Most Nicu stories begin with a tiny preemie, however, my story is a little different. Everything seemed perfect with my baby throughout my 37 week pregnancy. My husband and I found out we would be having a boy and after much deliberation chose the name Calian. Calian means warrior of life, grace, and eternal hope. Little did we know how perfect this name would actually be for him.

At 37 weeks gestation I developed signs of Pre-Eclampsia and was induced. Calian was considered full term so everything should have been fine with him, right? Well, after induction his heart rate started to drop and he we was soon delivered via emergency c-section. Unfortunately, all was not well, and he was born in respiratory distress. They rushed him out of the room and I encouraged my husband to go with and take pictures. At the moment I didn't realize how grave his situation really was. It was soon discovered that he had suffered from a pulmonary hemorrhage and was immediately sent to the Nicu at another hospital.

Over the coarse of the next 2 weeks we rode a horrible roller coaster as he continued to rapidly decline, they didn't have any answers for us and didn't know why his lungs were so sick. When all interventions were exhausted we were left with one last chance to save him...

Just before Calian turned two weeks old my son was placed on ECMO, a heart and lung bypass machine, the highest form of life support. This would hopefully buy him time and let his body rest. However, he kept declining. Days had passed and during that time, the doctors were still baffled. When his lung biopsy also came back with zero answers, it was then that the doctors told us they were sorry and we could let him go at anytime. There was nothing more they could do to help him.

Of coarse this was absolutely horrible to hear, but Instead of feeling defeated my husband and I decided to not give up hope and give him a few more days on ECMO. Miraculously, a few days later things began to turn around and after 11 days on, Calian was taken off of ECMO support. I finally held my fullterm baby in my arms for the very first time at 24 days old.

After being told he would come home on a respirator, we incredibly brought him home at 2 months old completely oxygen free! The hospital said that he was one of the sickest babies with one of the most miraculous turnarounds they had ever seen.

Today, Calian is the most sweet (almost) 5 year old I have ever met. I wish I could say he has been perfect since the Nicu, though that is also not always the case. Calian has suffered from a lot of anxiety, some developmental delays, and he even survives off of just one functioning lung. Yet, despite that he is doing AMAZING! He has come so far and we will never give up hope for him and conquering whatever struggles he may have. Most people usually assume he was a preemie, but I inform them that some full term babies can get really sick too.

I am so blessed to have Calian as my son. We are thankful every day we never gave up hope, it is important to know that miracles really do happen. Calian and many other babies are surely proof of that!