Miloh’s NICU Journey
March 2023
Miloh’s mom, Jenny, went in to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 30 weeks due to some pain, only to find out that he was making his grand appearance 10 weeks early. On March 3rd, Miloh entered the world weighing 3lb7oz. He had to be on oxygen and CPAP, have a feeding tube, undergo phototherapy for jaundice, and be in an Isolette to help him regulate his temperature. After almost three months in the NICU, Miloh was finally able to go home and is now a thriving one-year old that continues to move mountains.
“As first time parents, we were terrified. But the process, as scary as it was, was as smooth as could be,” says Jenny. “The nurses in Labour and Delivery and the OB-GYN went above and beyond for Miloh and our family.”
QEH Foundation donors funded approximately $250,000 in medical equipment needs for the Provincial NICU at the QEH.
Read the rest of Jenny’s message below:
Although we believe Miloh is a complete warrior and so strong willed, we also believe that he is thriving so well because of his care team. Having a child in the NICU is incredibly challenging. We haven’t been able to experience parenthood how it should normally be experienced, and that has been quite saddening.
With that being said, the care team in the NICU have normalized it and made us feel as welcome and at home as much as we possibly could. Every single nurse is so genuine and so very kind. The social worker has helped us everyday in more ways than we can count. And of course, Dr. Brown is such an absolute gift to the QEH. She has made Miloh’s hectic first few months so smooth.
Everyone there made us feel so much better going home to rest each day, and even made sure that if I needed to stay to be with Miloh, I had a spot. We were greeted everyday with the warmest hellos, even from the ward clerk, daily. We felt like we had a family within the NICU staff and in those days where we had so much unknowns, we needed that more than one could imagine.
Miloh was so well taken care of, and we know this by the endless smiles we got from him each day. He was happy there, and we are happy that he was so loved and cared for. We are so blessed to have a NICU staff here at the QEH that are so supportive, so kind, and so very very passionate about their job. We have been able to have laughs with them, some heartfelt moments with them, and they have grown to have a meaningful connection with us and Miloh that we just never thought was possible. We know that the hospital is there for this type of care, but they go so much further to care for their patients, and their patients family.
We have no amounts of words that could explain how thankful we are for the entire staff in the NICU. They have not only helped our baby sustain life, help him thrive, but have really made this unpredictable and scary journey more enjoyable, and so much easier to navigate through.
One Year Update:
Miloh is still followed by pediatrics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and also has a dietitian and is doing well in all areas.
Miloh’s parents are grateful to the NICU team, especially Dr Brown, the pediatric unit and clinic, his PT and OT for staying on top of his development, his best start worker, and his dietician.
“His entire care team keeps us reassured, and we are so blessed and grateful for each and everyone that have cared for him throughout his life this far,” says Jenny. “He loves to try new foods, loves Mrs Rachael, and we are learning he is a very musical little guy. Anytime a song comes on he always starts dancing! Recently he went to the library and enjoys going to their program Wiggle Giggle Read and really loves their sing alongs! He’s a very social boy, he has recently has learned how to wave and loves to wave at everyone he sees! He enjoys going to his nanny and grampies for a sleepover on the weekend. He loves seeing his auntie Em every morning, and when she comes in and chats to him before she heads out the door! He also loves his dogs Zoey and Pacino, and his cat Coda, but really has the sweetest bond with his cat. His favourite thing to do is have a bath and loves splashing around in the water! We can’t wait for the summer for him to be a little beach boy!
Thank you QEH foundation for allowing us to share our experience as parents, and everything you do! We appreciate the QEH so very much for caring for not only our baby, but us as well.“
