A Baby's Will to Survive
From the moment he was born, Melanie and Chris Finnigan knew their son, Liam, was a fighter. Born November 21, 2008 at just 1 lb., 9 oz., Liam endured more in four months than most do in a lifetime.
Melanie, then pregnant with Liam, woke up one Tuesday morning with a puffy face. With concern, she went to her ob-gyn who found her blood pressure skyrocketing and high protein counts in her urine. She was admitted to Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC that same day and was diagnosed with the pregnancy complication, preeclampsia. By Friday, Melanie was undergoing an emergency C-Section at 26 weeks gestation, to cure the preeclampsia that ensued. 
Liam was so tiny and faced major complications in the months to come. He was immediately whisked away to Magee’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). For the first 24 hours after Liam’s birth, Melanie was unable to visit him due to her need of a magnesium drip to treat her preeclampsia. Instead, her husband constantly took pictures for her. Melanie was in the hospital for over a week in an attempt to lower her blood pressure. During that time, she shuffled back and forth from her room to the NICU.
To the right: Melanie and Chris Finnigan hold their newborn son Liam.
Hooked up to an oscillator and other equipment, the sight of little Liam frightened his parents. The first month of his life consisted of withstanding endless tests, many scary obstacles, and sleepless nights filled with worry. He needed to gain a significant amount of weight as well. According to Melanie, watching her firstborn suffer and struggle to get well is the worst thing any parent should have to endure. At times, it felt like their world was going to crumble.
Without the compassion of the NICU physicians, nurses, and staff, the Finnigans are unsure how they would have gotten through those tough times. Completely exhausted and full of fear, there were days when they couldn’t muster enough energy to remain positive. That’s when the dedicated nurses swooped in and shared countless NICU baby success stories, giving the Finnigans hope that their baby would recover. Through hope and prayer, Melanie and Chris felt Liam was going to survive.
 Liam spent nearly four months in the NICU fighting for his life. Melanie said she feels blessed to live close to Magee and had the flexibility in their work schedules to visit Liam as much as possible. Every time they visited, Liam’s eyes brightened, reassuring them that he was indeed a fighter. He got better every day. He was over 6 pounds and never had bleeding in the brain - rare for premature babies as small as he was. Unfortunately, the machine keeping him alive was scarring and damaging his already severely damaged lungs.
To the left: Liam always did exceptionally well when he was being held by his mother, Melanie.
Monday, February 23, Liam was transferred to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to have a trachea tube inserted. Surgery was postponed a few times due to the amount of support he needed to help him breath. Eventually, he underwent surgery and did well at first. But his lung disease was so severe, that he was unable to recover. The Finnigans faced the hardest decision of their lives. Liam was not going to survive. They decided to take him off the machine that was sustaining his life so he could pass peacefully and without pain. Although he fought so hard, Liam Finnigan passed away Friday, February 27, 2009.
Within an hour of his passing, a group of Magee NICU nurses visited the Finnigans, and when they left, more showed up. They were just as devastated.
Liam touched so many people in his short life. He amazed everyone who cared for him. He pulled through when many thought he wouldn’t. Some physicians told Melanie they don’t know how he survived as long as he did.
“Liam was the most amazing baby, and I am so very proud to be his mom. His tenacity to live, the brightness in his eyes, and the love in his smile is what kept me going and something I miss so very much,” says Melanie. “I am comforted that he is no longer in pain, but Chris and I miss him dearly and are trying to learn how to live without him in our lives. He was our everything.”
When making funeral arrangements, the Finnigans asked for donations in lieu of flowers. They wanted to honor Liam’s memory and benefit the NICU. The donations that arrived from family, friends, co-workers, and even people they didn’t know, were unbelievable. The Finnigans made their own contribution, and decided to speak with Magee-Womens Foundation about what to fund.
It has been shown that babies thrive if there is a lot of interaction with the parents. Unfortunately, when many have to work and are unable to be by their baby’s side around the clock, music can be a comforting substitute. When Liam was fussy in his parent’s absence, the nurses played classical music and lullabies on a CD player his parents left in his room for him. And that always calmed him down.
The idea to fund CD players and music to comfort NICU babies was a perfect match for the Finnigans. They believe this will truly help other babies and families in the NICU. Solicitations to support the fund will occur annually around Liam’s birthday.
Throughout Liam’s stay in the NICU, the Finnigans always worried about him, but never about the care he received. The NICU staff cared for Liam as if he were their own.
“I can’t say enough about the NICU staff,” says Melanie. “Their skill level, compassion, and bedside manner are unbelievable. Magee’s NICU will forever hold a special place in our lives and in our hearts. It’s a wonderful place to give to and even the smallest donation can make such a difference in someone’s life.”
The Finnigans are still trying to figure out how to go on without Liam. In just a few months after his passing, this family has found some healing through philanthropy in their son’s honor. Because of his parents’ and other’s generosity, Liam Finnigan will always be remembered as a fighter.
Make a contribution to Magee’s NICU in Liam Finnigan’s honor.
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