Miracles Come in Many Forms
Baby born at Harborview after mother's car crash
Miracles always arrive unexpectedly, but the Taylor family's miracle surprised them even more by showing up ready to be diapered and swaddled.
A three-car accident in downtown Seattle in July 2003 had trapped Consonya Taylor, who was eight months pregnant, in the twisted wreckage of her minivan. Paramedics and firefighters worked for nearly an hour to free her, and the expectant mother was rushed to Harborview Medical Center.
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| Solomon Taylor plays with his dad at home. |
That's when Consonya, who had already miraculously survived the crash, and her husband, Curtis, got another tiny miracle a few weeks early: a newborn son, Solomon.
Doctors at Harborview performed an emergency Caesarean section on Consonya, who had suffered devastating injuries in the crash. It was an ultimate example of good news/bad news for Curtis Taylor, who was struggling between happiness over his newborn son, who he called Miracle, and anguish over his wife's emergency surgery for her injuries.
"The same moment when my wife was going through surgery, that was offset by the joy of my son being born," Taylor explained. "He was the first boy born in my family in this generation, so we were all very excited about that."
Luckily, Solomon Xavier Miracle Taylor came out of the crash in good condition, and is now a healthy young boy. Consonya hasn't fared as well, suffering multiple bone fractures among her injuries. She spent more than four months either hospitalized or in a nursing facility, and has gone through physical therapy to get used to walking again.
"I guess the biggest thing for her is the difference between the person she was then and who she is now," Taylor explained. "For instance, she was going to go back to school, but she had to put that on hold."
The treatment Consonya received while at Harborview was a bright spot in a difficult time for their family, Curtis Taylor said.
"We were spoiled at Harborview, between the amenities, and the care, and attentiveness," he said.
Solomon Taylor goes for a stroller ride with his family and beagle.
The family's experience with the neonatal intensive care unit at UW Medical Center was a lifesaver for Curtis, who suddenly found himself taking care of a premature baby without the help of his wife, who was still recovering.
"The week at UW Medical Center was excellent," Taylor said. "They cared for and loved my child as much as I did, and the program they had to prepare me for taking care of my son was vital."
Caring for a baby is difficult enough, and having one born prematurely makes things even more complicated. The medical staff in the neonatal unit showed Taylor all the things he needed to do to ensure Solomon stayed well, such as checking the child's core body temperature periodically.
"The taught me all of that. It made me feel confident and able to take care of my son," Taylor said.
With help from friends, family, and fellow church members, Curtis was able to juggle caring for Solomon, visiting Consonya, taking care of their two daughters, and working part-time. Now, Consonya has made a lot of progress in her recovery and Solomon is going through the normal childhood stages. He's crawling around and pulling himself up in preparation for learning to walk, and his teeth have started coming in.
Every July 31, the Taylors will remember that terrible day in 2003 when a car accident nearly claimed Consonya's life. Yet they'll also have a reason to be happy, as that day marks when Solomon will be a year older.
"The baby's birthday is a terrible day for my wife, and for a while I hadn't thought about that," Curtis Taylor said. "But we're still going to celebrate that day."