26 Weeker

DarrelJrsMom - 06:44am Aug 30, 2012 EST

Hello! My name is Ebony and my son Darrel Jr. (DJ) was born at just 26 weeks gestation. We had a normal pregnancy with no complications up until four days before he arrived on July 9th, 2010. I did receive two steroid shots to mature the lungs before he was born. DJ weighed 1 lb. 8 oz. He was 12 in. Pretty scary for a 31 year old first time mom. I would joke he was my own personal footlong. For 96 long days I traveled to Christ Hospital's NICU to visit my son and sing him the ABC's! Because of the distance we lived from the hospital, my husband and I qualified for the Ronald McDonald House, however, we opted to let families who were not able to commute daily to Christ have the accommodations.

The prognosis was not good for a 26 weeker. Doctor after doctor came in and told me the "what if's" my son could possibly have from head to toe. I kangarooed as much as possible! First we celebrated room air within a week after birth! Then we celebrated no bleeding on the brain! Then a picc line got infected and we had to have surgery to place a Broviac line in DJ's chest. The first Broviac went bad within a couple of days and we had to have a 2nd surgery to get another Broviac placed on the other side. Then we went back to CPAP. Shorty after, we went on the ventilator and didn't seem as if we wanted to get off of it. We celebrated no leaks in the heart valves or murmurs. DJ couldn't tolerate any milk other than Pregestimil and doctors "suspected NEC." Meanwhile our eyes were exhibiting early signs of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). We finally got our breathing together and was making progress toward home! We passed the car seat challenge. Finally, after 96 days DJ was released home. Two days later we had to return for Laser eye surgery for the ROP on both eyes. We came home "again" 1 day later.

After laser surgery, we only went back for checkups. Today, DJ turned 2 years old in July. His eyes are great (slightly far-sided) but he doesn't need glasses. He is developmentally on target and even ahead of target in some areas! He is talking, jumping, counting past 10, spelling his name, and knows the ABC's! He has no known lung, heart, brain, hearing, or sight issues at all. He is slightly far sided but so is his Mother and I was overdue! 26 weekers DO make it! DJ is our 26 week miracle!

Thanks for reading,
Ebony and Darrel Sr.