{"id":12990,"date":"2017-11-16T09:52:37","date_gmt":"2017-11-16T16:52:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=12990"},"modified":"2025-03-07T10:35:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T17:35:54","slug":"fightin-finn-preemie-lived-twin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/fightin-finn-preemie-lived-twin\/","title":{"rendered":"Fightin’ Finn, the preemie who lived for his twin"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Finn
Finn Joseph was born at just over 24 weeks gestation. Over the summer, he got to go on his first road trip. Here, Finn and his mom enjoy sunset at the Grand Canyon. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theresa Joseph\u2019s blood pressure spiked and her heart raced like the helicopter blades overhead as a nurse tried to stave off precipitously early contractions.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, please, let this baby survive,\u201d Theresa thought to herself.<\/p>\n

Barely over five months pregnant, Theresa wasn\u2019t feeling well, so she\u2019d gone in to her local hospital in Boulder. That\u2019s when doctors told her they would have to fly her immediately to UCHealth\u2019s University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> in Aurora.<\/p>\n

No hospital in Boulder could care for a baby born this early.<\/p>\n

Theresa and her husband, Michael, already had been riding an emotional roller coaster. They had been trying to get pregnant for years and were over the moon to learn they were expecting twin boys.<\/p>\n

\"Finn
Finn chills out on the couch. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThey were our miracle babies,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

Then, when she was about four months along, the couple was devastated to learn that one of their boys had died in utero. They hadn\u2019t shared their babies\u2019 names with anyone. But they already had named them. Camden had died. Finn was still alive.<\/p>\n

Now, it seemed that Theresa\u2019s body thought it was time to deliver the boys. Doctors would try to stop the labor. But if they couldn\u2019t, perhaps Camden could emerge and his brother could stay safely in Theresa\u2019s womb.<\/p>\n

Could one brother give the other the gift of life?<\/p>\n

Theresa and Michael were about to find out.<\/p>\n

\u2018Let\u2019s meet our son\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There wasn\u2019t room for Michael on the helicopter, so he sped down Highway 36 to meet Theresa at the hospital.<\/p>\n

The whole situation was surreal. Theresa hardly looked pregnant. It was November and the babies weren\u2019t due until March 7. The Josephs were planning to celebrate Thanksgiving with Michael\u2019s family in New York.<\/p>\n

\"Michael
Michael and Theresa Joseph were thrilled when they learned they were expecting twins. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now they had to consider that their surviving son, Finn, might be born much too early and babies born\u00a0extremely premature\u00a0are\u00a0at high risk for death or severe disabilities.<\/p>\n

When Theresa arrived at the hospital, nurses and doctors worked first to calm her, then to delay labor as long as possible.<\/p>\n

By the next morning, it was clear that Camden\u2019s body was coming. His head was pressing on Theresa\u2019s cervix.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy body was trying to get rid of the lost baby,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

Her doctor, Meghan Donnelly, seven months pregnant herself at the time, prepared Theresa for a tough procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to quietly and slowly try to pull Camden out vaginally,\u201d said Dr. Donnelly, a fetal and maternal specialist who is co-director of the Women\u2019s Care and Birth Centers at the University of Colorado Hospital and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.<\/p>\n

A team of about 20 people stood at the ready to help.<\/p>\n

\u201cCamden came out. We said his name out loud for the first time and everyone took a moment,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

Nurses wrapped Camden\u2019s body in a blanket. His remains would be cremated and spread at a peaceful ranch in the mountains.<\/p>\n

\"shadow
Theresa Joseph made shadow boxes for both her boys that included utlrasound pictures and mementos from the hospital.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theresa willed herself to think of her surviving baby, not to allow grief over Camden to engulf her. She later learned that Camden had a genetic disorder. Had he lived, his chances of survival likely would have been as low as 15 percent.<\/p>\n

For the moment, Finn was staying put. Theresa\u2019s cervix shrunk down and her new goal was to stay still and calm for as long as possible. Every extra day in utero could make a huge difference in Finn\u2019s chances for survival.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother helped you,\u201d Theresa said to the baby still in her belly.<\/p>\n

For two days, all was well. Family members visited and the couple\u2019s hopes soared.<\/p>\n

Then, on the night of Nov. 17, the contractions started up again.<\/p>\n

Dr. Donnelly explained that she had few options.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really good at inducing labor. Stopping it is much harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Theresa prayed that it was not time for Finn\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n

“Please, no,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But doctors already had given Theresa all the medications they could to halt labor.<\/p>\n

\"shadow
Finn’s shadow box.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want this to be an emergency situation,\u201d Donnelly explained.<\/p>\n

Finn\u2019s heart rate had started to drop. Donnelly said there was no choice.<\/p>\n

Resigned, Theresa and Michael prepared for their new reality.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was all about remaining calm and strong for Finn and not being scared,\u201d Theresa said. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t lose another baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

They braced for a C-section.<\/p>\n

\u201cOK. Let\u2019s meet our son.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finn was born at 8:47 a.m. on Nov. 18.<\/p>\n

\"Finn
Finn fought every day to survive in the NICU, earning him the nickname, “Fightin’ Finn.” Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michael and Theresa said his name out loud for the first time: Finn Norman Joseph. He would garner strength from both sides of the family. Theresa\u2019s grandmother\u2019s maiden name was Finn. Michael\u2019s grandfather was Norman.<\/p>\n

Michael called his dad to let him know Finn had been born and shared his name. Tears welled in Michael\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Theresa asked after the call.<\/p>\n

Michael had just learned that Finn had been born on what would have been his great grandpa Norman\u2019s 92nd<\/sup> birthday.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone is watching over him,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

Thanks to an emergency helicopter ride and a boost from his brother, Camden, Finn had made it to 24 weeks and four days. He weighed just 1 lb 7 ounces, but he was ready to fight.<\/p>\n

\u2018You can touch him\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Theresa has a sunny disposition and a radiant smile. But her first glimpse of her new baby nearly defeated her.<\/p>\n

Nurses wheeled Theresa in her recovery bed into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)<\/a>. Finn lay in his incubator connected to all sorts of lifesaving equipment. He was so tiny and skinny that Michael\u2019s wedding ring could dangle loosely around his arm. And his skin was see-through. Theresa could see his little ribs and underdeveloped organs. She remembers thinking he looked like a fetus, not a baby.<\/p>\n

\"Finn
Finn was so tiny in his first days of life that his dad’s wedding ring fit around his arm. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His nurse, Kim Zier, gave Theresa the first of many reassuring words she would hear over the months to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can touch him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Theresa reached out toward Finn\u2019s tiny finger and at just two hours old, her son reflexively grabbed on to his mom. It was the beginning of this extremely premature baby\u2019s struggle to survive.<\/p>\n

Four days later, on Thanksgiving, Theresa was released from the hospital. She and Michael had a subdued dinner with her parents and braced for an exhausting new routine.<\/p>\n

\"Nurse
Nurse Lou Ann Stout started calling Finn a fighter and his nickname morphed into “Fightin’ Finn.” Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theresa was pumping her breast milk around the clock and she and Michael drove to and from the hospital every day.<\/p>\n

Theresa began getting to know other NICU moms right away. They helped her brace for the struggles to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first month is absolute hell, but if you can get through that, then soon it will start to turn around,\u201d one mom told her.<\/p>\n

Photos of babies who had graduated from the NICU adorned the wall and Theresa kept an eye on one in particular. A baby named Brooks also had been born at 24 weeks. In the photo, he was 8 months old and looked great. Theresa willed herself to think of Finn\u2019s future as she tried to grapple with her overwhelming present.<\/p>\n

Like many babies born extremely premature, Finn needed a ventilator to breathe, suffered brain bleeds and had a hole in his heart. For some preemies, the hole closes on its own.<\/p>\n

But Finn\u2019s did not, so he had to have heart surgery at just five days old.<\/p>\n

\"special
Nurses made special buttons to celebrate the day when Finn was able to get off a ventilator.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finn often struggled to breathe and more than once, Theresa had to watch in agony as nurses resuscitated her baby.<\/p>\n

Each time, he survived and Finn\u2019s primary daytime nurse, Lou Ann Stout, started calling him Fightin\u2019 Finn. The name stuck and Katie Radcliffe, who cared for Finn most nights, also adopted the nickname.<\/p>\n

Hardly a heavyweight, the little Irish boxer had dropped to just 1 pound, 2 ounces after birth. But, little by little, Finn began to grow.<\/p>\n

One of many agonies that parents of babies born extremely premature\u00a0face is that regular baby clothes swim on their children. And baby books, with distant and seemingly irrelevant milestones, can inspire pain instead of joy.<\/p>\n

With help from her family and nurses, Theresa made every effort to highlight Finn\u2019s progress and fill the NICU with warmth and books. She decided, too, to become a beacon of hope for moms with younger babies, as other moms of preemies had done for her. She joined a support group for families with babies in the NICU called Love for Lily.<\/p>\n

One of Finn\u2019s biggest struggles was tied to his underdeveloped lungs. Premature boys struggle even more than girls to breathe since their lungs develop a little later in utero. And Caucasian boys fare worse that boys of color, earning preemies like Finn, the moniker, \u201cwimpy white boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Finn
Finn snuggles with one of his nurses, Megan Jones. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally in late January, after Finn had struggled to breathe for more than two months, his nurses and doctors decided he could come off the ventilator that was breathing for him.<\/p>\n

He was 10 weeks old and had finally made it to what would have been 34 weeks gestation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think he\u2019s big enough. We think he\u2019s ready,\u201d the team told Theresa and Michael.<\/p>\n

They made a plan to take the vent out. Fear gripped Theresa. What if Finn stopped breathing and she had to watch him be resuscitated again?<\/p>\n

On the morning of the extubation, as it\u2019s called, Theresa and Michael walked in to find everyone in the NICU staff wearing green buttons that Lou Ann had made. They said, \u201cTeam Finn.\u201d\u00a0 On the top, the buttons showed a set of wings that said, \u201cWe\u2019re going to fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so scared, then he did it. The vent came out and he breathed on his own,\u201d Theresa said. \u201cThere were lots of tears and everybody was cheering. That was a pretty awesome moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

This milestone marked a critical turning point.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the first time, I allowed myself to think, \u2018He\u2019s going to be OK. There\u2019s nothing we can\u2019t get through.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Part of his brother\u2019s soul\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Theresa kept looking ahead to her original due date, March 7. She hoped that Finn could come home by then. But, because of all of his breathing challenges, he had to be on steroids and suffered several infections.<\/p>\n

He was still too fragile to leave the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my due date came and he wasn\u2019t ready to go home, that was a tough day,\u201d Theresa said. \u201cWe were always going one step forward, two steps back.\u201d<\/p>\n

In order to get Finn home, Theresa decided to make peace with any accommodations Finn would need. All along, Theresa had been pumping her breast milk, which is full of beneficial nutrients for preemies. A tube that wound through Finn\u2019s nose carried Theresa\u2019s milk directly to Finn\u2019s stomach.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Josephs finally got to go home on March 31. The nurses in the NICU made Finn a sign and paraded him around the unit before he left. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theresa had hoped that Finn eventually could get strong enough to learn to breastfeed. But, he was working so hard to breathe that Theresa and the team decided to stick with tube feeding until Finn could take Theresa\u2019s milk from a bottle.<\/p>\n

Finally, on March 31, a full 133 days after Finn\u2019s birth, and 3 \u00bd weeks after his due date, Finn was ready to leave the hospital. Nurse Megan Jones made a sign that read, Going Home. All of the staffers who had cared for Finn came in to say goodbye and they paraded him around the NICU, where he thus far, had lived his entire life.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year\u2019s Valentine\u2019s and St. Patrick\u2019s Day in the hospital,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

Fightin\u2019 Finn was returning to Boulder just in time to give Theresa a gift for her birthday on April 7.<\/p>\n

The Josephs brought the banner from the hospital home, flipped it around and hung it over the fireplace with a new message that read, \u201cFinn\u2019s Home.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Theresa had long looked forward to bringing her baby home, she didn\u2019t expect the wave of grief from all she\u2019d been through to wash over her again. Finn still faced typical challenges of babies born extremely premature. He\u00a0was still on oxygen and needed breathing monitors at night. Theresa and Michael were accustomed to having their team of nurses and doctors supporting them around the clock. Now they were on their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not OK,\u201d Theresa realized.<\/p>\n

She sought help from a counselor, who encouraged her to grieve for the baby she had lost and for the pregnancy that had been cut short. Although she was thrilled with the beautiful baby she had brought home, Theresa hadn\u2019t gotten to experience the pure joy of an uncomplicated birth. The counselor gave her permission to acknowledge that Finn\u2019s early arrival had left her scared and scarred.<\/p>\n

\"Finn,
After being born in November, Finn finally got to come home in April. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After acknowledging all they\u2019d been through, Theresa and Michael set about honoring Camden and celebrating Finn.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been horrible and hard, but at the end of the day, I get to be a mom and I have this incredible little dude who I get to spend every day with,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

She had saved both babies\u2019 tiny knit hospital caps, blankets and ID bracelets. She created two shadow boxes with both boys\u2019 ultrasound images and mementos from the hospital, including decorative versions of their names, one of many special items that their nurse Lou Ann had made for them.<\/p>\n

The Josephs decided that they would share Camden\u2019s full story with his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will always feel the presence of Camden. We say it all the time. Camden gave the space for Finn to live. That is a hard thing to swallow, but we\u2019re going to tell Finn everything,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

On October 12, Theresa and Michael marked the anniversary of the day they learned Camden had died by remembering their happiest times. Early in the pregnancy, they took a trip to the East Coast, a \u201cbabymoon\u201d of sorts. They rode their bikes along the shore and feasted on lobster rolls. This year, they decided to honor Camden by going on a bike ride in the Colorado foothills. They honored his spirit, which for them lives on in mountains. And they treated their family to lobster rolls.<\/p>\n

\"Theresa
Theresa and Michael Joseph with their son, Finn. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Theresa thinks back about the babies\u2019 ultrasounds, she laughs about the personalities that seemed to be present even then. Camden was \u201cTwin A,\u201d the one closer to Theresa\u2019s cervix. In classic \u201cA baby\u201d fashion, he seemed to be the dominant twin. He was active and easy to capture in images.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was always super feisty,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

When ultrasound techs tried to capture images of Finn, Camden\u2019s arms and legs always seemed to pop into the frame. Finn, in contrast, usually seemed to be chilling peacefully, curled up in the fetal position in the tiny space his brother ceded to him.<\/p>\n

Now, as Finn approaches his first birthday, he\u2019s emerged as a flirt, who readily shows off his sky-blue eyes to any admirers and eagerly smiles at strangers.<\/p>\n

\"Finn,
Finn, playing with his toys. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNow Finn\u2019s got this part of him that\u2019s showy. We believe there\u2019s a part of Camden and his personality that\u2019s living on in Finn. He took part of Camden\u2019s soul and has it in him now.\u201d<\/p>\n

A boxing birthday: \u2018This is what a fighter looks like.\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

These days, Finn has grown to more than seven times his birth weight; he now tips the scales at nearly 12 pounds. He\u2019s small still, but his doctors say he\u2019s developing beautifully. He loves rolling over, sitting up and giggling. When he wants to grab some attention, he flashes a little sideways grin.<\/p>\n

Finn works weekly with a physical therapist, who is pleased with how well he\u2019s doing. Because of his severe prematurity and the brain bleeds he suffered, it\u2019s possible he will have some delays in walking and talking. And he has a disease common among babies born early and small called Retinopathy of Prematurity<\/a>. He\u2019s likely to need glasses, but any challenges with his eyes should treatable.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s weaning himself off his oxygen tanks and loves going to music, African dance and sign language classes with Theresa.<\/p>\n

Over the summer, the family took their first road trip. Finn had a new cousin who was born in Las Vegas in August, so the Josephs set out to meet her. Flying with oxygen was too complicated, so Theresa and Michael borrowed a friend\u2019s RV and headed west.<\/p>\n

\"Finn,
Finn got to go on his first roadtrip with his parents over the summer. Yellowstone was one of their stops. Photos courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re making new memories,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hilarious. We brought the dog and the RV was loaded with pumping parts. The fridge was full of breast milk, sparkling water and beer. We went to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We brought the jogging stroller and had a blast. Music and the outdoors are Finn\u2019s jam.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Finn\u2019s first birthday, the Josephs are planning a blowout at a Boulder brewery. Theresa always used to think parties for year-old babies were silly. But, the couple has a lot to celebrate and a lot of people to thank.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinn\u2019s nurses and doctors are coming. Family members are flying in. We\u2019re honoring everybody who helped us get through this year,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

\"Finn,
Finn on a hike with his mom at Grand Teton National Park. Photo courtesy of Theresa Joseph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The party will have a boxing theme. Finn already has his shirt. It reads, \u201cThis is what a real fighter looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with Finn, Camden will have his name on the cake.<\/p>\n

Once Finn celebrates his first birthday, Theresa is eager to become a regular volunteer at University of Colorado Hospital\u2019s March of Dimes <\/a>parent program that supports those who’ve had babies born extremely premature. She\u2019s also active with the Love for Lily program<\/a> that supports parents of preemies. Theresa has supported moms she\u2019s met through the group\u2019s Facebook page. And she rarely misses her meetings every Tuesday for moms with older preemies who have graduated from the hospital.<\/p>\n

Theresa plans to fill the NICU\u2019s library with books so all parents can read to their babies. She\u2019s eager to support the community that supported her.<\/p>\n

\"A
Finn is weaning himself off of oxygen and developing beautifully. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe want every mom and dad to feel like they have resources and people who understand what they\u2019re going through. Every baby\u2019s journey is different. But you don\u2019t have to be alone. We want Love for Lily support groups to be available in every hospital,\u201d Theresa said.<\/p>\n

When she meets other mothers with babies who also came too early, Theresa will celebrate the babies\u2019 exciting milestones and cry with parents on the bad days.<\/p>\n

She will tell them about all she has endured over the last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinn has a brother,\u201d she will tell other parents. \u201cHis brother passed. He is our child too. This is their story.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Theresa Joseph\u2019s blood pressure spiked and her heart raced like the helicopter blades overhead as a nurse tried to stave off precipitously early contractions. \u201cPlease, please, let this baby survive,\u201d Theresa thought to herself. Barely over five months pregnant, Theresa wasn\u2019t feeling well, so she\u2019d gone in to her local hospital in Boulder. That\u2019s when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":13046,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[4828,511,294,202,57,1497,212],"class_list":["post-12990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-innovative-care","tag-neonatal-care","tag-neonatal-intensive-care-unit","tag-nursing","tag-pediatric-care","tag-pregnancy-childbirth-newborn-care","tag-uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital","tag-womens-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFightin' Finn, the preemie who lived for his twin - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Finn was born at just over 24 weeks gestation. 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