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December 30, 2021 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 3

INKSTER
INKSTER

Survivor

Pregnant woman lives through

COVID to deliver healthy son

Nakia Hubbard Heard of Inkster lost a Similarly, there is no evidence of fertility
week of her life and nearly the life of her challenges, miscarriage, birth defects or
unborn son to COVID-19 this year. growth abnormalities, she said. There is,
Heard, 46, was 23 weeks pregnant however, strong evidence of increased
when she tested positive at Beaumont risk to mother and baby from COVID-19,
Hospital, Wayne, with COVID-19 this past Puder said.
March and was immediately placed on a “It is critically important that every
ventilator to facilitate her breathing. woman who is pregnant, breast feeding or
While Heard said she has no memory of considering pregnancy gets vaccinated,”
the situation, the threat to her life and her said Kurt Wharton, M.D., chief of Women's
baby's life, required an airlift transfer to and Children's Clinical Care Programs for Jared Heard and Nakia Hubbard Heard celebrate the birth of son, Saint, threatened by
Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak two days Beaumont Health. “Compared to non- COVID-19 during her pregnancy.
later. pregnant women, pregnant women who
Heard's doctors approached her hus- contract COVID-19 are at high risk of tances. I struggle with memory issues and mood.”
band, Janard, with a terrifying question: requiring hospitalization, requiring body aches. My voice is weak and I can't “I'd like to say thank you to the RN on
What should they do if it came down to admission to the ICU and requiring intu- carry on full conversations without getting antepartum who took me outside for the
saving his wife or their baby. bation.” winded. Even just reading a story to Saint first time in more than a month, to let me
Heard said the scariest moment came Additional complications related to tires my voice out, but I'm alive.” feel the sunshine again. To Nicole, who
when she woke up alone and restrained pregnancy include pre-eclampsia and Instead of focusing on the challenges helped me learn to swallow and eat again.
in a hospital bed, lights flashing, alarms premature birth, Puder added. this holiday, Heard and her family are To Tony, who taught me how to walk again.
sounding, and no idea how she got there. Heard was successfully removed from focusing on their blessings - and, of To the nurse who held my hand up until
“I lost a week of my life,” she said. “To the ventilator in just five days although course, the miracles. the very moment they started my first sur-
this day, I have no memory of it.” her airway was so damaged by the virus, “I'm so grateful for the entire team at gery, because I was so scared. To the doc-
According to the most recent data from “it felt like I was breathing through a Beaumont, Wayne and Royal Oak,” Heard tor who brought my husband a birthday
the Centers for Disease Control and straw,” she said. said. “Especially the antepartum team, Dr. card and a small gift, because I was upset
Prevention (CDC), only 31 percent of preg- Doctors performed a tracheotomy to Puder and her staff, who were so meticu- I wasn't home for his birthday. And honest-
nant women are vaccinated against improve air Heard's air flow and during lous and thoughtful with their care. They ly, there are so many others to thank.
COVID-19. Currently, approximately 20 the next 12 weeks, she endured three sur- fought hard for Saint and for me. I want to “I'm alive. Saint is alive. We are safe
pregnant women are hospitalized at geries to repair the damage. As she slowly thank Annie, an ICU nurse who took great and living our best possible life. And, that
Beaumont Health with COVID-19 regained her strength and staff taught her care of me, even when I wasn't in the is everything.”
Back in March, Heard was newly eligi- how to walk again, Heard said she tried to
ble for the vaccine, but little data was prepare herself mentally and physical for
available about safety in pregnant the upcoming delivery.
women. Michigan was in the midst of its “I was afraid I wouldn't be able to push.
third surge. Heard, an occupational thera- I was also afraid I would go into respirato-
pist, believes she contracted the virus ry failure,” Heard said. “The trach was in
from her family. She was unvaccinated. place, but I thought I might have to go
“When the vaccine first came out, there back on the vent, or die trying to deliver
was no theoretical risk to pregnant the baby.”
women in any trimester,” said Heard's When her son, Saint Dalton Rocco
doctor, Karoline Puder, M.D., a maternal Heard, was born healthy three weeks
fetal medicine specialist at Beaumont, early via urgent cesarian section on July 8,
Royal Oak. “But it's not surprising preg- the entire family rejoiced.
nant women were afraid to try something “Relief, gratitude, joy; those words
new.” aren't big enough to describe how I felt
Now, the scientific community has a that day and today,” Heard said. “I still
full nine months plus of data and research struggle with shortness of breath. I can't Nakia Hubbard Heard spent a week on a ventilator during her nearly fatal battle with
to look to for validation. bathe my son in the tub because I can't get COVID-19 while pregnant.
“We have strong evidence that there is up from the floor without help. I can't
no tendency for this vaccine to cause carry him in his carrier longer than a cou-
reproductive harm,” Dr. Puder said. ple minutes. I'm unable to walk long dis-

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CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF NORTHVILLE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS – PUBLIC HEARING
January 19, 2022 – 7:00 PM
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) will hold a public hearing at the Northville Township Municipal Office Building, located
at 44405 Six Mile Road, Northville MI. The ZBA will consider a variance request to Chapter 170, Zoning Ordinance as follows:
• 16617 Canvas Creel Dr. - Article 31.2 (A), Fences
• 20388 Woodhill Dr. - Article 18.1, Rear Yard Setback
• 18285 Sheldon Rd. - Article 22.5 (C), Nonconforming Structures
The public is invited to attend this public hearing and express their comments or ask questions. Plans are available for viewing
at the Township between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Written comments will be received by the ZBA at
44405 Six Mile Road, Northville, MI 48168 no later than 12:00 PM on the day of the above meeting.
Paul Slatin, Chair
Zoning Board of Appeals
Publish: December 30, 2021 NT0166 - 123021 2.5 x 2.187

CITY OF ROMULUS INVITATION TO BID
ITB 21/22-11 Four Year Contract for Water Billing,
Assessment Notices & Tax Statements - Preparation, Printing & Mailing Services
ITB 21/22-12 Romulus Police Department Patrol Rifles
The City of Romulus, Michigan is seeking bids from qualified companies for the above items. .
(1) Qualified individuals and firms wishing to submit a bid must use the forms provided by the City.
Official bid forms and specifications may be obtained from the MITN Purchasing Group page of
BidNet Direct (http://www.mitn.info/). Bids may be rejected unless made on the forms includ-
ed with the bidding documents. Copies of documents obtained from any other source are not con-
sidered official copies.
(2) Clarifications, modifications, or amendments may be made to this solicitation at the discretion of
the City. Any and all addenda issued by the City will be posted on the MITN Purchasing Group
page of BidNet Direct. All interested parties are instructed to view the MITN website regularly
for any issued addenda. It is the responsibility of the bidder to obtain all issued addenda and
acknowledge receipt of said addenda by including a printed copy of each addendum as part of
the required documents for this solicitation and to list the addendum and sign and date the
"Acknowledgment of Receipt Addenda Form: supplied in the bid documents.
(3) A total of three copies (one marked "Original" and two marked "Copy") of the bid must be sub-
mitted together in one sealed package/envelope and returned to the City Clerk's Office no later
than 2:00 P.M., Thursday, 1/20/2022. Bids should be addressed using the bid package label pro-
vided in the solicitation documents or submitted electronically on the MITN Purchasing Group
page of BidNet Direct.
(4) At approximately 3:00 p.m., local time 1/20/2022, all timely received bids will be publically
opened and read.
(5) The City reserves the right to postpone the opening without notification and also reserves the
right to reject all bids and to waive any minor informality or irregularity in bids received and to
award the bid in whole or in part. Ultimately, a contract may be awarded to the lowest most
responsive and responsible company, as determined in the sole discretion of the City of Romulus
or otherwise in a manner deemed by the City to be in its own best interest.
(6) For additional information contact Gary Harris, City of Romulus, Purchasing Director by calling
(734) 955-4568 or by emailing Purchasing@romulusgov.com.
(7) The City of Romulus strictly prohibits the reproduction or publishing of any published document
or solicitation without the express written consent of the City of Romulus. Unauthorized post-
ing of any notice of these documents or reference to said documents or solicitations is strictly
prohibited.
Publish: 12/30/2021 RM0628 - 123021 2.5 x 3.756