abby, House Manager, at the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world, located right across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

There are 265 Ronald McDonald Houses in the U.S. and over 385 worldwide. These homes are typically located next to children’s hospitals and exist to keep families close to the care their children need. RMHC of Central Ohio offers much more than housing: meals, laundry, therapy dogs, sibling spaces, art rooms, community events, and even salon services—entire systems of support for both short- and long-term stays.

All of this care is made possible entirely through donations and volunteers. The Columbus community has built something remarkable—and people like Kate and Abby are carrying out a powerful mission every single day.

We talk about what families can expect during a stay, how RMHC helps relieve the mental and financial stress of having a hospitalized child, and the deep impact this support has on caregivers. We also highlight the heart behind the work—why the smallest milestones matter and how celebrating families is part of the healing, too.

This episode is about what it looks like to witness a positive, compassionate charity in action—even in the hardest moments.

Follow us on instagram ! :https://www.instagram.com/traumamamaspodcast?igsh=YW1pbXpvbDdlenZh&utm_source=qr

This week, I’m joined by Nicole from The Daily Vent Podcast! We talk hurricane prep, hospital life, in-home nursing, and why we started sharing our stories online. This is a laid back conversation about so many things. 

Our sons have similar diagnoses—BPD and Tracheomalacia—so we discuss what life looks like post-discharge and the ups and downs of parenting trach babies.

Nicole, a “trach-fluencer,” shares how social media became her lifeline—and now, she’s doing the same for others. It’s an honest, lighthearted, and supportive conversation you won’t want to miss. 💞

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traumamamaspodcast?igsh=YW1pbXpvbDdlenZh&utm_source=qr

The Daily Vent Podcast: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wsaIIM3lgZsiDXsp39lJf?si=O4NMIQnnQFS8NOQqqlL0VQ

In this special episode, we’re wrapping up the first 10 episodes of Trauma Mamas: Stories from the ICU and Having Medically Complex Kids. I’ll be taking a short break from posting new episodes until April 15, during this time I’ll be working behind the scenes on new content and spending time with my family.

Here’s a HUGE thank you to all of our amazing co-hosts and listeners! I’ll share some updates on the first 9 co-hosts, highlight some positive feedback we’ve received, and give a quick update on what’s coming next for the podcast. Plus, I’m excited to share a flyer with information about the podcast—let me know if you’d like to help spread the word! Thank you all for your love and encouragement.

I’ll see you soon with new episodes starting April 15!

Wow!! Episode 10! I had just met Leslie for the first time doing this episode. She is just so easy to talk to and get to know. After discovering our podcast through Tori, Leslie reached out, excited about the community we’re building—a community she wished was there during her own uncertain and difficult times with her son, Nick, back in 1995.

Leslie tells what it was like to have nick unexpectedly, miles away from her home, at 28 weeks. Unknowingly, she contracted listeriosis while pregnant, which led to preterm labor and a very sick baby. She shares her birth story like it happened yesterday and talks about the day Nick was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a couple years later. taking us through the many medical challenges they’ve faced—and overcome.

Even though I haven’t gotten the opportunity to meet nick myself, I can tell he has an infectious spirit by what Leslie tells. Leslie celebrates Nick’s unstoppable spirit. from his school accomplishments to joining a men’s choir, even though he doesn’t talk. Reflecting on her evolving perspective as a parent, she says,

“Before you have kids you see someone with a disability and think oh my gosh I hope that never happens to me and then you have a child with medical complications with the fresh perspective of my gosh look how many things actually ended up going right for him to be here or you think about how many ways things aren’t as bad as what they could’ve been.”

Leslie’s story reminds us that even in the toughest moments, there’s room for hope, humor, triumphs and getting creative with your child in a wheelchair. Like many of our episodes Leslie will have you laughing, crying and inspired..equal parts healing and real talk about life as a Trauma Mama.

When Ariana learned at 20 weeks pregnant that her son Hudson had severe kidney issues, her world changed. With one kidney non-functional and the other working at only 10%, Ariana faced a challenging journey of managing Hudson’s care — including peritoneal dialysis at home — before her husband Grant became Hudson’s kidney donor.

In this episode, Ariana shares her experience navigating hospital frustrations, unexpected emergencies, and the emotions of going through a transplant with your little baby. This episode is both a great story and an informative guide for families facing similar challenges.

Kim shares her experience of having periviable preemie twins at just 22 weeks. She tells the story of her daughters: Amelia, who was stillborn, and Quinn, who was a fighter from the start, letting out a scream at birth, something almost unheard of at that gestational age.

In this episode, we discuss the realities of NICU life, bagging, codes, ventilation and things that might sound shocking if you’ve never lived it. But for us, this was life. Talking about it is the easy part.

Trauma Mamas exists to give an honest look at what it’s like to care for a child in a critical care setting. It’s not always pretty. It can be traumatic, isolating, and devastating. But Kim’s story is also one of hope.

As a former school counselor turned life coach, Kim has found a way to turn her pain into purpose. Through Kind Minds Coaching and Kind Minds Kids, she helps others heal, reframe their mindset, and rebuild after trauma.

She also receives undeniable signs from her girls, signs so perfectly timed they are impossible to dismiss. The number 10/10 keeps appearing in her life, a message from Quinn and Amelia that feels like more than just coincidence.

Kim shares her story with deep vulnerability and grace. She’s been where no parent should ever have to go, and yet, she continues forward, helping others, honoring her daughters, and proving that love never truly leaves us.

 Listen now to hear her story and find out why 10/10 means so much. 

When you’re expecting a baby, you don't think you’ll become an expert in congenital heart defects (CHDs). But for Kaylee Berner, that became her reality when her son, Bennett, was born with Tricuspid Atresia, Transposed Great Arteries, and Pulmonary Vein Stenosis. His heart may be one of a kind, and in this episode, Kaylee breaks down his complex condition in a way that makes sense. 

Bennett spent his entire first year in the NICU, undergoing multiple surgeries, including open-heart procedures. But despite the challenges, Kaylee made sure that their hospital stay wasn’t just about survival. she found ways to bring joy, connection, and even a little humor into the ICU. From celebrating milestones in his room to forming lifelong friendships in the hospital hallways, she turned unimaginable circumstances into something meaningful.

This family is tough and inspiring. This is a story that everyone should hear. 

I’m joined by ICU nurse Sammie, who made a lasting impact while caring for my son. We discuss how parents and medical teams can work together in the high-stress ICU environment, focusing on communication, mutual trust, and making tough decisions. Sammie shares advice for parents on navigating hard truths, accepting the emotional toll, and finding clarity while addressing the communication barriers that can arise between parents and staff. This episode highlights the importance of partnership, empathy, and trust in the journey of raising a medically complex child.

Sammie’s embroidery business is WildsunshineSM on Facebook and instagram! 

Episode Title: You Weren’t Expecting to Have a Micropreemie in the NICU

In this episode, Tori and I share our personal stories of navigating the NICU with a micropreemie—complete with some comedic relief! We talk about how to face the NICU with grace (even though we didn’t always get it right 😆), common preemie complications like ROP, NEC, and brain bleeds, and the emotional rollercoaster of intubation and reintubation.

Tori shares what those early days were like and gives advice on coping, taking breaks, and the power of journaling. We also discuss how we showed up for our babies every day, even when it felt impossible.

This episode is for anyone who needs understanding and encouragement through the toughest moments of parenthood. We aren’t trying to scare you—just sharing the realities of having a preemie in the NICU. We all wish we had been better prepared, and that’s our goal with this episode. But you and your baby are stronger than you know—never lose hope.

Andrea shares her traumatic pregnancy complications and the early birth of her daughter, Sienna, at just 24 weeks. 

Sienna, battled extremely severe BPD (Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia) due to her underdeveloped lungs from being born prematurely. Sienna’s perseverance and strength carried her through challenge after challenge, all while keeping a smile on her face. She truly was a medical mystery and miracle. 

Andrea, a college instructor, is a great resource to the podcast. Her expertise is in public health, BPD, trach/vent care, grief, and child loss. Our listeners will learn so much from her insights and ability to speak so openly about these tough topics.

The main takeaway? Hold on to hope and cherish the beautiful moments, even in the toughest times. 💛

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Tori, whose son Elias spent 21 months in the hospital after being born at 25 weeks and 6 days, battling severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), a heptoblastoma, and being vent- and trach-dependent. But Tori’s journey didn’t start in the NICU—it began with a rare and life-threatening complication called HELLP syndrome, which led to Elias’s early birth at just 26 weeks.

Tori shares the traumatic experience of surviving HELLP syndrome while also feeling immense excitement about bringing her baby into the world under the most challenging circumstances. Despite her severe illness, her mindset was incredibly brave. She explains her thoughts before undergoing surgery:

“It’s hard to describe the calm and clarity I had of just, ‘Okay, let’s do this. And if I come out of this, okay. If I don’t, okay. But I know Elias and Caleb are going to be fine no matter what happens. There will be heartache and trials, but it’ll be okay. And I had so much joy and was so excited to be having my baby. It was scary, but I’m still having a baby. I was going to see his face and touch his hands. I didn’t know what it meant to have a preemie.’”

Tori’s storytelling ability paints a vivid picture of the emotional and physical impact of surviving a traumatic pregnancy, giving birth to a micropreemie, and navigating life in the ICU. Elias is now 2 years old, thriving, and continuing to defy odds every day.

Tori’s been passionate about this project and shared this about being on the podcast:

“It would be so easy for us to just be like, ‘Oh, I’m never thinking about all that ever again. Those were the worst and most traumatic years of my life.’ But it’s so important to remember. We’re not the same people we were before we had our sons, but look at all the things we are capable of and accomplished. And look how strong we are—our husbands and kids included. To be on the other side and be able to look back and talk about it with such hope. Because when you’re in it, everything feels so disparaged and heavy all the time. But then to look back and think, ‘Oh my gosh, we survived that… we did that.’ that’s an incredible feeling.”

I’m so grateful to Tori for her positive and hopeful insight. She’s been a huge help in getting this podcast off the ground and has encouraged me along the way.

In this episode of Trauma Mamas, we meet Kelsey, a first-time mom who never expected her journey into motherhood to look like this. At just 23 weeks and 1 day, Kelsey gave birth to her daughter Baylor, weighing only 1 pound, 2 ounces. What followed was 143 days of uncertainty, fear, and the relentless fight to bring her tiny girl home from the NICU.

In this episode, Kelsey opens up about the emotions of waking up not knowing if she had a baby, the surreal experience of seeing her daughter’s name on an incubator before meeting her, and the unwavering love and dedication that kept her going through every challenge. From the overwhelming first days in the NICU to celebrating the small victories, Kelsey and Baylor's story is a testament to hope and resilience

Tune in to hear their journey through 143 days in the NICU and how she and her family found strength in the most difficult of circumstances. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the uncertainty of the NICU or looking for a powerful reminder of what hope and love can accomplish.

In this introductory episode of Trauma Mamas: Stories from the ICU & Raising Medically Complex Children, host Alison shares her personal journey of raising her son Donny, who spent 697 days in the ICU after being born prematurely at 28 weeks. Alison reflects on the challenges of navigating severe medical conditions, including BPD, a trach, and a vent, and the strength it took to bring Donny home. This episode is a powerful reminder that, even in the face of overwhelming odds, hope is always possible—and it’s often found in the stories we share with one another. Join Alison as she introduces this podcast dedicated to the families who fight, advocate, and find strength in the hardest moments.