MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Doctors weren’t sure if Susie Espinoza, or her unborn son, would make it after she got sick with COVID-19, 26 weeks into her pregnancy. It led to a medically induced coma and hospitalization that would last nearly three months.
Thursday, June 24, she’s able to celebrate the first birthday of her baby boy named Brandon.
“It’s emotional because I don’t remember his birth,” Espinoza said. “It’s amazing. I’m thankful for everybody, the staff, and for God. I know other pregnant people didn’t survive, maybe a lot of babies, unborn babies lost the battle too.”
Espinoza gave birth by C-section to Brandon while still in a coma a month and a half after arriving at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown sick with COVID.
Now turning one year old, Espinoza said Brandon is a perfectly healthy baby.
“He’s doing great, better than I guess I expected because he’s a preemie baby,” she said. “Two weeks ago, he started crawling on his fours.”
Brandon is described by his mother as a calm, happy and independent baby.
He recently had his first haircut, one of the many milestone moments he and his mother will get to experience.
“I’m just thankful that we’re going to celebrate Brandon’s birthday and just that I’m alive,” she said. “My kids are like we don’t care how physically you are. We’re just happy that you’re here.”
Espinoza still has a road to recovery ahead of her. She goes to physical therapy two to three times a week and is still in pain from being sick and spending so much time in a coma.
“This arm is still numb,” Espinoza said, holding up her left arm to show. ”These three fingers are still numb. This is numb. I’m afraid if I’m walking holding him, without the little baby thing, I’m afraid I’ll drop him.”
Brandon’s first birthday celebration will be a special one. Espinoza said it will be hosted at the home of one of her doctors. There, many of the people who cared for her and Brandon will be there to celebrate with her.
“COVID left me with not friends but a family,” she said about the people who cared for her. “Thank you, COVID. You took away three months, you left me all beat up, Scars here and here but you left me with a family.”
