Child's Birth Year
2023

State/Province/Territory
Ohio

NICU Hospital for my journey
NCH at OSU Wexner Medical Center

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Hayes was born at 23 weeks and 3 days, after I went into premature labor at 21 weeks and 6 days. Hayes weighed 1lb 6.8oz and was 11.77” long. The Neonatologist was supportive of whatever we wanted and thought was best for our son but also let us know that the odds were not in our little guys favor. Hayes defied all of the odds. He spent 123 days in the NICU on multiple types and levels of respiratory support, was poked & covered in leads more times than we can count, had multiple blood transfusions, had a NEC scare, had pneumonia & a UTI at the same time, was diagnosed with a grade 4 and a grade 2 brain bleed at 7 days old that turned into mild hydrocephalus & cystic PVL, and stage 4 ROP that required laser eye surgery. Despite all of that, he came home 1 week after his due date on 0.2 oxygen & was off of that by the next month. He has had zero admissions to the hospital & has done all the things doctors weren’t sure he’d be able to do. He is turning 2 next month & he is almost walking…something they really weren’t sure he’d ever do. I am SO proud of him & SO thankful for the wonderful care he received from OSU & his last month at NCH Main Campus for his eye surgery & learning to eat & all of his care providers since.

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
Every single thing about him. He is SO smart. He is funny. He loves music, listening and playing instruments and he loves to dance. He is so, so sweet and loves fiercely. He loves animals. He pays attention to the little things.
He has overcome every obstacle and road block he has faced and there’s not a second that I am not blown away and so very proud of him.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
645g

Weeks Gestation
23

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