Local expecting mother home from hospital after coronavirus | Photo submitted by Sandy Jeffries
On March 27, Megan Sites drove herself to St. Mary’s Hospital with symptoms of coronavirus.
She did not call an ambulance because she did not want to startle her two-year-old daughter Reign. Not only was she an essential worker dealing with coronavirus, she was also pregnant.
Megan Sites is married to Donnie Sites, a sheriff deputy in Mercer County, while she herself works in the OB Department as a nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital.
“Stay on the phone with me… I don’t want to die, mom. I don’t want to die alone,” said Megan Sites according to Sandy Jeffries, her mother.
Newborn
Megan’s Sites’ son, Jameson, was born while she was sedated.
After the birth, Megan Sites was rushed to Cincinnati and was able to have extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment; ECMO treatment replaces the function of the heart and lungs in the patient. She needed to be put on the machine because her lungs had deteriorated immensely due to coronavirus.
Her newborn stayed in Dayton and was tested after 24 hours for coronavirus.
“Picture having a baby and not realizing you had this baby. She went into the hospital pregnant and three hospitals later, she had a baby and the child wasn’t there,” said Jeffries.
Megan Sites was discharged from the hospital on April 21.
Jameson will be able to join his parents at home once he is officially 37 weeks, since he was delivered prematurely due to his mother contacting the virus and needing medical attention.
A happy ending
On the way home from the hospital, the Sites’ were escorted by two sheriffs and greeted with 18 police cars at their home with flashing lights to celebrate their arrival.
“We have had people across the United States reach out to us – who don’t even know us – and say that they’re praying for us,” said Jeffries.
The family and community surrounding Megan, Donnie, Reign and Jameson have sent cards, pictures, posters and messages to them. According to Jeffries, they managed to have pictures sent to the hospital that were then printed out and put up in Megan Sites’ room.
“She [Megan] said at one point that it was what kept her going,” said Jeffries.
A parting word
The family asks others to take this virus seriously and to not underestimate it. They have taken to wearing masks in public, washing hands and spraying disinfectant when needed.
“When you have a name you can put the virus to, it makes a world’s difference,” said Jeffries in regard to coronavirus.
- Dayton Infrastructure: How Safe Are Our Bridges?
- Raider Report V5, Episode 7: Finals Week and Special Guest Star!
- Guardian Gallery: April Craze 2024
