Stephanie Durfee’s remarkable story of love, perseverance, and unwavering strength begins with a college encounter that would shape her life in ways she couldn’t have foreseen. Meeting John, her future husband, marked the start of a journey that would test the depths of their love and resilience.
Their relationship blossomed over nearly two decades, evolving from their early days in a modest apartment to building a life together, overcoming financial challenges, and supporting each other through thick and thin. Their love story culminated in a heartfelt proposal involving the students in Stephanie’s kindergarten class, where they all played a role in sealing their love story.
With dreams of starting a family together, Stephanie and John embarked on a grueling and emotionally taxing three-year journey through infertility treatments. Their path was marred by five failed cycles of IUI, one IVF attempt that ended in miscarriage, and a final IVF procedure that held less than a 5% chance of success. Stephanie’s body reacted in peculiar ways to the hormones, leading to relentless pregnancy and morning sickness symptoms that pushed her to her limits.
After over a thousand days of struggle, countless injections, and unimaginable heartbreak, Stephanie was finally pregnant, realizing her deepest desire to become a mother.
However, their journey was far from over. Stephanie’s pregnancy was fraught with complications, including hyperemesis gravidarum, high blood pressure, restricted blood flow to the placenta, and abnormal levels of PAPP-A. The baby’s growth was alarmingly slow, and Stephanie faced a constant risk of preeclampsia and preterm birth. The pregnancy was marked by relentless vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and depression, making each day a challenge.
At 26 weeks, Stephanie’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was admitted to the hospital with severe preeclampsia, breathing difficulties, blurred vision, and organ dysfunction. The doctors delivered a grim ultimatum: if the baby wasn’t delivered, both Stephanie and the baby were at risk. But if they did deliver, there were no guarantees of survival.
Stephanie was forced to deliver her baby four months too soon, a heart-wrenching moment that should have been filled with joy but was instead clouded by fear and uncertainty. Their baby spent over 100 days in the NICU, battling through multiple complications, including NEC, weight gain issues, feeding difficulties, vomiting, and surgeries.
Stephanie’s story is a testament to her resilience as a mother and her baby’s indomitable spirit. Her daughter’s fight for life in the NICU left her with a chronic illness that will be a lifelong challenge. There were moments of intense fear and despair, such as when her daughter contracted NEC, a life-threatening infection, but through it all, she persevered.
Two years of hospital visits, surgeries, and daily medical regimens followed. Stephanie’s daughter required extensive care, and their lives revolved around hospital routines, feeding tubes, and therapies. Finally, at almost two years old, they received a diagnosis: Functional Short Bowel Syndrome, a condition that would continue to shape their lives.
Their story is one of daily struggles, but it’s also a story of resilience, love, and the extraordinary strength of a young child who has faced more challenges in her short life than most will ever know. Stephanie’s daughter is a true hero, embodying the spirit of a warrior and bringing immeasurable joy and love to her family.
