12.3 ounces of Miracle

by Richelle Turner
(Spokane, WA)

I had just lost a my daughter at 22 weeks in February when I found out that I was pregnant with my son. Since my daughter was a fluke of nature with four knots in her cord, the doctors had no concern for my son. Little did we know that my body was going to react very harshly to being pregnant!

On September 17, I went to the OB/GYN for my 24 week check up (which was technically a 23 week check up) and my blood pressure was high at 150/110. I was told to lay on my side in a dark room for 15 minutes and then they came back and took it again. Still 150/110. I was immediately admitted to the hospital next door for 24 hour strict bed rest and urine analysis.

My kidneys were leaking proteins which is a sign of preclampsia (along with the high blood pressure). They did ultrasounds that showed my son was already gestationally small at the size of a 21 weeker at 23 weeks. I was transferred to a hospital with a NICU for further evaluation and care.

September 20th my son was born at 23 weeks. I had an emergency C-section and they had to do a classical incision because my son was so fragile that they thought he might die being "tugged out" from a bikini cut. He was born at a whopping 12.3 OUNCES, 10.5 INCHES. The doctors told me there was little chance he'd survive the hour of his birth.

My son has had four surgeries and two surgically placed drains. One heart surgery at 8 days old, one intestinal surgery, one surgery to remove a giant infected absess, and one surgery to place a g-tube so he can eat. He's survived a PICC line rupturing the vein and pumping directly into his abdomen. He's survived going completely septic, kidney's failing, heart arythmia, etc.

We're 145 days into the NICU (20 weeks and five days) and Mckenzie is now 4lb 11oz and just about ready to go home. He's still considered high risk for eye problems, but nothing has happened that required action. He also tracks objects and can hear sounds well.

The doctors and nurses constantly tell me they've never seen such a baby like him, and he's the smallest ever to survive in our hospital.