Poynette mother reunites with her family, meets baby for the 1st time

POYNETTE, Wis. (WMTV) - A Poynette mother reunited with her family after nearly three months in the hospital with COVID-19 and giving birth while in a coma.

Kelsey Townsend was discharged from UW Hospital Wednesday afternoon. Once she got home, she met and got to hold her baby girl, Lucy, for the first time in-person.

“I thought I was going to be really nervous because it’s been so long, but it felt like another day at home, and that is exactly what I wanted it to be,” Kelsey said.

The now mother of four was admitted in early November at 39 weeks pregnant and gave birth via C-section while unconscious. In January, doctors told her family she would need a double lung transplant.

Derek Townsend, Kelsey’s husband, said she was able to recover all on her own, and was taken out of the ICU in mid-January.

“It’s almost like I could feel the love and prayers coming through the window,” Kelsey said.

Derek said they are thankful Kelsey never gave up.

“Due to Covid not being able to be there and see her, you know, her strength and her will to live and come home is what gave us strength,” he said.

The Townsend family said the focus now is spending time together.

“I have everything in this life to live for, and it is all right here,” Kelsey said.

Derek said Kelsey will go through the rehabilitation process at home. Doctors told them it would take about three to six months for her to fully recover from COVID-19.

The family said they want to thank all the doctors and nurses for taking such good care of Kelsey while she was in the hospital.

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