Congratulations to Kai, who graduated from our care just last month! Kai’s story is an incredible one of overcoming with the help of expert care from his nurses and endless love and support from his moms, Latoyia and Jaleesa.
Kai was born at 28 weeks, weighing 2 pounds and 10 ounces. He spent the next 4 1/2 months fighting through setbacks in the NICU before finally coming home with a G-tube.
“It was a challenging time when Kai was in the NICU,” Latoyia recalls. “We made it through by being there for each other and being there for him. You make sacrifices for your kids. You almost have to go on autopilot and have a one-track mind to get through this for your child. We never knew what would happen from one day to the next. It was exhausting. We had to face it one day at a time.”
When Kai was finally ready to come home, he and his moms faced a big transition and new challenges. “We had a great team at the hospital,” Jaleesa remembers. “They kept us involved in his care in the NICU, so we knew what to do at home. It was amazing to have him home but scary at first without the nurses there backing us up. Eventually we found our new routine.”
About a month after coming home, Kai and his moms faced another big transition when Aveanna Nurse Rhonda joined their team. “When Rhonda came, everything changed again,” Jaleesa says. “She has helped us so much. She’s helped Kai take a bottle, learn sign language, keep a routine, and meet developmental milestones. Kai is a totally different baby now. He has completely taken off and is thriving at home. Everyone is in awe of how far he’s come.”
Kai’s growth has been phenomenal since he came home from the hospital. He recently met another amazing milestone when he stopped using his G-tube! Nurse Rhonda’s care, Kai’s determination, and his moms’ support were all instrumental in helping him meet this goal. “Kai writes his own story,” Jaleesa and Latoyia share. “Our goal is to help him do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. He knows when he’s ready.”
From the little 2-pound-10-ounce baby in the NICU, Kai is now 8 months old and weighs 15 pounds 10 ounces. He is active, feisty, and independent, busy writing his story with his moms’ help. Latoyia and Jaleesa share some advice for other parents that they wish they could tell themselves 8 months ago: “Your baby is going to be okay. You’ll get through this. Just stick with them.”