At barely 23 weeks, the newborn critical care unit at Broward Health Medical Center welcomed Alanie Lettsome, who weighed 1 pound, 1 ounce.
Baby ‘graduates’ from the NICU after a months-long stay who was born weighing 1 lb.
The day of Alanie Lettsome’s graduation has special significance.
The infant, who was born on Nov. 30 at just 23 weeks and weighed 1 pound, 1 ounce, had to spend his first five months in the neonatal critical care unit at Broward Health Medical Center.
“I went in for an ultrasound to determine the [baby’s] gender, and they saw my cervix opening as they were looking. My doctor then advised me to visit the hospital when they got in touch with him. According to Alanie’s mother, Graysel Stuart, “They were waiting for me.
Baby ‘graduates’ from the NICU after a months-long stay who was born weighing 1 lb.
After physicians worried that she would give birth early, Stuart, who resides in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, had to go to Fort Lauderdale, where the hospital is.
Alanie was indeed born three days after we arrived.
He was looked after by neonatologist and NICU medical director Dr. Johny Tryzmel. Tryzmel told GMA that Alanie “beat the odds” after spending a month on a ventilator and undergoing steroids for his lungs, stage two retinopathy of prematurity, a stage one brain bleed, and several infections.
“You’re talking about a baby whose chances for survival were in the 30%, to say in the best case scenario, around that 30%, 40% — and [he] beat the odds,” he remarked.
He continued, “The squad as a whole is essentially the reason why he’s performing so well. You know what else is crucial to this team, though? Mommy. She was incredible. She was present each and every day. She was present every day because we want the parents to be a part of our care team and daily care plan.
Baby ‘graduates’ from the NICU after a months-long stay who was born weighing 1 lb.
Alanie gained over 9 pounds as a result of the ongoing care and is now back in the Virgin Islands.
Tryzmel stated in a press statement that “sending home a healthy baby is our primary goal, and we cherish the opportunity to celebrate our NICU.”
