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~ Super T Man ~

February 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Travis A ~ Super Hero Alias: ~ Super T Man ~

Travis AAge: 12 months
Weight at birth: 2 lbs 11 oz
Weeks gestation: 28 weeks
Time in the NICU: 68 days

Diagnosis, surgeries, complications?

My son was diagnosed with low birth weight, severe anemia, grade III IVH  bilateral bleed meaning both sides, PVL, cyst in right ventrical, Hydrocephalus. He has had 8 blood transfusions and has had four TAPs done (a surgery to withdraw extra fluid off brain), GERD, and ROP. He has therapy every week.

Why Should Your Child Be Recognized as Preemie of the Year?

Why should my son be Preemie of the Year is because he has overcome so much that the doctors didn’t think he would be able to do. Being diagnosed with Grade III bilateral bleed, pvl on both sides of the brain, cyst inside the ventricle, and hydrocephalus, there was some doubt that he wouldn’t be able to walk or talk. But with u/s weekly until we left the nicu then CT’s month (still going for them) the ventricles have enlarged a little but not much. So far no shunt (a device to drain extra fluid off brain) hasn’t been needed to be placed. He has proven the doctors wrong. He is sitting up, pulling up and trying to walk! He also started saying bye-bye as of yesterday (9-24-12). He’s a true miracle. I don’t want him to think he can never do anything in life because nothing compares to the NICU journey.

Using Three Or More Characteristics of a Super Hero, Please Describe Your Child.

Courageous- he faces prematurity everyday.

Determined- he’s determined to beat prematurity and everything doctors say he might not be able to do.

Brave- He fought for his life and is such a happy baby boy!

What advice do you have for future NICU parents?

God put you through it, he will walk you through it! I love that saying, its so true! Also mom’s and dad’s, take lots of pictures and videos. Remember you’re your child’s voice. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask again. Talk to other preemie moms and dads. They’ve been there they understand, don’t hold anything inside. Take care of your self.

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Cancer Trooper

November 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Kiley P. ~ Super Hero Alias: Cancer Trooper

Kiley PAge: 2 months
Weight at birth: 4 lb, 13 oz
Weeks gestation: 33 weeks, 3 days
Time in the NICU: 24 days

Why Should Your Child Be Recognized as Preemie of the Year?

There are many reasons I’m a super hero! At 11 weeks pregnant, mommy was diagnosed with stage 3 thyroid cancer, major surgery was the answer. Right after mommy’s 7-1/2 hour surgery, she called for labor & delivery to come find my heartbeat. Wouldn’t you know it despite all odds, my heartbeat was incredibly strong. News got worse…Seeing the extent the cancer had spread, mommy’s doctors encouraged her to abort the pregnancy & our family members agreed due to not wanting to lose mommy. Mommy wouldn’t let that happen, we already had our special bond….we were beating cancer together. After several doctors visits. It was confirmed I was going to be born! My daddy is a United States Sailor… He had to re-deploy after mommy healed, but right before he left we found out I was the GIRL they’d been praying for. I continued scaring mommy, daddy & mimi with many trips to the hospital with losing fluids. At mommy’s 32 week visit, her blood pressure was very high so we were sent to stay in the hospital but we got to go home the very next day for bedrest. But less than a week later we were back when mommy’s blood pressure shot up to 180/110.The next day all seemed to calm down…then mommy had a seizure, this meant it was time for me to come at 33 weeks & 3 days. With an emergency c-section I made my arrival, mommy held her breath till she heard me cry. I made my arrival without my daddy here…he was returning from deployment the next day. After I was washed up my mommy gave me sugars, mimi & my doctors took be to be examined. News was I had to leave my mommy, the NICU at that hospital didn’t have the care I needed, my lungs needed help. They loaded me up in transport; let me see mommy again & off we went. On oxygen for 2 days I beat the odds on how quickly I grew & 2 days later mommy & daddy were at my side. And boy did I grow! I was just about ready to go home, mommy has the biggest fear I would be hurt in some way because of all the medications she was on when I lived in her belly, but I wasn’t! When it came time for my testing to go home, I failed the first test, this meant 5 more days with my nurses & doctors, I beat it the next time though! Next day I was on my way to my home! Doctors told them I might not do things as quickly as other babies…wrong! At 7 weeks I started rolling over & at 9 weeks holding my head up. At 2 months old mimi found a lump on me…so I had to have a biopsy which is not fun for this fun sized girl. I stayed strong through it, not a tear! I’ve beat all odds!

Using Three Or More Characteristics of a Super Hero, Please Describe Your Child.

Strong
Courageous
Brave
Intelligent

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Super Baby Gabey

November 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Gabriel A. ~ Super Hero Alias: Super Baby Gabey

Gabriel AAge: 5 months
Weight at Birth: 2lbs 7oz
Weeks Gestation: 29 weeks
Time in the NICU: 70 days

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

Gabriel should be recognized as preemie of the year because he has accomplished so much in such a short period of time. While his daddy fought for his life in Afghanistan, he managed to fight for his day in and day out. Gabriel is a true blessing, during his stay in the NICU, my father was brutally beaten and attacked. He ended up being in the same hospital as Gabriel was. As my father’s health diminished, Gabriel grew stronger. On May 20th, my father was on full respiratory support, the only thing keeping him alive was a machine. Through my sadness I found strength to go see Gabriel that day, only to find out that he had came off of ALL respiratory support and was breathing completely on his own. May 27th my father passed away, June 27th, Gabriel was released from the hospital, exactly one month apart and just in time to meet daddy for the first time.

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Little Miracle – Heaven Sent

November 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Gavin S. ~ Super Hero Alias: Little Miracle – Heaven Sent

Gavin SAge: 2 years old
Weight at Birth: 2lbs 15oz
Weeks Gestation: 28 weeks
Time in the NICU: 62 days

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?

He had been admitted several times with pneumonia, collapsed lungs and RSV.

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

I honestly think all entries are winners. They’ve all been through so much in their little lives and are MIRACLES.

My son Gavin is such a happy little man. Enjoying life to the fullest. Always has a smile on his face.

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JJ the Great

October 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Jocelyn Z. ~ Super Hero Alias: JJ the Great

Jocelyn ZAge: 8 weeks
Weight at Birth: 1lb 10.5oz
Weeks Gestation: 26 weeks
Time in the NICU: 56 days so far, 42 left to go

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?

She had a chest tube for about a week, and a bacterial infection that caused her to to be re-intubated and receive a lumbar puncture.

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

At 26 weeks pregnant, I was cleared for travel. I went to Southern California to visit family and to attend the baby shower my sister was throwing for me. That night, my discomfort increased. Throughout the night, it turned into actual pain. By the next morning, when I should have been leaving for the airport to go home, I started bleeding. My mom drove me to the hospital instead. I was hooked up to monitors, had labs taken, and an ultrasound done. The doctor came in to check me, looked up and said “you’re fully dilated, you’re having this baby now, she’s breech and her foot is sticking out.” The nurses got my IV in finally, after several attempts, and wheeled me to the OR. The doctor tried to see if I could push, but because of my panic and basically freaking out, they knocked me out and did a c-section. Jocelyn Janae was born at 10:50am on August 21st, 2011, weighing 1lb 10.5oz, measuring 13 3/4″. Later that day, I woke up and processed what had happened while family and friends took turns visiting me. I didn’t get to meet JJ until the next day because I couldn’t walk yet from the surgery. When I did, I fell in love. She was the most precious little baby I had ever seen. We’ve had a long journey. Eight weeks later with still 6 weeks until my due date, we’re both stuck 1,500 miles away from home. She’s had a lung collapse, a bacterial infection, lumbar puncture, and been re-intubated a couple times. She now weighs 3lbs 14oz, has a nasal canula, and is learning to breastfeed.
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Super Sophia

October 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Sophia M. ~ Super Hero Alias: Super Sophia

Sophia MAge: 4 years old
Weight at Birth: 1lb 12oz
Weeks Gestation: 26 weeks
Time in the NICU: 195 days

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
NEC, 7 surgeries

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

After 2 perfect and easy pregnancies we figured #3 would be pretty uneventful. Boy, were we wrong! Our journey began when my water broke at 26 weeks. Our little SophieKat came 3 days later. Each day she got stronger and stronger even getting up to 2 lbs. We thought for sure she would be home by her due date until we heard the dreadful words necrotizing enterocolitis. There were several complications and surgeries to follow. But just when we thought that this was the worst time of our lives, we realized this was the most powerful. Watching this little miracle fight for her life gave us such strength. She renewed our faith and that of many others.

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Renegade Reed

October 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Reed W. ~ Super Hero Alias: Renegade Reed

Reed WAge: 2 years, 1 month
Weight at Birth: 4lbs
Weeks Gestation: 29.4 weeks
Time in the NICU: 57 days

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
Large for gestational age, on CPAP at birth and later oxygen.

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

Reed was “caught up” by the time he turned one year old actual. He has never had any complications from his prematurity. He amazes us every day with his accomplishments. By the time he was just over two years old, he knew his ABC’s and 123′s by sight! You drew them, he knew them! When he met his new pediatrician at his two year check up, she said she would never have known he was a preemie. He is a healthy, happy, fun, loving two year old!
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Amazing Alanna

October 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Alanna W. ~ Super Hero Alias: Amazing Alanna

Alanna WAge: 4.5 months
Weight at Birth: 4lbs 3oz
Weeks Gestation: 33 weeks
Time in the NICU: 83 days

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
Prematurity, multiple birth, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), sepsis

Why should your children be recognized as “Preemies of the Year”?

Alanna and her twin brother Carson were born by C-section at 33wks gestation. They were born at Brackenridge Hospital, and spent a week in the NICU there. After 5 days, they were diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), where part of the intestines start to die off. Carson got better with bowel rest and antibiotics; Alanna did not. At seven days old Alanna had to be rushed to Dell Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery due to a perforated intestine and sepsis. The survival rate for this surgery is very low. When she came out of surgery, she was a very sick little girl, and spent several days on a ventilator because she was so heavily medicated to keep her from being in pain. It took several weeks of very strong antibiotics to get the infection under control. She went through so many IV lines as they tried to maintain the flow of the various drugs that were keeping her alive. The nurses even had to shave off all of her hair so they could use the veins on her head for IVs. As she got well enough to eat again, we discovered her dislike of anything but donor breastmilk. Her little tummy barely tolerated formula, and it was a struggle to find one it didn’t completely reject. She kept the nurses hopping through all of this. She was very quick to voice her opinion when she disliked the situation. When I would come to visit her, I would always have to hunt her down, because she was being carried all over the unit by the nurses and CAs. When she was just over two months old, she had another surgery to repair the ileostomy she had gotten during the first surgery. She took another week to heal after this major surgery, and during her recovery had several rough patches, including going into respiratory arrest, and having to be put back on the ventilator. She finally got to come home after 83 days in the NICU.

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Micro Man

October 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Callum O. ~ Super Hero Alias: Micro Man

Callum OAge: 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.

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Smiley Adyson

September 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Adyson N ~ Super Hero Alias: Smiley Adyson

Adyson NAge: 15 months
Weight at Birth: 1lb 11oz
Weeks Gestation: 25 weeks
Time in the NICU: 308 days

Diagnosis, complications, surgeries?
Chronic Lung Disease, PDA, feeding tube, oxygen

Why should your child be recognized as “Preemie of the Year”?

My child has been through a lot over the past year and almost half. Since she was born she has had two surgeries–one on her belly for a mickey button feeding tube and the other for a heart cath to close the PDA. She will not eat anything through her mouth at all; she is a true miracle. Since her home coming in May, she has learned to sit up and recently started crawling. She is so smart and has really made an impact on all of our lives. Adyson has a big brother named Peyton. We were told during my pregnancy that she was possible for Down syndrome. She doesn’t have that and even if she did it would not have changed one thing. The doctors said that if I had her between 24 and 27 weeks, there is no possible way for her to make it. She is living proof now and doing really, really great. My song that describes my pregnancy and the birth and the struggle with Adyson is the song “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Because her life has been on the line ever since she was born and still not over really.

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