ZHU Members Deliver Thanks to Local Hospital Where One of Its Own Battled COVID-19 and Delivered Twins!

Houston Center (ZHU) members’ “feeding the front lines” effort over the past four months made a special delivery last week. This one was a heartfelt thank you to the ICU unit at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital for taking care of one of ZHU’s own members, Chelsea Corcoran.

Corcoran, pregnant with twins, was admitted to the hospital on July 4 for treatment to stop the pre-term labor process. While there, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 but was released two days later with only mild symptoms. Her husband, Christian, also tested positive. On July 7, Chelsea began struggling to breathe and returned to the hospital the next day. But Christian was not allowed to be with her due to his positive COVID-19 status.

By Thursday, July 9, doctors devised a plan for delivery. “I wasn’t able to provide enough oxygen for all three of us,” she said. “They set some goals and some decision guidelines. Friday evening, I could barely breathe enough for me and it was time to get the babies out.” At 9:45 p.m. CDT that evening, Harper Quinn was born (3 lbs., 13 oz.), followed two minutes later by Noah James (4 lbs., 1 oz.).

“I was completely sedated so they could get me breathing again, so I was unaware about the status of the babies until after 10 a.m. on Saturday (July 11),” she said. “I am so happy for all the love given to them while they were trying to tend to me. Both babies are strong and healthy. They’ve been breathing on their own since delivery, beating every goal they have been given. I’m a very proud Momma. The NICU nurses have been amazing.”

ZHU member Ashley Amato coordinated the lunch delivery to the ICU unit’s 25 doctors, nurses, and staff, for whom Corcoran feels very thankful. ” I wish we could take them meals every day for taking good care of one of our own, but I can assure you the gesture by our membership was well received,” ZHU FacRep Chris Parris said.

During the first week after giving birth, Corcoran was in the ICU. She was able to go home on July 19. The twins remained at the hospital. Finally, on July 26, 16 days after the delivery, Corcoran was able to see them and hold them.

Corcoran reports that her lungs are seriously damaged and look like “a wild animal attacked them.”

The road to recovery for me is long and will be challenging,” she said. “But our babies are here and COVID free. There have been four times over the last two weeks I’ve thought I wasn’t going to make it through this. Not because I can’t do it or didn’t want to, but because I could literally feel this virus trying to kill me.

“People still think this virus won’t affect them. It won’t stop for you or your plans.”