b'COMPREHENSIVE NEONATAL CARE BRINGS BIG SMILES FROM Cruz had also developed retinopathy A TINY PATIENT. of prematurity (ROP), a condition that A team of experts support a micro preemie through his longand incrediblejourney home affects premature infants and causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in a When Valerie was only a little more than halfway through her pregnancy with twins, Cruz andpatients retina. This can cause the retina Cristiano, she began experiencing serious complications. to detach and, ultimately, lead to blindness. I was 22 weeks, five days, and I began leaking amniotic fluid, she says. I went into theUsing laser therapy, Yu-Guang He, M.D., hospital to be monitored and learned that both babies were doing great, but I would need toophthalmologist at Childrens Health and remain on bed rest until their birth. Professor at UT Southwestern, removed the abnormal growth in Cruzs eyes to correct But just a few days later, Valerie experienced a cord prolapse and was immediately taken intohis vision.the operating room for an emergency cesarean section. She was exactly 23 weeks along.Cruz still has some challenges focusing at times and will most likely need glasses, but it was Tragically, Cristiano, who was born first, passed away 22 minutes after birth. Cruz followed aamazing what an effective procedure it was, Valerie says. Dr. He even did it right in Cruzs minute later, weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces. After letting out a big cry, Cruz was immediatelyhospital room!transferred to a NICU at a local Dallas hospital where he remained in critical condition for the next several months. Cruzs journey to go homeCruz finds comprehensive care at Childrens Health Nine months after being born, Cruz was discharged from the NICU to Our Childrens House, which provides transitional care and inpatient rehabilitation for patients between acute Four months later, Cruz was growing stronger but still had significant difficulties breathing andcare and returning home. While Cruz was there, Andrew Scott Gelfand, M.D., pediatric remained on a ventilator. Looking for more options for Cruz, his family and doctors decided topulmonologist at Childrens Health and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern, worked with transfer him to the Level IV NICU at Childrens Medical Center Dallas. There, they met Cruz and his family to lower his ventilator settings even further. Four weeks later, Cruz was Dr. Vedanta Dariya. finally ready to go home.From the very beginning, Drs. Dariya and Savani were honest about the challenges Cruz faced. Today, Cruz still requires 24/7 nursing care at home and relies on a ventilator to help him Cruzs lungs never fully developed beforebreathe. But Cruz is on track developmentally according to his adjusted age, and he now birth, and one of the biggest challengesweighs nearly 17 pounds.Cruz and his doctors previously faced wasCruz is grabbing, reaching and following his toys and is beginning to sit up with some trying to decrease his ventilator settings,support, says Valerie.Valerie says. We were hopeful to haveHis dad, Robert, says thanks to the medical support Cruz has at home, their family enjoysadditional support from the experts attheir day-to-day, shared activitiesboth big and small.Childrens Health.Cruz being home has been a huge adjustment, and we have been blessed with wonderful Soon after his arrival at Childrensnurses who have become part of our family, Robert says. Whether its the excitementHealth, Brett Whittemore, M.D., pediatricof everyone sitting watching a movie, enjoying a great game of football or even theneurosurgeon at Childrens Health andmundane task of doing laundry, life is great, and having Cruz there to experience all of itAssistant Professor at UT Southwestern,has been beautiful.placed a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt in Cruzs brain to help provide relief for theAs part of a comprehensive program that cares for babies from fetus to 5 years old, Cruz fluid collection that had occurred becauseis followed in the Thrive Program to ensure that he and his family receive ongoing care and of a grade IV brain bleed Cruz had since birth. support through kindergarten.While Cruz recovered from surgery over the next month, his care team worked to decrease For now, Cruz continues to work with occupational, speech and physical therapists to build his ventilator settings, remove his breathing tube, which he had had since birth, and place up strength in his legs and learn to suckbut if theres one skill he has already mastered a tracheostomy. completely, its smiling.The respiratory care team was excellent in supporting us and educating us throughout theCruz is such a happy baby and is always, always smiling, Valerie says. We are not entirely whole trach process, Valerie says. Theyve made sure we have all the information we neededsure what the future may hold for Cruz, but he has already brought so much joy to so many to help Cruz. people and our faith will continue to carry us through.'