ARLINGTON, Texas - When Mia Lanning arrived at Medical City Arlington for a routine pre-birth appointment on Monday, January 19, she never expected to welcome her daughter just hours later. Elowyn was born early the following morning and was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for specialized monitoring and care.
Although Mia was medically cleared for discharge, the winter storm threatened travel conditions and made the thought of leaving her newborn especially difficult. Recognizing the emotional and logistical challenges, the Medical City Arlington care team stepped in to help.
In a compassionate gesture, hospital staff arranged for Mia and her husband, Clark, to remain onsite at no cost, ensuring they could stay close to Elowyn during those critical first days.
“I told her your healing and your daughter are what matter most right now. Everything else we can handle,” said OB/GYN Manager Kerrie Eyler.
The support came as an immense relief for the new parents.
“I remember crying and Kerrie giving me a hug, just the relief I felt,” said Lanning. “I knew that if we left we probably wouldn’t be able to come back for a few days because of how bad the weather was.”
The couple stayed in a hospital room until they felt safe enough to return home later in the week. During that time, they were able to visit Elowyn multiple times each day and stay closely connected with her care team.
“We would come several times a day and visit with her and see how she was doing,” Lanning said. “The doctors were really good at calling us throughout our whole time here, constantly giving us updates, constantly letting us know what they had done and how her progress had been.”
Elowyn continues to make progress in the NICU, and her parents are hopeful she will be able to come home soon.
“I felt very cared for above and beyond what a medical professional would feel obligated to do,” Lanning said.
Mia and Clark say they are deeply grateful to the healthcare professionals at Medical City Arlington for not only providing expert medical care, but also for showing extraordinary kindness during a stressful and emotional time.
