Keshia Thompson, Iola, thought she had a normal life. She works as a teller at Great Southern Bank, was happily married with a young stepson and was looking forward to making the family grow with another child.
“We’re as normal as can be,” she said. “My husband is a fireman here in Iola.”
Her baby was not due until August, so she and her husband, Kenneth, had not even put the baby’s room together. They thought they had all summer. That all changed on April 16. Very suddenly, Thompson’s life was turned upside-down.
Tiffany Johnston, teller supervisor at Great Southern Bank, was one of the first to find out something was wrong when Thompson contacted her to say she would not be coming in to work.
“She texted me that morning and said she was having trouble and had to go to the hospital,” Johnston said. “She did and they said she was in labor.”
Thompson’s water had broken. She was 10 centimeters dilated and in labor by the time she got to the hospital in Wichita.
“It was just so fast,” Thompson said. “And I had no pain until I got to the hospital.”
Thompson learned she had an inconfident cervix. This means the cervix can not bear the weight of the baby and dilates too soon, Thompson said. She stayed at the hospital for a week, bedridden and taking drugs to keep the baby in for as long as possible. This also means that if Thompson ever gets pregnant again, she will be at extremely high risk of miscarriage or having another premature birth.
Klowie Thompson was born on April 23, weighing only 1 pound and five ounces. She was only 24 weeks into her gestation — 16 weeks premature. Klowie has to stay in the hospital until her expected due date in August, at least. She is now, seven weeks later, weighing in at exactly 3 pounds. The bad news is, she still has a long way to go. She is still on a ventilator to breathe, she has a small hole in her heart and bleeding on the right side of her brain.
“Premature babies are so expensive, it’s beyond crazy,” Thompson said.
The Thompsons have insurance, but there will be a deductible, of course. Thompson is staying at Ronald McDonald House in Wichita for free, which helps, but driving expenses are building up fast and the only one working at the moment is Kenneth. Needless to say, the young family is beginning to struggle with this unexpected burden.
Johnston and other co-workers at Great Southern Bank immediately began brainstorming ways to help.
“She’s part of our family, so we just want to take care of her,” Johnston said.
The bank staff have decided to hold a benefit car wash for the Thompson family 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 28 at Casey’s General Store on Madison, next to the old hospital. If people are unable to come to the car wash, they can also bring donations to Great Southern Bank, 119 E. Madison.
“We’re extremely grateful for everyone in Iola, whether they can help or not, just knowing that they’re thinking of us,” Thompson said.
