Cristal Wagenhauser spends every minute of every day anguishing over her newborn baby. Her two burning questions are will she survive? And if not, will her husband get home in time? That's a lot for any new mom to handle.
The drama began when Cristal gave birth two months early. Baby Madison was in critical condition, weighing in at just 2 pounds, 11 ounces. Her husband, Corporal Keith Wagenhouser, tried to get home to Long Island, but the military refused to grant him leave.
"He needs to be here," she said. "He needs to hold her. He needs to get to know her, and she needs to get to know him."
Wagenhauser is assigned to an overseas unit ready to back up troops in Middle East. Capt Clark Carpenter says of 100 emergency requests, only 11 Marines have been sent home for terminal illness or death. In this case, he states the child's prognosis is excellent, so it does not meet criteria for emergency leave.
If the baby's condition deteriorates, it would take Wagenhauser a week to get home. At that point, it would be too late.
"He'd be devastated," she said.
The baby's condition has stabilized at Stony Brook University Medical Center, but doctors say anything can happen. Wagenhauser is holding onto hope.
---
WEB PRODUCED BY: Bill King
QUICK HEADLINES | NEW YORK NEWS | GET NEWSLETTERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC 7 SOCIAL NETWORKING
Find us on Facebook® | Follow us on Twitter
More social networking
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORE FROM ABC 7
Contact Long Island Bureau | Most popular stories |
Street-level weather
Mobile Alerts |
Report Typos |
See News? Tell Eyewitness news
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------