Spencer M. ~ Super Hero Alias: Princess Spencer
Age: 21 months
Weight at Birth: 3 lb 1.2 oz
Weeks Gestation: 28 weeks
Time in the NICU: 56 days
Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
Atrial septal defect (ASD, hole in the upper chamber of her heart); Jaundice; bradycardia; anemia; two neurological cysts/bleeds
POST-NICU: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?
My daughter’s surprising birth occurred during the (estimated) 28th week of gestation. She came into the world as we were rushed into the delivery room and before any doctors were present, and then was rushed into the NICU before the neonatologist arrived. Spencer faced a lot of challenges and almost lost her life more than once, but constantly battled back and came out stronger. After 56 days in the NICU she was released, but after only 19 days home—and due to our former pediatrician’s office failure to order Synagis—she developed RSV and was hospitalized once again, this time in the pediatric ICU. After everything she fought in the NICU and beat, Spencer now was on a ventilator and clinging to life. Nine days later she beat RSV too, and has been home ever since.
The doctors who first met Spencer had little hope that she’d live. “We’ll see” was the best prediction they would give her, but she has proved every doctor who has doubted her wrong. By the time she was a year, Spencer was walking, talking, forming sentences and advanced farther than a lot babies her age.
Age: 8 weeks
Age: 4 years old
Age: 6 months old
