Lily - Lily Remains Cheery and Full of Smiles While Navigating Through Life with a Trach / Preemie Baby and Tracheotomy
This sweet, smiley girl is Lily! But don’t let the smile and bravery fool you - this little girl has been fighting a battle since the day she was born, on August 11, 2018, weighing 1lb and 1.2oz. She was born a twin preemie, and sadly lost her sister, but with every month she got bigger and by December, 5 months after her birth, she was 8lb and 4oz. After 150 days of using a endotracheal tube, Lily had a tracheotomy to insert a breathing tube directly into her trachea to help her lungs heal and grow. As well as having a tracheotomy to help with her lungs, she also gets Chest Physiotherapy to help break up thick secretions produced by her lungs. Although using a gastrostomy tube, her family is hopeful that signs she currently shows, allude to that she will be able to eat by her mouth one day. She has therapy 3x a week to work on physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. From being able to try a bottle for the first time in February, to working on motor skills, being 13lb and 4oz in March, adapting to a home ventilator for breathing in April, coming home after 255 days in the NICU, starting to talk, overcoming some breathing scares, fighting trach infections, and dealing with partial hearing loss, her smile is never lost. Respect can not be given enough for this child warrior to still have a smile on her face at the end of it all. Every day is a new journey and a different, unexpected path, but with the love of Lily’s family, and her personal strength, Lily will keep defying the odds and exceeding expectations! Thank you for letting us share your story.