Asher

Child's Birth Year
2020

State/Province/Territory
Illinois

NICU Hospital for my journey
OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Born at 29 weeks, weighing 1 lb 13 oz, Asher fought from the start. He let out the tiniest cry as I said “hey tiny!” then he was whisked away to the NICU where he’d stay for 66 days. There were many ups and downs, between breathing trials, attempting to feed, and “simple” temperature regulation, none of that stopped him. He passed his milestones and got to go home, but trials didn’t stop there. He had a lot of catching up to do. With the help of his stepfather, my mom, his aunts, uncles, and paternal grandparents he had thrived. 6 years later he is thriving. He is proud to say he can drive tractors, ride a bike, and hang upside down on the monkey bars. He tests above his peers in standardized testing, loves to read and learn. He loves drawing, coloring, and most of all: building legos. He will build entire sets by himself and then take them apart to build again. He is kind, funny, and so smart. Sometimes I can’t believe how incredibly lucky I am to get such an amazing kid.

What makes you proud of your NICU graduate?
It sounds cliche to say everything, but truly, he is such a good kid. He cares about his friends and family. He is so imaginative and creative. He does so well in school and enjoys it. The things he has accomplished and overcome are nothing short of amazing. Asher is the thing I am most proud of in life.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
1 lb 13 oz

Weeks Gestation
29 weeks

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