Callum O. ~ Super Hero Alias: Micro Man
Age: 14 months
Weight at Birth: 1lb 9oz
Weeks Gestation: 25 weeks
Time in the NICU: 118 days
Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
Chronic Lung Disease, still oxygen dependent, ROP, aspiration, pneumonia, reflux, g-tube.
Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?
I never could have guessed that the strongest person I would ever know would arrive in the form of a 1-1/2 pound baby boy. But my son Callum was born a fighter. His first few weeks of life were tenuous at best and there were times that we weren’t sure if he was going to make it through the night. He battled Chronic Lung Disease, dangerous drops in blood pressure, infection, and Retinopathy of Prematurity among other things. For the first 4 months of his life, Callum endured needle sticks, PICC line placement, IV insertions, arterial line insertions, blood draws, painful eye exams. The world was not a kind place to him. And yet, despite all this, Callum was, and continues to be, the happiest child we have ever met.
Using three or more typical characteristics of a Super Hero, please describe your child.
Since coming home from the NICU 10 months ago, Callum has continued to have several medical issues. He is poked and prodded at more doctor’s appointments than any child should have to be. And yet, as is typical of his fearless nature, he arrives at every appointment with a smile on his face, ready to face whatever comes his way.
He approaches all things in life, be they doctors’ appointments or therapy sessions, with a fierce persistence and determination. He has to work three times as hard as anybody else, but he doesn’t let that stop him. And it is only making him into a stronger person.
And when something does manage to rock our little hero’s calm and happy demeanor, he is fortunate enough to have a true superhero’s power of rapid recovery. He has had two surgical procedures since coming home from the NICU and he has bounced back incredibly quickly. Within a couple of hours after the procedures he was charming the nurses and flashing his winning smile.
If Callum has taught us anything, it is that there is no point in letting the difficult things in life keep you down. He has reminded us what truly matters. Callum is in every single way an absolute hero to us.
