Baylor Grapevine celebration reunites children with caregivers

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine was home to a baby bonanza on Oct. 3 when dozens of children returned for a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) reunion.

The babies, toddlers and young children were back for a joyous occasion after many of them spent their first weeks of life in the special care nursery.

Physicians, nurses and other staff who cared for them joined the celebration that was highlighted by hugs and kisses from caregivers who saw the little ones through often hard times.

Among those was Kristofer and Michelle Simon and their 5-year-old twins, Alexander and William.

The Simons come back to the annual party every year to thank their caregivers, visit with other families they met during their sons’ long hospital stay and show their twins the importance of appreciation for others who have touched their lives.

It is always a joyous occasion, one that seems like a miracle now.

Michelle was at 25 weeks when she went into labor at their North Fort Worth home in 2010.

Her son Alexander would not come home for 99 days and William for 113 days.

“It was a really scary time,” Michelle said.

Complications included their lungs not being fully developed and heart issues.

“They would stop breathing,” Kristofer said. “They had to resuscitate them several times.”

Michelle said, the staff, “in every sense of the word saved their lives repeatedly.”

Their care, which included physical, occupational and speech therapy, resulted in two kindergartners “who are happy and healthy and ahead of the curve on everything a 5-year-old can be,” Michelle said.

Michelle said Alexander is their “little follower” and William is “an adventurer who’s always trying to push limits.”

It is Michelle said it is therapeutic for them to go back and “give thanks to the people who treated them like family.”

Going back and “give thanks to the people who treated them like family,” is therapeutic she said.

“It means a lot to the parents to reflect on how far they’ve come,” Michelle said.

In addition to reuniting kids and their caregivers who have helped — and sometimes saved — them, the annual event raises awareness about the work performed in the NICU.

“At Baylor Grapevine, we understand that giving birth to a sick or premature baby can be unexpected and frightening for a parent,” said Susan Hall, Baylor spokeswoman.

The specialized clinicians in the hospital’s 21-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) make it their goal to provide parents with the information they need to understand their baby’s condition, possible treatments and how they can best help.

Its Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit combines advanced technology and highly trained healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for the tiniest patients.

“We care for newborns and infants for a variety of reasons including premature births [less than 37 weeks], respiratory distress, birth defects, infections and other illnesses,” said Hall.

Staffed by board-certified neonatologists, specialized nurses and neonatal nurse practitioners, the hospital provides advanced life support and technologies for infants as early as 23 weeks gestation.

According to Baylor, 10 percent of all newborns require the medical expertise only available in an NICU. Babies in the NICU may require special monitoring and close observation for one or more of the following reasons:

▪ Pre-term baby: Baby is born before 37 weeks gestation. Premature babies are often very small and need special care to aid in growth and development before they can go home. Breathing and feeding may be difficult for these tiny patients. Due to prematurity, they may have more than one problem because their systems are immature. Multiple problems may arise and are quite common for babies born this early.

▪ Full-term baby: Baby is born between 37 and 42 weeks gestation. Full-term babies may come into the world needing special attention. They may have breathing problems, infections, seizures, feeding difficulties or heart problems, all requiring the special care provided by the NICU.

▪ Post-term baby: Baby is born at greater than 42 weeks gestation. Post-term babies may require special care for rapid breathing, as well as for possible infection or seizures.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Baylor Grapevine celebration reunites children with caregivers."