Mom Who Refused Brain Surgery and Gave Birth in a Coma is Improving, Baby Headed Home

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 30, 2014   |   6:10PM   |   Washington, DC

The brave woman who refused brain surgery to give birth to her unborn baby free from the effects of it is improving and her baby is headed home.

Melissa Carleton, 39 is a modern-day hero. Her dreams of becoming a mother finally came true even if she wasn’t awake and aware when she gave birth to her adorable baby boy.

melissacarleton4Carleton was so excited to be a first-time mom she could hardly contain herself. But sadly, just 10 weeks before her baby boy was due to arrive, Melissa suddenly slipped into a coma and has not been able to wake up since.

On Thursday, Melissa welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world via c-section even though she was 10 weeks into a coma.

A new report today from the London Daily Mail indicates she is improving:

A northern California woman who gave birth while in a coma is steadily recovering a week later, as her baby boy went home for the first time with dad.

Melissa Carleton, 39, was pregnant when she slipped into a coma last March following a seizure, and gave birth last Thursday to son West Lande via Cesarian section at UCSF hospital.

melissacarleton5A week later, baby West is living at home with dad Brian Lande while mom is making moves as well. Her condition has improved enough that she’ll soon be leaving the hospital for a rehabilitation center.

Baby West was finally cleared to go home this week after regaining some weight he lost after birth.

On Thursday, proud dad Mr Lande brought West to the hospital to visit mom, where she was able to hold him and nurse him with a little support.

He says that it’s ‘awesome’ to be a new dad, but it is challenging taking care of both his newborn and his wife.

‘It’s not surprisingly a lot of work. Being a dad who also has to take care of his wife who needs as much care as she does. She has to make all the same accomplishments that he needs to.

‘Just like he needs to open his eyes and look around – that’s what her physical therapist is working on. Keeping her eyes open – looking around. It’s a lot to juggle taking care of two people who need that amount of attention and love. They deserve it,’ he told KTVU.

“[Melissa]’s wanted to have a child for years,” Melissa’s father, John Farrell, told ABC News after his grandson was born. “Today, I can’t begin to tell you how happy we are. It’s indescribable.”

Carleton’s medical woes began earlier this year. She started to have unusual headaches after becoming pregnant. Doctors discovered a massive, benign tumor in her brain during her second trimester.

Carleton, a marriage and family therapist, wanted to put off brain surgery until after her son was born, but when she had a seizure in March, she was rushed into the operating room. Doctors successfully removed the mass, but the seizure left the 39-year-old in a coma. She hasn’t been fully conscious since March 11.

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