‘All credit goes to God:’ Tulsa parents share incredible story of premature baby’s survival

TULSA, Okla. — You hear a lot about Christmas miracles during this time of year.

But, in this case, one of the directors of the Saint Francis Children’s Hospital NICU says it really is a miracle.

And all credit goes to God.

Baby Jo weighed 12 ounces when she was born in July. That’s the same weight as a can of Coke.

“When they put her on us to hold, you couldn’t even feel you were holding anything besides the blanket,” said Jo’s father Michael MacDougal. “It was kinda surreal.”

Michael MacDougal and Carolina Gonzales knew it would be difficult to get pregnant. Carolina was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer when she was just 19.

Doctors removed an ovary, but her uterus was left intact.

“So there was a future of carrying kids, but not so much conceiving on my own,” said Carolina. “Because of all the treatment, it just fried the eggs.”

The couple started seeing a fertility doctor in 2018, and in 2021, they started the egg retrieval process with a donor.

In February, they learned their first round of IVF worked. Carolina was pregnant!

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Tulsa Parents Celebrate Birth of Premature Baby, Jo

“It was smooth sailing, I had no nausea. It was a pretty simple pregnancy,” said Carolina.

During Carolina’s 23-week ultrasound, doctors found that Jo was too small. The specialist said it wasn’t likely that Carolina would make it to term.

Carolina spent two nights in the hospital, getting steroid shots to help Jo’s lungs develop.

The day that Carolina came home, she had intense pain and began to vomit. Her blood pressure was through the roof.

Michael and Carolina rushed to the hospital, four months before Jo’s due date in November.

“The doctor says you’re really sick, you have preeclampsia, and HELLP syndrome, and we’re going to have to deliver right now, and I’m 23 weeks and 4 days,” said Caroline.

Caroline was told that there was a chance that they would have to intubate Jo, and that she may not survive.

“So we’re on the table, I’m on the table, and Mike’s holding my hand, and we just hear this little cry,” said Carolina. “It’s so strong, but so soft.”

Dr. Rachel Everette is the co-director of the Saint Francis Children’s Hospital NICU. She said Jo is the smallest baby to go home.

She said when she heard Jo’s cry, she knew there was a chance to save her life.

“That was actually my sign from the Lord that I need to try and do something,” said Dr. Everette.

Dr. Everette said there is a survival calendar for extremely premature infants. Jo couldn’t even be placed in the calendar.

Jo was born with her eyes fused shut. But she came out fighting.

Nine days after her birth, one of Jo’s lungs collapsed.

“Her mom got to hold her, and then I held her for a little bit,” said Michael. “We had her baptized because we were pretty sure that was the last day and she kept fighting she kept fighting for 142 days at the NICU.”

Jo kept getting bigger. She was removed from the ventilator in October and began to take bottles.

She now weighs six pounds and five ounces. And she’s coming home just in time for Christmas.

“We couldn’t imagine a better one, she is with us and that’s all we ever wanted.”

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