Powering Hope: Better2gether and Community Partners Step In for Baby Amir
When Markesha describes her 13-month-old son Amir, she calls him her “late Mother’s Day gift.” Born at just 24 weeks and weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces, Amir spent the first 11 months of his life in the hospital, facing a long list of medical challenges, including lung disease, eye disease, and a hole in his heart.
He finally came home in mid-April. But bringing Amir home meant bringing home the complex medical care he relies on to survive. Every day, he needs eight different pieces of equipment (two ventilators, a feeding pump, a suction machine, a nebulizer, a compressor, and more) to help him breathe and meet his basic needs.
The problem? Markesha’s recently built home couldn’t handle the power load. “There were cords and wires everywhere,” she said. “I was running extension cords from behind the refrigerator, the bathroom, and even upstairs. But even then, the machines would keep shutting off.”
Some of Amir’s devices don’t have battery backups. His home ventilator must be plugged in at all times. “It was a dangerous situation,” Markesha said. “I was up all night, checking everything constantly. I couldn’t sleep because I was so afraid the power would cut off and Amir wouldn’t be able to breathe.”
That’s when a hospital social worker referred her to Better2gether.
“Better2gether jumped into action,” Markesha said. “They partnered with a local electrician who came out right away. He changed the breaker in my power box to one that could handle the load. That one change, just one breaker, changed my world. No more cords running from the bathroom. No more worries in the middle of the night. Now we can run everything we need.”
Markesha is now focused on adjusting to life at home with Amir. She says the support from Better2gether has made all the difference.
“Jenn, Better2gether’s Family Navigator, followed up with me every step of the way. She sent texts, emails, and stayed on top of things when I couldn’t," Markesha shares. "With 10 doctors, constant appointments, different nursing agencies, and prescriptions to manage, I didn’t have the time or the energy to deal with the electrical issues. Better2gether took a huge burden off my shoulders.”
“They didn’t just help; they were a lifesaver.”