Mckenzi is all smiles for her birthday photos.
Mckenzi required respiratory support while in the NICU.
In addition to her respiratory needs, Mckenzi was born with a hole in her heart known as a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and a stretched patent foramen ovale (PFO) that typically closes for full-term babies. Dr. Grace Smith, director, Heart Center Mahoning Valley, and pediatric cardiology, oversees Mckenzi’s heart care. On McKenzi’s most worrisome days, her providers made sure to inform Mckenzi’s parents what to expect and held their hands throughout the journey. Before her first birthday, the PDA had shrunk to 1 millimeter and no longer required follow-up until she turns 3 years old.
Born at only 24 weeks, Mckenzi was about the size of a Barbie doll.
Mckenzi and family were happy to have her at home after 4 months in the NICU.
“We appreciated the people who took extra time to cheer our kiddo on when she hit major milestones,” said Ginny. “They made holidays special in the NICU like making signs to hang up in her room, crafts with her footprints and handprints as she grew. Everyone from nursing, respiratory and therapy did an awesome job helping to move Mckenzi from her incubator so that I could hold her every day. I loved when she moved to a ‘big-girl room’ with windows and ‘made’ me a birthday card.”
Mckenzi just celebrated her first birthday at home in Columbiana. The day was filled with crawling, cooing and plenty of birthday cake frosting. Yum!
Mckenzi enjoys the perks of being one, like cake and frosting!
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Get a glimpse of a day in the life of a NICU occupational therapist.
