A critical start for Major

Eight hours after a smooth delivery at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, Olivia McPherson’s world shifted.

Her son, Major, started struggling to breathe.

A nurse calmly reassured Olivia and her husband, Charlie, that Major would spend a little time in the nursery for observation. But as the hours went on, it became clear his breathing wasn’t improving. 

As concern grew, a team trained to handle the most critical newborn emergencies moved swiftly to stabilize Major. They told the McPhersons that Major would need to be transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). 

A critical start

Inside the Level IV NICU at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, the McPhersons remained close to their son as teams worked to determine why Major’s condition was deteriorating. Olivia, who works as a nurse in the children’s hospital, knew that things could be serious.

Soon, the situation escalated.

Initial concerns turned into urgent testing. Physicians first suspected pneumonia, but Major’s condition continued to worsen. A chest X-ray revealed the cause: air leaking from his lung and building up in his chest, preventing it from fully expanding and placing dangerous pressure on his heart.

The response was immediate. Clinicians performed an emergency procedure, inserting a needle into Major’s chest to release the trapped air.

When Major stopped breathing

By the next day, Major required an even higher level of support within the NICU. A chest tube was placed to continue draining air, and he began receiving nutrition through a feeding tube. Monitors tracked his breath, heartbeat, and oxygen levels. 

Then came the moment Olivia will never forget.

Nurses huddled around Major. He was blue, limp, and not breathing.

“It was the scariest thing I have ever seen in my life,” she said.

The McPhersons stepped out of the room, overwhelmed by the uncertainty that had followed them since the nursery. They cried. They prayed. And they waited.

Inside, the care team continued working – drawing on the advanced training and resources of a Level IV NICU, equipped to treat the most complex and life-threatening conditions in newborns.

Soon after, doctors delivered cautious but encouraging news: Major was responding well to treatment. The chest tube was helping. His condition was improving. They were confident he would recover and face no long-term complications.

Staying together through it all

After two weeks in the children’s hospital, Major was finally able to go home. For the McPhersons, being able to remain beside Major throughout his care became one of the most meaningful parts of their experience.

“Charlie and I were able to stay every night right next to Major,” Olivia said. “That wouldn’t have been possible in the old hospital.”

Designed with families in mind, the private NICU rooms at Shawn Jenkins allow parents to stay with their baby throughout hospitalization rather than visiting a traditional shared nursery environment – a family-centered model made possible through community support and philanthropy. 

“This hospital is so special,” she said. “We could never thank the doctors and nurses enough for taking care of our baby.”