Tamzyn

Child's Birth Year
2023

State/Province/Territory
Arizona

NICU Hospital for my journey
Banner Desert Medical Center

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Tamzyn was born at 31 weeks. At the time she needed some help breathing, but we were told she just needed help to grow big and strong to go home. 15 days later, our world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). She was treated with antibiotics and then told she was better. A few days later she was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta. Something that would require surgery and a move to a new hospital. We were transferred to Banner Desert where we were told our daughter was very sick. Not only was it the coarctation in the aorta, but she was never actually cured from the NEC. She needed immediate surgery and had 20 centimeters of her intestines removed. We were told by the surgeon that things would get worse before they got better and she was not wrong. The next morning, our daughter was a code blue. We watched as the nurse gave our daughter CPR and 9 minutes later Tamzyn came back to us. She had 5 additional surgeries and a total of 107 days in the NICU.

What makes you proud of your NICU graduate?
Tamzyn is 3 now and she is doing amazing. She loves to snuggle her kitty and doggies. She watches Super Kitties and Paw Patrol. She is so polite, full of life and the kindest soul. She has had one additional surgery since she left the NICU and had one more coming up probably this year. No matter what life brings her, she always smiles, she is the happiest little person and brings so much joy to life. Tamzyn is a true miracle.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
3 lbs. 0 oz

Weeks Gestation
31 weeks

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