Stories of Success and Hope

Amen’s Story

NICU Stay: 145 Days

Our son, Amen, was born at 25+0 weeks gestation. He was born due to decreased fetal movement via emergency c-section. When he was born, he was not moving and did not have an audible heartbeat. Soon after his birth, it was discovered that he had 2 Grade 4 brain bleeds. That night, we remember being told they were very concerned about him. 4 days after he was born, we were sat down and told just how severe his situation was. We were told that if he survived, he would have significant cognitive and physical disabilities. At that point, my husband and I felt our entire world crashing down around us. The one thing that kept us afloat was our faith in God and His wondrous healing power. We were in the NICU 145 days. The saying goes “in the Nicu, you take 1 step forward and 2 steps back” and that was definitely our experience. Our son would have many setbacks, and 2.5 months into his Nicu stay, he had to transfer to a Level 4 NICU for 2 surgeries. As scary as it all was, knowing God was on our side was all the strength and hope we needed. After 145 days, one heart surgery, one eye surgery, and countless intubations, extubations, ultrasounds, and treatments, our 1 pound 9 ounce miracle came home- weighing almost 10 pounds. He came home on 1/2 liter of oxygen (which was its own learning curve) but we had an amazing team that helped us every step of the way. The first thing we did was get him in therapy. Due to the extreme brain bleeds, he is at an increased risk for developing cerebral palsy. Once we did his MRI- it was discovered that there was NO damage on his right side and MINIMAL damage on his left. His neurologist was shocked- she had never seen any healing quite like that. He had not one, but two of the worst brain bleeds you can have, and he was practically healed but one tiny dead spot. We were told the damage should have been much more severe, but our son was healed through our faith and Christ and continuous prayer. He is now 16 months old, and has minimal delays. He has his own challenges, but we continue to have hope that he will do great things. He has proven over and over again that he is a warrior. Every single NICU baby is so strong. While we were in the thick of it, it was hard to reflect upon certain moments, but now we are on the other side of the NICU, we realize what a blessing it was to be able to see our son overcome so much and be the living, breathing miracle he is. We went from hearing “your son might not survive” to seeing him thrive in therapy and make such amazing gains. Amen is our living prayer- and though he had a rough start- he’s thriving and he makes me so proud to be his mom every single day.

~Ariel Gonzalez

Graham and Hallie’s Story

NICU Stay Length: 11 days each

Our babies both decided to join us in this world six weeks earlier than expected. Graham 2014 and Hallie 2016. Each of them spent eleven days in the NICU with their own unique battles. They proved early on the fighters that they are.

For us, the first moments with our babies were terrifying. Though the medical team was fabulous, we didn’t understand the medical terms and as every condition was explained our concerns grew. No parent can be prepared enough to see their precious newborn in an incubator connected to several life supporting and monitoring machines.

NICU life - It’s watching your tiny baby fight. It’s celebrating things other people might not understand— getting moved to an open crib, seeing that sweet face without a cpap, coming off oxygen, gaining a few grams, taking a bottle, finally getting to wear clothes, passing the car seat test. Then celebrating when you finally get to take that miracle home!

Instead of bringing our babies home right away, we learned medical terms, obsessively watched monitors, set alarms for one hour visits every three hours (that’s what was allowed at the time), and waited for the moment we finally got to hold our miracles.

NICU parents know a different kind of motherhood and fatherhood. The kind filled with hope, fear, sleepless nights, tiny victories, setbacks, tears, and prayers.

NICU Graduates - Praise Jesus, by six months old our babies both exceeded milestones and were growing healthy as can be. Today they are hard working, determined, strong, healthy children and athletes!

Our family is eternally grateful for the care teams and leadership. We didn’t have a pediatrician selected when our first was born, but the best doctor ever, Dr. O, happened to be on duty. Shift change happened at 7:00 and he was there long after that “making sure his babies were all good”. We had the honor of meeting and connecting with Jeri as a nurse in 2014 and then as a director in 2016. Both times she was a huge support for our family.

Thank you so much for sharing Graham and Hallie’s story. ❤️ This one is especially close to my heart because I had the privilege of being part of both of their NICU journeys—first as a nurse with Graham and then again when Hallie arrived two years later.

One of the greatest gifts of my years in the NICU has been watching these tiny babies grow into incredible kids and, along the way, forming friendships with some pretty amazing families. Your family will always hold a special place in my heart.

It has been such a joy to watch not only Graham and Hallie grow and thrive, but your whole family’s journey through the years—including watching you pour your creativity and hard work into Farmhouse Beginnings and seeing it become such a success at local craft fairs. I’ve always loved seeing that same determination and heart you brought to those NICU days show up in everything you do.

Seeing Graham and Hallie today—healthy, strong, determined, and thriving—is exactly what makes those NICU days and all those tiny victories so meaningful.

Thank you for trusting me then, for your friendship now, and for allowing Bright Sprout to share a little piece of your family’s story. 🌱💛