Amazing moment newborn baby's cry wakes mother from coma

'God's hand was all over everything'

Rylan Grace Cawley was an unexpected miracle who played a very wonderful role in her parent's lives September of last year.

Rylan's mother, Shelly, gave birth to her and fell into a coma. When doctors did all they could to save her, Rylan was used to pull her mother back and wake from the potentially deadly situation.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - When she found out she was pregnant, Shelly was very excited. She planned how she would go through the process of childbirth and how she would raise her baby. Shelly's husband Jeremy went with his wife to natural birthing classes in preparation of a home birth and everything seemed to be going their way.

"Having a child with the person you love is such a big deal," Shelly told the Washington Post.

The couple was excited and happy until Shelly developed a blood clot in her leg. 
The couple was disappointed but Shelly took the prescribed blood thinners and continued to anticipate the arrival of their child.

"We knew what we were going to do," Shelly said, "then, all of the sudden that plan was taken away from me."

When Shelly's water broke, Jeremy immediately took her to the hospital, but she was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a disorder where blood pressure rises and too much protein is in the urine. If untreated, Shelly could have had liver and kidney dysfunction as well as fluid in her lungs.

She was also diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, which includes the rupture of red blood cells and a low platelet count.

An emergency C-section was ordered to protect Shelly from the dangers preeclampsia and HELLP could cause.

Shelly claimed she felt she wouldn't wake following the procedure but a caesarian was her only safe option.

A few minutes before midnight on September 5, 2014, Shelly gave birth to Rylan Grace, who weighed 7-pounds 11-ounces and was 21-inches-long. 

Rylan was placed in Jeremy's arms as doctors worked to save Shelly, whose lungs had filled with fluid during the procedure. Her blood pressure fell to 60/40 and the blood clot.
Rylan's body had held in place moved to Shelly's lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.

According to Jeremy, his wife was even placed on a "last-chance" ventilator, which pushed air into Shelly's lungs so violently it rattled her hospital bed. 

Nothing further could be done to save Shelly. Jeremy said, "The doctors had done all they could and it was clear, they absolutely thought they were losing her at this point."

Doctors decided the family should be together. Nurse Ashley Manus told the Washington Post, "We didn't know how long she was going to make it."

The medical team brought the family together, hoping for the best. They suggested skin-to-skin contact and placed a naked Rylan on Shelly's chest. The practice has been scientifically proven to stimulate newborn babies' brain development, stabilize their heart rate and helps maintain body temperature.

Manus added, "I was hoping somewhere deep down, Shelly was still there and could feel her baby, hear her baby and her mother's instincts would come out."

Doctors hoped Rylan's cries would reach Shelly's subconscious but the infant fell asleep. Jeremy said, "We pinched Rylan and tickled her a little bit so that Shelly would hear her cry."

When Rylan finally did release her cries, Shelly's vitals jumped.

Because she needed 21 units of blood, ventilators and a heart-and-lung bypass machine, Shelly was kept in her coma and received the treatment she needed.

During Shelly's coma, Jeremy learned to pump his wife's breast milk and placed Rylan in one of Shelly's t-shirts so she could smell her mother's scent. 

"It was such an emotional and spiritual journey for our family while she was gone. God's hand was all over everything," Jeremy shared. 

After eight days in the coma, Shelly woke up. 

Jeremy asked his wife if she know who he was and she answered yes. He then brought in their week-old child.

"She still couldn't move, but you could see her eyes - and as soon as I brought in Rylan, her eyes locked on Rylan. She just stared at her. And I laid Rylan on her chest," Jeremy recalled.

As he brushed hair from Shelly's forehead, he asked, "Are you happy?" After Shelly nodded, he simply responded, "I've got stories to tell you."

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