Pizza Party!!

 

 

At the Banner Desert NICU, the doctors refer to a homecoming as a "pizza party," to avoid using the term "going home" and possibly putting a jinx on a baby soon to be released. After nearly four months in the NICU, Mckenna Ruth Burns has joined her twin brother at home! It was a long road for our sweet little girl, and we are truly blessed to have her alive and well. Mckenna was born on Dec. 12 2009, 3.5 months early, and came home on April 7, 2010, two days after her Connor. She showed a true fighting spirit throughout her stay at the NICU, overcoming more adversity and trials than any newborn baby should ever need to encounter. During a three week span in January, we wondered if we'd ever see this day, but our Heavenly Father has blessed our family to be able to bring both babies home, without oxygen support, feeding tubes, or any major problems. Mckenna had a couple occasions when her premature lungs collapsed, and the NICU's most aggressive ventilator machines were used to keep her alive.

Our miracle baby also overcame a heart surgery, four separate blood transfusions, 26 chest x-rays, a mild brain hemmorhage, pneumonia (Jan. 6 - the scariest day of the journey), two self-extabations when she pulled out her ventilator tube (requiring emergency surgery to place it back in her chest) and nearly three and a half months with oxygen support- mostly with the ventilator. Needless to say, she kept the doctors, nurses, and mom and dad very busy. There may be some sedatives, steroids, and drugs in the NICU that Mckenna didn't have, but we're not sure what they could possibly be! Due to excessive ventilation support, Mckenna's vocal chords are damaged and hardly audible, but we're confident that will also improve with time. That was the bad news.. the good news is that she is alive and healthy. All this was well worth it for Mckenna, and we are so happy to have her join Connor and mom and dad at home! We love you little girl, and are so happy to have you in our lives--Thanks for hanging in there!