Premature miracle
Published: September 1, 2005
Aiden McKerracher was born on January 10 weighing only one pound, three ounces. He was premature by three months.
“They said not to expect him to cry,
Nicole McKerracher said. “But he came out screaming!
Ric McKerracher felt that was a sign his son was going to be a fighter. “He was one of the smallest babies they had even seen,
he says. “He was only 550 grams. They said that a 500-gram baby was viable. He just made it by half a chocolate bar.
The baby was five months in the neonatal care unit at Kingston General Hospital before he was allowed to come home. He now weighs eight pounds, seven ounces, and despite still requiring oxygen, he is alive and well.
“It’s amazing,
Ric says.
The McKerrachers still have to be very careful the baby does not get an infection. They sanitize their hands before handling the infant and only allow close family to hold him. “Even a cold would hospitalize him,
Nicole says.
While the baby was in Kingston in the isolette, they were allowed to just put a hand in but could not pick him up. Ric and Nicole took turns travelling to Kingston every day for visits.
“We couldn’t hold him for a month,
Nicole says. “That was hard. His skin was so translucent you could see right through it. He was very fragile.
Ric says the newborn was no bigger than his hand. They have photographs of the baby after he was born, at only 12 inches long. They took a print of his hand and foot and have it mounted in a frame on the wall.
“He was only 27 weeks in gestation,
adds Nicole, “but that was equivalent to 24 weeks.
The first few months were intense as the baby had to undergo surgery three times including laser surgery on his eyes. The baby needed five blood transfusions, with blood taken from his father.
“We almost lost him twice,
Nicole says. “It was very stressful.
She adds that physically he is doing really well now. He may need glasses at one year of age because he is nearsighted, and he is still getting hearing tests. His hand and eye coordination is good and he is very attentive. But they won’t know until he starts school if he has any learning disabilities.
Despite his size, Aiden already has a big attitude. “He didn’t like the nurses taking blood out of his foot and he would kick at them,
Ric smiles. “He’s a real fighter.
Both parents are very impressed at the technology available today for such infants and also at the level of care and caring from medical staff. They said they were glad for the healthcare system in Canada, with costs that would have been for a million-dollar baby in the United States. However, some parents were sent to Buffalo because of lack of space.
Aiden’s older brother Noah, two, is adjusting well to his new family addition. He was allowed to visit him in the hospital and even hold his hand and give him toys. The McKerrachers feel fortunate to have a supportive family as well, to pick up Noah from daycare while they are on the road.
“Premature babies are tougher in life,
Nicole says. “Everything happens for a reason. It is there to teach us something.
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