When Frederick Connie’s wife began haemorrhaging during labour he was forced to make an excruciating decision: save his unborn daughter or his wife.
Doctors told the Colorado man that performing the surgery that would save his pregnant wife, Keyvonne, would mean they’d lose the baby. However, they said she may not survive the emergency c-section needed to save the infant.
In the end, Frederick made the decision he thought his wife would have wanted and welcomed his daughter via cesarean on 30 November. Tragically, Keyvonne died later that day.
Frederick told FOX31 that despite losing his wife, he thought he made the right call.
"I’m glad I made that decision because in the end if Keyvonne probably could have survived she would have hated me for the rest of my life because I knew how she felt about kids," the new father said.
He told the news station that when his wife began bleeding during labour he rushed her to hospital where they gave him the choice.
"It was either give her the surgery first and maybe save her life, but you’re going to lose your daughter. Or your daughter can be saved but there’s a chance you might lose your wife," he said.
Keyvonne did survive the surgery and awoke from recovery to see photos of her daughter, Angelique Keyvonne Connie, who required immediate medical care.
But just minutes after seeing her daughter's face she began bleeding and died before she could be rushed to emergency surgery.
Frederick said he was not prepared for his full-time father role, confessing he didn't know how to change a nappy, but was "going to learn".
"I gave her her mom’s name. She’s going to know her mom. I’ll make sure of that," he said.
"I’m going to be a full-time father to her."
Frederick's boss Justin Collins created a Facebook page to raise funds for his employee, who, on top of his grief, is struggling financially.
"He has always been a hard worker during the time I have known him and always provided for his family," he wrote.
"The struggle now will be caring for his newborn daughter who he calls 'Little Pooder' along with caring for her is hospital bills, a funeral, and all the basic needs for caring for a child."
"Thank you for anything you feel you can do."
Top Comments
I can't believe he was given the choice. Medical professionals should have done everything to save the mother regardless of the cost to the baby. This has to be America, the land of the delusional.
No... that's not how informed patient consent works. And in a case where the patient themselves is unable to make a decision, their next of kin/guardian makes decisions on their behalf. The medical staff would have tried everything to save both mother and child, regardless of what choice was made, it's just that there were different risks for both options. They were correct to give him the choice, and he made the decision he believed his wife would have wanted.
Such a terrible decision to have to make but had the baby been sacrificed to safe the wife; the wife still *may* not have survived and if she had, she would forever mourn her daughter and given that she would have had a hysterectomy, she would never have been able to have another baby.
Saving the absolutely beautiful ‘Little Pooder’ was a beautiful thing to do, especially as it looked that Keyvonne may also have pulled through the worst. I am so glad she was able to see photos of her cherished daughter before passing away.
It will be hard work for Frederick but he will be rewarded daily just watching his little girl grow and he will have beautiful memories of his lovely wife.
It’s just so bittersweet but I wish them all the very best for a wonderful Christmas 2018 and I hope that 2019 will be very kind to them and their extended family members.