Child's Birth Year
2008

State/Province/Territory
California

NICU Hospital for my journey
Mercy San Juan Medical Center

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Sam was born at 36 weeks 6 lb 4 oz. She was born with dilated cardiomyopathy and required a heart transplant. Which she received at 5 weeks old after spending eight days on ECMO. Nothing prepares you for ECMO. They paralyze your child they aren't able to open their eyes. Sam also spent four and a half months on a ventilator. Since she spent so long on the ventilator she never learned how to eat and had to get a feeding tube which she still has. She endured many hardships during her 8 months in the hospital. Over the next 17 years Sam continued to face more complications. She was diagnosed with stage 3 Kidney Disease and is seeing an Oncologist for Post Transplant Lymphoma. We would like to thank Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for everything they have done for Samantha and kids like her. Everybody's journey is different whether they spend one day in the NICU or 8 months in the NICU. Every moment in the NICU is hard but rewarding when you are able to leave. Heartbreaking when you leave without your child.

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
The fact Sam is alive. She gets to grow up. Sam is a kind and compassionate human being. She is positive and smiles through everything that life throws at her.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
6 lbs

Weeks Gestation
36 Weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Number of Days, Months, or Years)
8 Months