 Adventist Hinsdale Hospital’s first surviving set of quadruplets are now home, where they are growing and thriving. The three girls and one boy were born prematurely at 30 weeks gestation on Feb. 13 to parents James and Kimberly Vervack of Bolingbrook. The last of the bunch was discharged from the hospital in early May.
“We’re so happy that our little ones are healthy and here with us home,” Kimberly Vervack said. “We are thankful for the neonatal intensive care team at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital for taking such good care of our family.”
Adventist Hinsdale Hospital provides Level III neonatal care, recognized by the state as the highest level of care. Delivering and caring for the babies was a multidisciplinary team effort that included neonatologist Dr. Anthony Bell, perinatologist Dr. Daniel Gauthier, and obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Steven Daube. All four have overcome great medical obstacles, learning how to breathe on their own and how to maintain breathing after taking medication to line the air sacs in their lungs, Bell said.
“The quads are right on target developmentally,” Bell said. “None of them is ahead of the game but none are way behind, either.”
Doctors, nurses and other medical staff, in addition to the Vervacks, have noticed that each baby has a distinct personality. The babies, in order of birth, are:
- • Randi Marie (female): born weighing 2 lb, 15 oz; Kimberly says: “Randi Marie looks like she’s the one who’s going to concoct schemes and plans. She seems to be the ringleader.”
- • Ryne Lynn (female): born weighing 2 lb, 8 oz; Kimberly says: “Ryne will be the one trying to keep the others out of trouble by saying, ‘We shouldn’t do that.’” Ryne is the only baby that remains in the hospital but is due to come home this week.
- • Jason James (male): born weighing 2 lb, 12 oz; Kimberly says: “As the only boy, Jason is the most laid-back member of the bunch.”
- • Jacklyn Ann (female): born weighing 2 lb, 3 oz; Kimberly says: “Jacklyn’s going to be the one who says let me do it and will take the blame for the trouble the others get into.”
The new parents used fertility treatments after trying unsuccessfully for 18 months to get pregnant. Kimberly took fertility shots and then underwent artificial insemination. The quadruplets are fraternal.
James, 28, is a physical education teacher at Edison and Jefferson elementary schools in Elmhurst and Kimberly, 29, is a first grade teacher at Troy Craughwell Elementary School in Joliet. She was at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital for a month.
“We wanted twins and then we found out we were going to have triplets, so we figured that’s just one more,” Kimberly said. “Then doctors found the fourth one! But we’re taking it all in stride.”
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