Jodie Turner
Peyton's Journey
Peyton was born on April 21, 2006 at 26 weeks 4 days weighing 2 lb 2 oz (970g) for reasons unknown so of course they used the catch all to classify it – incompetent cervix.
I went to St Mark’s on April 20th on direction from my midwife because I had begun spotting. To everyone’s surprise they found membranes in my cervix and I was dilated to a 4. I was to be on hospital bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. The NICU at SMH was over full so to avoid risk of transporting him if he was born early they sent me by life flight to the University of Utah hospital. Peyton was born less than 24 hours later.
He was on CPAP and went on the vent on day 6, after starting medication to close his PDA. The day after he went on the vent, he had a bowel perforation from the medication. He was transferred to Primary Children’s Medical Center on April 27, 2006 for bowel surgery. He then underwent PDA ligation, reconnection, surgically placed central lines, ROP (which resolved) and many bowel problems before coming home.
In all he was at the U of U for roughly 1 month and PCMC for 3 months before coming home on August 16, 2006. He returned to PCMC a week after his release for surgery to repair 3 hernias. Peyton also had severe reflux and was on reflux medications when he came home.
Jennifer Larsen
Dakota's Journey
My son Dakota was born May 7, 2006 at 28 week gestation.
He came home from the NICU Aug. 8, 2006
I developed PROM (premature rupture of membranes) at 25 weeks and 5 days. I was put on bed rest in Hospital for 2 weeks and 2 days. He became septic and I went into labor and delivered by c-section at 28 weeks. He weighed 2 lbs. 15 oz. and was 15 1/2 inches long.
Like I said he was septic and had a staff infection when he was born. He was resesitated & vented at birth. Put on 3 different vents along with Nitric Oxide for 6 weeks. Then was placed on CPAP then Oxygen until October 3rd and was taken off at home. He had a grade III bleed on his right side and grad IV bleed on his left side of his brain. A reservoir was placed when he was 6 weeks old due to hydrocephalus. He has a VP shunt placed before he came home and a 2nd shunt placed for a blocked fourth ventricle.
He had a bowel perforation and reconnection. ROP with laser eye surgery on both eyes. He is nearsighted and wears glasses. PDA which resolved on its own. Hypertension which resolved on its own. Collapsed lung 2 times. Then all the usual eating issues with a G-tube until a couple weeks at home and some apnea.
My dad's hand next to me the day I was born.