A Mother's Fight

Tia Davis, a resident of Eddy County, recently became the proud mother of two adorable and healthy twin babies, Jeffrey and Jayla.

However, while her children are thriving and in good health, Davis' pregnancy did not go according to plan, and her health in the days and weeks since has taken a turn for the worse.

Davis, an Eddy County employee with the sheriff's and state's attorney's office, recently found herself at the Jamestown Regional Medical Center (JRMC), where she underwent treatment for peripartum cardiomyopathy, stemming from preeclampsia.

In short, Davis was suffering from heart failure, and she's now fighting to ensure Jeffrey and Jayla have a mother to help raise them.

Carol Koepplin, Davis' aunt, has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for Davis and her family to help cover medical costs and lost income. The page also details just how hard this struggle has been and continues to be for Davis and her young family.

"Tia has spent most of her adult life devoted to taking care of our loved ones as a caring CNA (certified nursing assistant), and she loved doing it," wrote Koepplin on the GoFundMe page. "She deserves to be able to focus on her own health and being a mother without the added burden of all of the medical bills piling up."

This whole ordeal began, explained Koepplin, in the late stages of Davis' pregnancy, when she was being monitored for high blood pressure and swelling in her legs.

At her last obstetrics appointment in Jamestown on Monday, Oct. 24, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia and immediately rushed to Bismarck via ambulance, where she delivered the babies a week early.

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, and it can lead to serious health complications for both the mother and child, or in this case, children.

To the relief of their mother, father and many more, Jeffrey and Jayla were successfully delivered and remain healthy. Davis, however, was asked to remain in the hospital for a few more days as she dealt with poor kidney function - one of many potential complications of preeclampsia.

Even after her eventual discharge, Davis' health continued to deteriorate, as she was experiencing shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. Tests later revealed that fluid had built up in her lungs and that her kidney function was now critical, forcing a return to the hospital for additional treatment.

She stayed at the hospital in Jamestown for three nights, where she was diagnosed and treated for peripartum cardiomyopathy. This time, though, Davis was feeling a little better when she was discharged, allowing her to enjoy Jayla's and Jeffrey's first Thanksgiving.

"She felt better after her stay in Jamestown, having some good and bad days but continued to easily fatigue," shared Koepplin. "She got to spend a wonderful Thanksgiving with her babies and family."

More devastating news soon followed, however. Just a day after Thanksgiving, an echocardiogram revealed multiple blood clots in the left ventricle of Davis' heart, and that her heart's ejection fraction had plummeted to 23 percent.

In other words, her heart was failing to pump enough oxygen-rich blood. An ejection fraction between 50 and 75 percent is considered normal.

Consequently, Davis returned to JRMC, where she once again stayed for a number of days while receiving treatment, until she was discharged on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Jayla and Jeffrey's father, Tyler Weber, said Tuesday that Davis' kidney function had immensely improved, gaining 100 percent of its functionality back. He added that the blood thinners being used to treat and prevent additional blood clotting have been effective.

On Thursday, Davis visited a heart failure specialist in Bismarck. The results of the visit were unknown by press time, but Weber said they're hopeful her improvement will continue.

Regardless, Davis and her young family are off to a tough start, but they're fighting as hard as they can to get through it. Part of the healing process moving forward is to ensure Davis' heart remains stress free, and there's a way the community can help.

"It has been very emotionally stressful for her to be away from her newborns twice since birth," Koepplin wrote. "Her heart needs time to heal, remaining as stress-free as possible. Any donation helps to relieve the financial stress this has and will be putting on them."

As of Thursday morning, more than $10,000 had been raised through GoFundMe. To reach the page and donate yourself, visit http://www.gofundme.com and search for "Tia Davis."

A benefit account for Davis has also been set up at Community Credit Union. Donations can be made at any of their three offices, and checks can be made payable to "Tia Davis Benefit."

Both Davis and Weber expressed appreciation to all those that have donated, or have in any way shown support during this difficult time. They are also grateful to their employers for being so understanding and helpful throughout this ordeal, and to their coworkers for helping out and being there when and if needed.

"Thank you to the community for the donations and our families for all the help they've been giving us, and for people reaching out with their prayers and offering to help, reaching out by call or text, and just checking up on us," said Davis.

Weber added, "I know there's been a lot of donations, some leaving their names, some remaining anonymous, and I want to thank not only them, but everybody - the whole town, friends and family for any support, donations and even prayers."