Support Millie & Ellie’s NICU Journey

28/07/2026

There were so many moments when I wondered how we would get through this.

When our twins were born, I knew our journey would be different. By God’s grace, we welcomed Millie home after three months in the NICU. Just a few weeks ago, we faced the challenge of settling her hospital bill, which had also reached almost ₱1 million. Through God’s provision and the generosity of many people, we were able to bring her home.

Now, we find ourselves standing before another mountain.

Ellie stayed behind, facing one challenge after another. She underwent surgery for Hirschsprung disease and now has a temporary colostomy. Every night I went home without her, I held on to one prayer: “Lord, please let the day come when we can finally bring my baby home.”

Today, that prayer is finally within reach.

Ellie has finally been cleared for discharge. But because of her prolonged NICU stay and surgery, her hospital bill has now exceeded ₱1 million. We have been doing everything we can by seeking financial assistance through DSWD, PCSO, and other agencies, while exhausting every possible option.

After just overcoming the financial burden of Millie’s discharge, we are once again faced with another hospital bill that feels impossible for us to carry on our own. If we’re being honest, we don’t know where we will get the remaining amount needed to finally bring Ellie home.

This is not easy for us to share, but if God places it in your heart to help our family, we would receive it with sincere gratitude. Whether through a donation, sharing Ellie’s story, or simply praying for us, every act of kindness brings us one step closer to finally bringing our little girl home.

Our faith has carried us through every uncertainty, and throughout this journey, God has shown us His love through the kindness of doctors, nurses, family, friends, and even strangers who chose to pray for our daughters. We continue to trust that He will make a way, just as He always has.

Thank you for walking this journey with us, for celebrating every milestone, praying through every setback, and believing alongside us. We look forward to the day we can finally share the news we’ve been praying for all these months: Ellie is finally home.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭, 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲.

𝐎𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬.

With grateful hearts,

Diane, Herson, Millie & Ellie

21/07/2026

It’s been a while since our last update, and so much has happened over the past few weeks.

In my last post, I shared that Millie was finally discharged from the NICU. We were so grateful that I got to celebrate my birthday and our wedding anniversary with her at home. Although it wasn’t the celebration we had imagined, having one of our girls finally home made those moments extra special.

The days since then have been filled with adjustments. There have been sleepless nights as we learn our new routine with Millie, while still making daily trips to visit Ellie in the NICU. It’s not easy having our twins in two different places, but Herson and I are doing our best to adjust our schedules so we can both be present for each of our daughters.

Of course, it breaks my heart that we couldn’t celebrate these special occasions with Ellie. There are days when I wish we could all finally be together under one roof. But instead of dwelling on what’s missing, I’m choosing to hold on to hope and celebrate every little milestone she reaches.

Millie has also been doing wonderfully at home. She had her first pediatric follow-up, received her first set of vaccines, and had another eye check-up. We’re so happy to share that she has officially graduated from her ROP follow-ups. Seeing how far she’s come reminds us that every difficult season eventually brings answered prayers.

As for Ellie, we recently received the results of her re**al biopsy, which is considered the gold standard for diagnosing Hirschsprung disease. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, and our pediatric surgeon explained the treatment plan moving forward.

Since Ellie is still very small, she first underwent a temporary colostomy to allow her bowel to rest and function properly while she continues to grow and gain weight. Once she’s bigger and stronger, she will undergo another surgery called a pull-through procedure, where the affected portion of her intestine, the part without the nerve cells needed to move stool normally, will be removed, and the healthy bowel will be connected to the re**um. If all goes well after she has recovered from that surgery, the colostomy can eventually be closed.

Hearing that our daughter would need multiple surgeries was one of the hardest moments we’ve faced as parents. But we also know that this treatment gives Ellie the best chance to heal, grow, and eventually live a healthy life. We continue to trust God’s plan, even when the road ahead feels long.

The past few weeks haven’t been easy. We’ve faced challenges that tested us emotionally and mentally, and there were moments when everything felt overwhelming. Some parts of this journey are still too difficult to talk about, but we’re choosing to focus on the victories, no matter how small they may seem.

And thankfully, there have been many reasons to celebrate.

Ellie is finally gaining weight, tolerating her feeds well, and just yesterday, she reached another milestone, she was transferred from the incubator to a bassinet. Seeing her become more stable little by little fills our hearts with so much hope.

We’re also grateful for the doctors, nurses, and everyone who continues to care for Ellie each day. We constantly pray that God will guide their hands, give them wisdom in every decision, and continue to use them to provide the best possible care for our daughter. This journey has required countless emotional, physical, and financial sacrifices, but there has never been a question in our minds. We would do anything if it meant giving our girls the best chance to heal and thrive.

Motherhood has changed me in ways I never expected.

Before becoming a mom, I would cry whenever I was the one who got hurt. Now, my tears come whenever I see my daughters in pain or not doing well.

And somehow, when I’m the one hurting these days, I find myself choosing to be strong instead of falling apart, not because I don’t feel the pain, but because my girls need a mama who will be there for them, advocate for them, and keep fighting alongside them.

To everyone who continues to pray for our girls, and encourage our family, thank you! Your prayers have carried us through some of our darkest days, and we truly believe they continue to make a difference.

We’re still waiting for the day when both of our daughters are finally home together. Until then, we’ll keep celebrating every milestone, trusting God’s timing, and believing that He is writing a beautiful story for our family...

08/07/2026

I’ve been meaning to share an update for the past few weeks. I was so excited to finally tell everyone that Millie was coming home, but at the same time, we were also trying to process everything that was happening with Ellie.

After more than 3 months in the NICU, Millie is finally home. 🥹🥰

It still feels surreal to say those words. She’s been doing so well. She’s tolerating her feeds, gaining weight, and we’re so thankful that her ROP has regressed. She’ll continue with her follow-up checkups, but for now, we’re simply enjoying having her home with us.

Bringing her home also meant settling a hospital bill that honestly felt impossible. Looking back, we can only thank God for His faithfulness and for every person He used to help our family.

To everyone who prayed for us, donated, shared our story, checked in on us, or kept our girls in your prayers, thank you. We also want to thank all of Millie’s doctors, nurses, and the entire NICU team for caring for her with so much compassion over the past three months. We will always be grateful for everything you’ve done for our family.

While we’re celebrating Millie coming home, our journey isn’t over yet.

Ellie is still in the NICU.

Over the past few weeks, her doctors have been trying to understand why her tummy kept becoming bloated whenever her feeds increased. After several tests and an evaluation by a pediatric surgeon, they explained that Ellie most likely has short-segment Hirschsprung disease, a condition where a small part of her intestine doesn’t work as it should.

On July 6, Ellie underwent surgery for a temporary colostomy and a biopsy was taken to help confirm the diagnosis.

Watching such a tiny baby go through surgery was one of the hardest things we’ve experienced. I’m still learning about her condition, but hearing from her doctors that many children with Hirschsprung disease go on to live healthy lives gives us hope.

I also miss her so much. It’s been two days since I last held her because she’s still recovering from surgery, and I can’t wait until I can hold her again.

We know there are still more procedures, more hospital days, and more challenges ahead, but we’ve seen God’s faithfulness too many times to lose hope now.

If you could continue praying for Ellie, we’d be so grateful. Please pray for her recovery, for strength as she grows, for wisdom for her medical team, and that, in God’s perfect time, we’ll finally be bringing her home too.

For now, we’re celebrating one little girl being home while we continue praying for her twin sister.

Thank you for continuing to walk this journey with our family.

24/06/2026

For the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing fewer updates about our babies. Not because we don’t want to share their journey, but because this NICU path has been more unpredictable than we ever imagined.

There were moments when we truly thought we were getting closer to bringing our girls home, only to face new challenges that required a little more time and patience. As parents, it can be difficult to share every detail when we’re still trying to process and understand everything ourselves. And we are grateful to those who understand why we’ve been a little quieter lately and have continued to support us without expecting us to explain every detail.

But despite the challenges, our twins have come so far.

• Millie’s ROP has regressed and she will have her follow-up checkup in a month.
• Ellie’s ROP has also regressed and will have her follow-up checkup next week. Their schedules are different because Millie’s ROP improved earlier.
• Both girls passed their initial hearing screening.
• Both Millie and Ellie continue to gain weight steadily and grow stronger each day.
• Millie has been transferred from the incubator to a crib/bassinet.
• Both girls remain under close monitoring as they continue working toward their discharge goals.

These may seem like small milestones, but to us they mean everything.

Although they are making good progress, they are not going home just yet. Their doctors want to make sure they are ready and safe outside the NICU. As much as we miss them, we know that what matters most is that they come home healthy and prepared for life beyond the hospital.

As our NICU journey approaches 3 months, we continue to face the reality of a growing hospital bill while doing everything we can for our girls. More than anything, we ask for your continued prayers for our twins’ steady growth, strength, and safe journey home 🙏🏻

One thing this experience has also taught me is that there is no place I’d rather be than beside my babies. Whenever I can, I stay a little longer. Not because I don’t trust the doctors and nurses caring for them, but because I want to learn everything I can about my babies and be part of their growth. After everything they have been through since birth, every little moment feels precious.

Thank you for continuing to follow our journey, pray for our family, and celebrate every milestone with us. We may still have quite a long way to go, but today we are choosing to be grateful for how far our little fighters have already come 🫶🏻💗

- Diane & Herson Privaldos

22/06/2026

I was going through my gallery recently, trying to clean up some photos and videos, and I realized how true it is that once you become a mom, your phone quickly fills up with pictures of your babies.

As I scrolled through photos from the past 2 mos, I found myself remembering how I felt during those days. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how much has changed.

I’m not sure if other NICU moms felt the same way, but during those early weeks, even when people shared encouraging words, success stories, and reassurance, it never fully sank in that we would eventually get here. I was so focused on the daily updates, the weight checks, the lab results, and all the uncertainty that it was hard to picture anything beyond that moment.

But looking at those photos now, I realize that what everyone kept telling me was true. Our babies grow. They gain weight. They get stronger. And little by little, they make progress.

Of course, there can still be hiccups along the way. We’ve had our share of those too. But I’ve learned that setbacks don’t erase the progress they’ve already made.

If you’re a NICU mom currently going through a similar journey, I just want to remind you that even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, your baby is growing every day. One day you’ll look back at your photos and realize how far they’ve come.

One thing I’m especially grateful for is the time I’ve been able to spend with our girls in the NICU. Being there day after day helped me get to know them.. their personalities, their little habits, the things that comfort them.

The NICU wasn’t where I imagined spending our first weeks together, but it didn’t stop us from bonding. Even with nurses caring for them around the clock, our babies still know our voices, our touch, and our presence. They still need their moms.

Looking through those photos, I don’t just see hospital rooms, incubators and pulse monitors anymore. I see strength, growth, answered prayers, and two little girls who have already come so far.

16/06/2026

Being a NICU mom of twin girls is continuously teaching me that progress is rarely a straight line.

When you’re in the NICU long enough, you start counting down to milestones. You celebrate every ounce gained, every successful feed, every good lab result, and every step closer to discharge. A few weeks ago, I truly believed we were getting close to bringing our girls home. Things were looking promising, and for the first time, I allowed myself to imagine life outside the NICU walls.

Then came a few unexpected hiccups.

Nothing major, but enough to remind me that the NICU journey moves on its own timeline, not ours. It was disappointing to realize that the homecoming I had been hoping for would need to wait a little longer. As parents, we want so badly to make plans and look ahead, but the NICU has taught me that sometimes the only thing we can do is focus on today and trust the process.

Our twin girls are now 10 weeks and 5 days old, and despite the challenges of the past two weeks, they are doing well. They continue to gain weight, undergo monitoring, and have regular lab tests to ensure their growth and development stay on track. While some things are beyond our control, we continue to pray for the best possible outcomes. And if there is anything that needs further evaluation, it is always better to know sooner rather than later so the right interventions can happen early.

Another realization I’ve had is how much you appreciate the people who help care for your babies. The nurses who answer your endless questions, celebrate the small wins, and provide reassurance during setbacks.

One of our favorite nurses, who has cared for our girls through so many moments for more than 2 months, will be leaving.. While I’m happy for whatever new chapter awaits her, it’s hard knowing that someone who has been such a constant presence in our NICU journey won’t be there anymore. When you’re away from your babies every night, those familiar faces bring comfort and reassurance that are difficult to put into words.

This journey is continuously teaching me that healing, growth, and progress are not always measured by discharge dates. Sometimes they’re measured by resilience, patience, continued weight gain, stable results, and the people who walk beside you through the uncertainty.

So for now, we’re taking it one day at a time, celebrating the small victories, trusting God’s timing, and holding on to hope that our girls will come home when they’re truly ready.

09/06/2026

For the past 2 months, this has been our routine.

Waking up each day, heading to the hospital, checking on the girls, doing kangaroo care, feeding, pumping, praying, and then leaving them again at the end of the day. In many ways, I’ve adjusted to it. But no matter how familiar it becomes, there’s still a different kind of pain that comes with knowing I can’t care for my babies 24/7 the way I long to.

They still need the critical care, monitoring, and support of their doctors and nurses, and for that I am endlessly grateful. But there are moments when all I want is to be the one comforting them every time they cry, holding them whenever they need me, and waking up beside them instead of having to leave them behind.

Some days, im strong. Some days, im filled with hope as I carry each of them and celebrate every little milestone they’ve reached. And then there are days when the worry feels so heavy that I can’t sleep, and all I can do is pray.

This journey has stretched my heart in ways I never imagined. But through every hard day, tear, and prayer, one thing remains the same, I love these girls more than words can ever explain, and I’ll keep showing up for them every single day until the day we finally bring them home…

06/06/2026

02/06/2026

Two months ago, our lives changed in the most overwhelming and beautiful way. 💗

Today, as our twins turn 2 months old, my heart is full of gratitude for how far they’ve come. This journey hasn’t been easy, but watching them grow stronger each day and reach milestone after milestone makes every challenge worth it.

We’re not at the finish line just yet, but we’re getting closer every day.

Keep growing healthy and strong, my girls. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you and can’t wait to finally bring you home. 💗

To our NICU doctors and nurses, thank you for caring for our babies as if they were your own. And to our family and friends, thank you for your endless love, prayers, and support since day one.

Two months down, and one day closer to home. 💗🙏🏻