Child's Birth Year
2005

State/Province/Territory
Michigan

NICU Hospital for my journey
Helen Devos Children’s Hospital

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Kaydence was born @23 weeks 5 days. She weighed 1 lb 2.5 ounces and 11 3/4 inches. She stayed 5.5 months in NICU. She had PDA valve closure surgery @4 days old. She developed stage 3 & stage 4 brain bleeds. She also caught MRSA in NICU. Those months were truly like living on a roller coaster. She was good 1 day, next she is on the highest ventilator and not given much hope, weeks later she is off and eventually came home with oxygen. Today she is a healthy 18 year old. She did have to have eye correction surgery and tonsil removal after leaving NICU. Kaydence will be graduating this year and is class of 2024!

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
From day 1 she was a fighter! We were given less than 5% survival rate and she crushed that! Beat all odds that were against her with being so young and small.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
1lb 2.5ounces

Weeks Gestation
23 Weeks 5 Days

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Day, Month, or Year)
5 Months