Medical 'Holiday Miracle'
A road that began with emergency operations four months ago to deliver triplets and save the life of their mother has led to all being home for the holidays with the babies' father and older brother.
Joseph Errante calls it a "holiday miracle."
His wife, Roseann Errante, was seven months pregnant with triplets in late August when she suddenly began feeling chest pain.
Doctors sent her home.
But she returned and this time, says Joseph, they found a tear in her aorta, the same condition that killed John Ritter.
"Normally," says Joseph who, like Roseann, is 36, "people don't feel anything. But because of the babies and the extra volume of blood that she was pushing around, that's why she was feeling all the pain. It took them a day to catch it but as soon as they did it was immediately into surgery.
"Every hour that somebody has this condition, the percentage (of death) goes up one percent. So, in a matter of days, obviously, the results would be catastrophic."
The Errantes, who live in Hauppauge, on Long Island, N.Y., faced the prospect of an emergency cesarean section to deliver the babies, followed immediately by open heart surgery to repair the tear in Roseann's aorta.
"Honestly," she
co-anchor Hannah Storm on The Early Show Friday, "I don't remember anything from that time. I remember them doing the test and finding out what it was, because I remember the expression on the technician's face. I don't really remember anything after that, not until I saw the babies after surgery."Joe says, "The last thing she did before she went into the O.R. (operating room) was, she said, 'It wasn't enough that I have to have triplets, I have to have open heart surgery, too?' She left me with a joke. I laughed while she went in, and then fell apart afterwards.
"December 20 was four months to the day. And four months ago, there was a distinct possibility that nobody (now) on the couch would be here except for me. It's absolutely a holiday miracle that everybody's here and everybody's doing great."Roseann has her off days and the babies still have a lot of doctor's appointments, but everybody is pretty healthy and doing very well."
"And getting big," Roseann chimed in.
"And getting very big!" Joseph agreed.
The Errantes were effusive in their praise of the staff at Stony Brook University Hospital.
"Every doctor, every nurse, everyone we encountered at that hospital was amazing," Roseann gushed. "I can't say enough."
"Absolutely," Joseph agreed. "And then afterwards, the staff of the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) over there, (they're) incredible people over there. (They're) not just like doctors and nurses, (they're) almost like they became friends and family. Very wonderful people."
How does it feel to have little Michael, Samantha Rose, and Joseph home with their brother, Anthony, 2, and the two of you?
"There are no words," Joseph said, speaking for himself and Roseann. "We're just completely overjoyed."