Our NICU Journey

It was a long, winding road for Casey and Brian Wadas to achieve their dream of starting a family. The couple, both born and raised in Nebraska, got married in 2016. The next year, Casey started intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.

After years of trying, it was a joyous moment in 2023 when they learned Casey was pregnant with Abe. Unfortunately, the couple’s obstacles were just beginning.

A Premature Delivery

At 20 weeks – around four months early – Casey’s water broke. She came to Bryan Medical Center for evaluation. Since she wasn’t in active labor, her care plan was to come back in two weeks for long-term hospitalization.

Before that happened, Casey woke one morning to some bleeding and came back to the hospital. She was admitted and spent nine weeks at the Bryan Family Birthplace before unexpectantly delivering her baby early at 31 weeks.

On the night he was born, Casey started feeling chills. The labor and delivery team determined Casey had an infection and immediately needed a C-section.

Abe was delivered on June 11, 2023. His first night was bumpy. He had a collapsed lung and other respiratory issues. Craig Sitzman, MD, a neonatologist, told Casey and Brian that Abe was in critical condition.

Diagnosing the Problem

Over the next few weeks, the NICU team tried everything they could to turn Abe’s condition around, including inserting multiple chest tubes. Dr. Sitzman and Albert Owusu-Ansah, MD, were Abe’s doctors during this time.

“Drs. Ansah and Sitzman were nothing short of extraordinary,” Casey said. “They worked tirelessly to figure out what was going on with Abe.”

Casey and Brian were overwhelmed while their newborn received care. Those first few weeks were an exhausting blur for the couple, but they are grateful for the staff who supported them along the way. The same nurses took care of Abe along with the two doctors, leading to consistent, round-the-clock care.

“If it weren’t for the NICU nurses teaching us how to be parents, we definitely would not have learned how to care for Abe in the way we did,” Casey said.

Around a month into his life, Abe was transferred to Children’s Nebraska for a bronchoscopy, where a thin tube with a light and camera is inserted into the lungs and airways. This procedure helped diagnose the cause of Abe’s continued respiratory difficulties. A mucus plug on his left lung was preventing the lung from inflating.

Doctors eventually removed one of the lobes of his lungs and conducted a tracheotomy, making a hole through the front of Abe’s neck and into his windpipe. They then placed a tracheostomy tube into the hole to keep his airway open. Abe was put on a ventilator to breathe, and a gastrostomy button (G-button) was used for giving food and medicine.

The family spent almost 200 days at Children’s, going home the day after Christmas 2023. They hired nurses for at-home care, three of whom also worked for Bryan. They helped the family get through the new stress of caring for Abe at home.

“The nurses were absolutely fantastic,” Casey said.

Giving Back to Help Others

Casey became a member of the Bryan NICU Patient Family Advisory Council in 2024, providing feedback on her family’s experience in the NICU. The council has led to new changes such as telehealth for inpatient antepartum and postpartum NICU moms, snack station enhancements and an expanded visitation policy.

“I just wanted to give back to this place,” Casey said. “The NICU team did so much for us throughout our stay.

“You’re constantly asking the nurses, ‘Is this normal?’ or ‘What’s happening?’” Casey said. “They did such a great job of explaining things to us.”

Life as a Family of Four

At almost three years old, Abe is doing great. Last September, his tracheostomy tube was removed. His G-button was removed in December, ending his at-home care. In January, he became a big brother. His sister Kelty arrived slightly early at 35 weeks. She also received care in the Bryan NICU but thankfully went home after just one week.

Today, Abe does all the things a typical toddler does.

“If you had told me this is where we would be, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Brian said. “Abe is so smart and resilient and outgoing. He loves being around people.”

Casey and Brian couldn’t be happier as they raise their two children. It took a long time, and it was full of obstacles, but their road toward growing their family led to a wonderful place.

“We truly don’t know where we would have been without Bryan,” Casey said. “The NICU nurses and doctors, and all the people we met along the way, were great.”

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To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please contact the Bryan Foundation staff by calling 402-481-8605.