By: Sheila Crowley
Murray County News Staffwriter
Babies are a blessing no matter when they come. However, Emily and Olivia entrance into the world kind of sent their family into a bit of a frenzy.
At 7:00 a.m. on Halloween Casey and Clarissa Wilson, Slayton, were getting their daughter, Jocelyn ready for pre-school. Clarissa didn’t feel right and immediately sought out help to watch their one year son. Things progressed quickly and realizing the couple wasn’t going to make it to Marshall to deliver their babies, they reached out to the Murray Couny Ambulance service.
The day prior, Clarissa had her regular obstetrician appointment and was already dilated to three centimeters. The ambulance picked up the couple and delivered them to the Murray County Medical Center emergency room at 7:30 a.m.. Upon the examination it was discovered Clarrisa was at a six and too far into the birthing process to try and stop the contractions at that point.
The staff at MCMC quickly dialed up the children’s hospital in Sioux Falls as well as an obstetrician. Via tele-medicine on the television screen teams, for both the twins and Clarissa, carefully evaulated the situation and decided it would be best to deliver the babies in the emergency room at MCMC and then transfer them to Sioux Falls.
The last babies born at the local hospital were in 1991 by Dr. Larry Okerlund who currently works at Carris Health-Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar. Despite this fact, Casey said he never felt like the staff didn’t know what they were doing. “They kept us in the loop about everything that was going to happen,” he said.
As things progressed, the teams from Sioux Falls walked Dr. Connie DeKam, flight doctor through the process. “It was her first delivery of twins,” stated Casey. In addition, MCMC’s Paige Freeman, family medicine, along with David Axtman and Brian Chabot – both emergency medicine and pediatrician, Dr. Mishra, the ultrasound tech and x-ray were all gathered in the ER room. “I didn’t know the ER could hold that many people,” commented Casey. “They had to shut down the ER,” added Clarissa. “Police and sheriff department personnel were put on standby just in case an escort was needed.”
A flight team was brought in so a quick departure could be made if needed. One of the members of the crew outlined what was going to happen as birth progressed stating the intent was to get Clarissa going and then Casey would be allowed to stand near her head and be her support person. Casey tried to provide reassurance to his wife as she labored and tried to endure the pain associated with labor.
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