Kenan's homecoming - 3 months old (adjusted age - newborn)

Kenan is a happy boy  - 6 months old (adjusted age - 3 months old )

.My Birth Stats:

Born:           December 30, 2002

Time:            2:32 am 

Weight:       15.2 ounces

Length:       11.5 inches long

Kenan - 8 days old

Kenan - 9 days old

Kenan sleeps next to his beanie baby goose.  At under a pound, his eyes are still fused together, his skin is translucent and he breathes with the help of a ventilator.

I started out with a tough journey.  I am the second born twin, and followed my older sister Kira by 2 minutes. At just 15.2 ounces & under a pound (430 grams) I am the smallest baby who was born to the hospital, which really scared my family and the medical staff.  

Moments after my birth I was put onto a special ventilator called an oscillating ventilator.  It really helped me to keep my lungs filled with oxygen so that I didn't have to work as hard to breathe initially.   In a few days I was placed on a traditional ventilator, which I kept for the next 6 weeks of my life.  

Because I was so small, it took me a long time to gain weight and become healthy.  I had a yeast infection, a staph infection and pneumonia all at the same time when I was 2 weeks old, which was the scariest time for my mommy.  But, everything turned out ok, and I proved to everyone that I am a really strong little guy. 

After a long 14 weeks in the N.I.C.U., I am doing very well and making everyone proud to know me.

• Jaundice
• Respiratory Distress
• Brochopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)
• Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
• Yeast Infection
• Staph Infection
• Retinoplasty of Prematurity
• Bilateral Inguinal Hernias 
• Grade II Bilateral hemorrhage 

Kira