thedrifter
06-28-09, 09:40 AM
TAYLOR: Technology allowed Marine to witness the birth of his son
Saturday, June 27, 2009
By Anne Sullivan
TAYLOR — Technology enabled Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Jevahirian to be present in more than just spirit as his son was born.
Jevahirian, 20, is stationed in Al Asad, Iraq. His wife, Chelsey Jevahirian, 19, gave birth to their son, Brayden Allen, at 5:20 p.m. Monday at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn.
And the new father didn’t miss a minute of it. He was there via videoconferencing through the Freedom Calls Foundation, which provides satellite network to servicemen and -women in Iraq and Afghanistan to enable them to keep in touch with their families.
Chelsey Jevahirian arrived at Oakwood Hospital at 6 a.m. Monday and labor was induced. It was done to ensure that her husband could witness the birth, she said.
“By noon he was able to get on (the computer conferencing) and at 5:20 p.m. (our son) was born,” she said. “It was worth it. I wish he could have been here. But he was a great coach; he talked me through it. He had encouraging words, but mostly it was just being able to hear his voice.
“There were a lot of people in the room talking, but the only person I could hear was him.”
The couple met at Truman High School.
“I was in ninth grade,” Jevahirian said.
Her husband was a year older and graduated in 2007; she graduated in 2008.
“We got married after I graduated,” Jevahirian said.
Her husband enlisted in the Marines. His duty station is Jacksonville, N.C. But when Jevahirian found out she was pregnant and her husband was deployed to Iraq, she decided to come home to be close to both families.
“I did not want to be there by myself, pregnant, so I came home for the support of family,” she said.
Although her husband was 9,000 miles away, Jevahirian didn’t feel alone when their son was born. Her husband was there on a computer screen next to her bed.
Along with her husband via video, in the room with her were her mother, Patty Brewer; her mother-in-law, Amy Johnston; her father-in-law, Rich Jevahirian; and her sisters, Chasity Brewer and Tiffany Withrow, all of Taylor.
“It was very, very overwhelming,” she said. “They let all of them stay there. My husband also wanted them in there for support, so it was very nice.
“I would have loved for him to be there physically, but that was not possible.”
Jevahirian said she is happy he was there through the video conferencing and saw everything.
“I saw him born (by looking at) a mirror on the ceiling,” she said. “My husband watched me. “When they put the baby on my chest, he started to cry. He said, ‘I love you. Thank you. You’re beautiful. The baby is beautiful.’”
Jevahirian is adjusting to her new role as mother, but said it’s tough with her husband away.
“It’s a lot of work and very exhausting,” she said Thursday. “I have my family here for support, but it’s my responsibility. It’s hard, but I love it.”
Although her husband is far away physically, she said he’s close emotionally, which helps.
“Next time, I would love for him to be here in person,” she said. “Seeing him on the screen, I appreciated that, but he was not able to experience the pregnancy, see my belly (grow).”
She sent him numerous pictures and kept him updated on her pregnancy over the Internet and mailed him packages.
But it doesn’t end there. Arrangements have been made with Freedom Calls for Jevahirian to see his wife and son at home three times a week through videoconferencing, so he’ll be able to watch his son grow.
“Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center is thrilled to be a part of this,” said Judith McNeely, an Oakwood spokeswoman.
Ellie
Saturday, June 27, 2009
By Anne Sullivan
TAYLOR — Technology enabled Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Jevahirian to be present in more than just spirit as his son was born.
Jevahirian, 20, is stationed in Al Asad, Iraq. His wife, Chelsey Jevahirian, 19, gave birth to their son, Brayden Allen, at 5:20 p.m. Monday at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn.
And the new father didn’t miss a minute of it. He was there via videoconferencing through the Freedom Calls Foundation, which provides satellite network to servicemen and -women in Iraq and Afghanistan to enable them to keep in touch with their families.
Chelsey Jevahirian arrived at Oakwood Hospital at 6 a.m. Monday and labor was induced. It was done to ensure that her husband could witness the birth, she said.
“By noon he was able to get on (the computer conferencing) and at 5:20 p.m. (our son) was born,” she said. “It was worth it. I wish he could have been here. But he was a great coach; he talked me through it. He had encouraging words, but mostly it was just being able to hear his voice.
“There were a lot of people in the room talking, but the only person I could hear was him.”
The couple met at Truman High School.
“I was in ninth grade,” Jevahirian said.
Her husband was a year older and graduated in 2007; she graduated in 2008.
“We got married after I graduated,” Jevahirian said.
Her husband enlisted in the Marines. His duty station is Jacksonville, N.C. But when Jevahirian found out she was pregnant and her husband was deployed to Iraq, she decided to come home to be close to both families.
“I did not want to be there by myself, pregnant, so I came home for the support of family,” she said.
Although her husband was 9,000 miles away, Jevahirian didn’t feel alone when their son was born. Her husband was there on a computer screen next to her bed.
Along with her husband via video, in the room with her were her mother, Patty Brewer; her mother-in-law, Amy Johnston; her father-in-law, Rich Jevahirian; and her sisters, Chasity Brewer and Tiffany Withrow, all of Taylor.
“It was very, very overwhelming,” she said. “They let all of them stay there. My husband also wanted them in there for support, so it was very nice.
“I would have loved for him to be there physically, but that was not possible.”
Jevahirian said she is happy he was there through the video conferencing and saw everything.
“I saw him born (by looking at) a mirror on the ceiling,” she said. “My husband watched me. “When they put the baby on my chest, he started to cry. He said, ‘I love you. Thank you. You’re beautiful. The baby is beautiful.’”
Jevahirian is adjusting to her new role as mother, but said it’s tough with her husband away.
“It’s a lot of work and very exhausting,” she said Thursday. “I have my family here for support, but it’s my responsibility. It’s hard, but I love it.”
Although her husband is far away physically, she said he’s close emotionally, which helps.
“Next time, I would love for him to be here in person,” she said. “Seeing him on the screen, I appreciated that, but he was not able to experience the pregnancy, see my belly (grow).”
She sent him numerous pictures and kept him updated on her pregnancy over the Internet and mailed him packages.
But it doesn’t end there. Arrangements have been made with Freedom Calls for Jevahirian to see his wife and son at home three times a week through videoconferencing, so he’ll be able to watch his son grow.
“Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center is thrilled to be a part of this,” said Judith McNeely, an Oakwood spokeswoman.
Ellie