CHICAGO – An Oak Park woman critically injured in a crash while pregnant last October unfurled the Bear Down flag at the Chicago Bears game Sunday afternoon.
Advocate Health Care said Lynn Reisberg was 36 weeks pregnant with her son Teddy last October when she felt like she was going to pass out while driving, which ended up causing a crash.
Her husband Paul Collins was out of town, so he called a family friend who lived nearby and worked as a nurse practitioner at Advocate Health Care. Once Paul’s friend got to the scene, the two rode in an ambulance to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
Officials said when Reisberg arrived at the hospital, a nurse quickly determined there were no fetal heart tones due to injuries Reisberg sustained in the crash. Hospital personnel and Dr. Vibhaben Thaker worked quickly, delivered Teddy via emergency C-section and resuscitated him.
“I truly believe that the healthcare providers at Good Samaritan saved Teddy’s and my
life,” Reisberg said. “It started in the ER with my nurses, right up to the whole NICU
team that cared for Teddy in those first days when things were so critical. Had we been
brought to any other hospital, I don’t think we would have had such a great outcome
come from such a terrible situation, and I am forever grateful to our entire team for
taking such great care of us.”
Doctors determined that Reisberg suffered a placental abruption during the crash, which happens when the placenta separates from the uterus before the baby is delivered.
A placental abruption can pose significant health risks to the baby as it leaves them with little to no oxygen.
Teddy was put in the NICU and was able to go home after a two-week stay.
Lynn and Paul are currently looking forward to celebrating his first birthday.