Staff at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital in Texas recently threw a graduation party to celebrate a very special milestone: their smallest patient ever is now heading home after more than 140 days. Baby Samuel Gonzalez weighed less than a pound when he was born prematurely in March. Hospital staff told Click2Houston that while they only began keeping records in 2016, they believe that Samuel is the smallest baby they’ve ever had in their NICU.
On Thursday, Samuel got the all-clear to go home, and the NICU didn’t waste any time in preparing a celebration. They put up decorations, got a cake, and even dressed little Samuel in a tiny cap and gown to celebrate his progress. Samuel’s room was also decorated with a custom Winnie the Pooh artwork that said, “Only look back to see how far you’ve come.” Nurse Cyndi Shelby, who painted the display, said she puts artwork in many of the rooms to cheer up the patients. “It’s just my way of giving a little something to the parents to make them have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Samuel’s parents, Susana and Aldaberto, praised the staff for all they’ve done for their child. “It’s just crazy — the etiquette, the consistency, the passion is just, it’s amazing to see that. I couldn’t thank everybody enough,” said Aldaberto.
READ: Texas preemie born at 27 weeks is home with family after ‘rough road’ in NICU
According to Click2Houston, Samuel was born at just 26 weeks due to a placental issue. Because he weighed less than a pound, he was considered a micro-preemie. While there can be a lot of medical complications that surround such an early birth, children who are born even this early have a 90% chance of survival.
Despite these excellent odds, preborn children are still killed in the womb at this stage and even later. Many times abortion advocates will say that late-term abortions may be necessary for the health of the mother, but the child can always be delivered quickly by C-section, as Samuel was. In contrast, a late-term abortion takes place over the course of several days. And while a C-section offers the chance that the baby can survive with the right medical attention, an abortion always results in a dead baby. As stories like this one show us, it’s clear which option has the better outcome.
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