Abbie was born on September 23, 2008, three weeks premature. She was delivered at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts via caesarean section because of her mother’s gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

Within the first 24 hours of life, Abbie was transferred to UMASS Memorial NICU as a result of green liquid bile that she was throwing up upon nursing. Her abdomen also became increasingly distended as time progressed.