MILWAUKEE — Last August, on the 26th, Danielle Hinds thought she might lose her son. She was 23 weeks pregnant and her water had broken and soon after she found herself headed to the hospital in the back of an ambulance.
Hinds' arrived at Ascension Colombia St. Mary's Hospital 24-hour Obstetric Emergency Department and gave birth to Da'Mari who weighed just one pound and seven ounces.
According to a study by Stanford Medicine, infants born at 23 weeks have about a 55% chance of surviving — just over the toss of a coin.
His life had a rocky start in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — a department of hospitals specialized in the care of sick or premature newborn infants. About 10 percent of births are premature and less than 1 percent are early as 23 weeks, according to Ascension Wisconsin.
Da'Mari made considerable progress during his lengthy stay but needed help, like all extremely premature babies, with staying warm, breathing and being fed. After 137 days, he was finally able to go home with his mother on Jan. 10.
“I never lost hope and neither did his care team,” said Hinds. “I just can’t believe I get to bring him home. I’m so excited to introduce him to his brother and I’m just so grateful."
Efforts from Da'Mari's primary nurses, Hana Christiansen and Cailin Firkus, both RNs, were especially important in his survival. Vital signs like heartbeats and breathing had to be closely monitored.
Outside of the daily medical responsibilities, the two found out Da'Mari is a classical music lover. His favorite: Mozart.
Throughout the ordeal, they grew to love Da'Mari and all his qualities. According to Christiansen and Firkus, he is feisty, sassy, smiley, and friendly. To them, his life so far is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
It seems he has enjoyed his life up to now, dressing up for Halloween as a Green Bay Packer, in a costume made by Wauwatosa East High School Students, and taking a celebratory 100-day photo, adorned with a gray beard to celebrate his old age.
When it was finally time for Da'Mari to go home, Christiansen and Firkus came in on their day off to see him out the door.
“It’s a bittersweet day,” said Christiansen. “I’m so happy he’s going home and excited for the family, but I’m really going to miss him, so there are tears too.”
Firkus agreed and said, “Da’Mari has a permanent place in my heart. I love him and will remember him forever.”
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