Child's Birth Year
2009

State/Province/Territory
Alabama

NICU Hospital for my journey
UAB in Birmingham Alabama and Children’s Hospital of Alabama

My NICU Graduate's Journey
He was born at 24 weeks. He was 1lb 7 oz and 11inches tall. He had all the typical micro premature problems. He ended up with a grade 4 brain bleed and we were told he wouldn’t ever walk, talk, or even know who we were, if he even lived at all.
At 4 months old he was just on oxygen ready to come home. Then he developed pulmonary hypertension and went into heart failure. He ended up getting a tracheotomy and g tube and stayed in the hospital until 16 months old. He came home with the trach and on a portable vent. He was able to get rid of the vent at around 3 years old and trach at around 5 years old. He learned to walk at 4 years old. He still suffers from epilepsy and development delays but he can walk and talk and can do everything they said he would never be able to do. He just turned 15 years old and is doing amazing.

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
No matter what life has thrown at him he has never given up and continues to smile through it all.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
1 lb 7 oz

Weeks Gestation
24 Weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Day, Month, or Year)
16 Months 2 Days