Child's Birth Year
2019

State/Province/Territory
Virginia

NICU Hospital for my journey
St. Mary's Hospital

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Genesis went through so much in the NICU. She had surgery at 2 weeks old to remove part of her small intestine. She had an infection so she almost died. After that surgery she had the reconnect surgery at 3 months old. She was on a ventilator a couple of times. The drs told me she was very feisty. She would pull out her feeding tube, also take off her oxygen mask. So many different medications she had to be on. Before she got to come home she had to be weaned off all the medications very slowly . The nurses use to call her the grandma of the NICU because all of the kids who were there with her had already gone home. She was the sickest baby in there


What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
I'm so proud of Genesis because she's a fighter. She doesn't give up. Even now at almost 5 years old she has autism and adhd. She doesn't let that define who she is. Shes non verbal, but she communicates with gestures. She has a spirit about her that instantly makes everyone love her. She reminds me daily to be thankful and I definitely am. She gave me a new outlook on life. I never knew I could be in love with a child but I am with her.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
2 pounds

Weeks Gestation
28 weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Day, Month, or Year)
115 days