When she collapsed May 7, doctors were not sure she would last a week, much less until mid-July, the earliest a child could survive outside the womb.
But as of today , Mrs. Torres, 26, has entered her 26th week of pregnancy. Her husband, Jason, and family are hoping the baby can stay in utero until at least mid-August.
"If we can get to the 28th week, we’re in pretty good shape," says her brother-in-law, Justin Torres. "Thirty-two weeks would be the outside limit. But we’ll deliver when the situation warrants and when it happens, it’s likely to be quick."
That’s because Mrs. Torres’ body is riddled with melanoma, a form of cancer.
Officially brain-dead, Mrs. Torres is a living incubator, hooked up to machines that keep her breathing and hydrated. Sonograms show she is carrying an active little girl.
"She keeps kicking away," Justin Torres said.
At this point, the child weighs about one pound and is 10 or more inches long. Although her ears will not fully mature until the 28th week, she is starting to respond to the world around her, to music, sudden noises and pats on the mother’s abdomen. But she will not open her eyes until near the end of her sixth month of gestation.