The NICU was something I knew existed but not something that impacted me personally. That is until I had our second son, Kaleb, 12 weeks premature. Suddenly the NICU, I found, is where miracles happen. Perhaps, better put, where miracles are housed and allowed to grow. The NICU is where my own personal 2lb 2oz miracle resided. For 99 days Kaleb laid in the NICU, on the 5th floor of Saint Francis Children’s Hospital.

When I was pregnant with Kaleb we had no idea the surprises he had in store for us. It wasn’t until we went in for our checkup when I was 28 weeks along, that we found out something was wrong. Suddenly the baby who had been growing on track for his due date at every ultrasound, at every appointment, was now 2-3 weeks behind his due date. Then they checked the blood flow and found more issues. Rough translation; he wasn’t growing anymore.

We were sent over to the fetal maternal specialist who performed another extensive ultrasound. We then learned that he had a heart defect which would require open heart surgery. We also learned we would be having a very small and very premature baby, if they could deliver him in time. I was given steroids for his lungs and put on bed rest. Five days later at the next appointment Kaleb showed that the problem had turned into reverse blood flow which will cause fetal death within so many days. We were admitted to the hospital where I would stay under constant monitoring until they deemed it too unsafe for him to stay in the womb.

He made it another 24 hours before he was under too much distress and they had to deliver him under what was termed a planned emergency caesarean section. Meaning they didn’t have to hurry and put me under, but it was now time to deliver him with his heart rate dropping. At 6:38 pm on September 1, 2015, Kaleb Craig was born at 2lb 2oz, 14 inches long, and at 28 weeks gestational age.

From the day after Kaleb’s birth, during his time in the NICU, and after, the idea for Mighty Miracles was planted in my heart. I remember telling my husband, TJ, about my idea one day last summer. Half afraid he would laugh it off, as yet another one of my big dreams. Instead he was completely sold and not only that but on board and wanted to be a part.

We had always believed in miracles. How can you not? All it takes is to look into the eyes of a newborn baby. However, looking at a NICU baby is something else altogether. It is both inspiring, breathtaking, and humbling to watch these amazing babies fight for their chance at life. Kaleb’s nursery rooms decals picked out before he was even born, were beyond fitting. His storybook themed room has a quote from Winnie the Pooh, “I knew when I met you, an adventure was going to happen.” The other is from Peter Pan, “To live would be an awfully big adventure.” We created Mighty Miracles to celebrate and support each life no matter how small or short of a life. We work to provide care packages for NICU families as they go through the adventure of the NICU and watch their mighty miracle work for the chance to live their own adventure.

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Kaleb is now a very ornery and strong willed child who will turn 2 next month. Along with being a preemie with BPD, Kaleb also has Down syndrome. Kaleb successfully underwent open heart surgery to repair his transitional AVSD in May 2015. He now goes to daycare with big brother, is potty training, loves to laugh, and his favorite foods are ice cream and yogurt. You can follow Kaleb’s progress on his Facebook page; Adventures of An Extra Chromosome.

Please help us help as many NICU families as possible. Join us in our I Believe in Miracles campaign . Shirts will arrive by September 12th in time for NICU awareness month.

Be on the lookout for the next Meet Our Miracle feature story coming soon.

Be sure to follow Mighty Miracles Foundation on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news and information.

Meet Our Miracle: Kaleb Craig

Amanda Dickinson

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