Child's Birth Year
2004

State/Province/Territory
Virginia

NICU Hospital for my journey
VCU Medical Center

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Zachary was a premie, born at 31 weeks by emergency caesarean, due to severe and sudden eclampsia. He was in the NICU for a month, during which time I lived at the Richmond Ronald McDonald House. My husband brought our two young daughters to visit when he could, but living 90 minutes away in a rural area, he was busy working full time while keeping their lives as normal as possible. Zach had a lot of struggles at first, and we had many frightening moments. However, he was strong and determined, and was a fighter, and was healthy enough to come home after a month. 20 years later, he is a US Marine!

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
Zach was always a kind and sensitive child. It was almost as if his early struggles made him more aware of the difficulties of others. He was somewhat of a daredevil, breaking his arm 3 times before first grade. He eventually settled into a sport, devoting his energies to his soccer team. Before finishing high school, he made the decision to join the Marines, and he focused on making it happen. We were so proud to watch his Boot Camp graduation at Parris Island! He is now stationed at Camp LeJeune, NC and we visit him as often as possible.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
4 lb 2 oz

Weeks Gestation
31 Weeks

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