We didn’t know if my little boy would make it.
After a difficult pregnancy and an extremely premature birth, Marcus needed several blood transfusions and antibiotics during his first few days. There was bleeding around the left side of his brain. He was intubated and under the care of the neonatal intensive care unit at Royal Columbian Hospital. There were so many ups and downs during the next four months, it was scary.
My family received incredible care, and I am so thankful to know that donors like you to TB Vets Charitable Foundation provide life-saving respiratory equipment so newborns like Marcus can have their first breaths.
Born at just 24 weeks and four days into my pregnancy and weighing 755 grams (1.5 lbs.), Marcus could not breathe on his own. He was placed on a jet ventilator, which is meant to provide the most fragile newborns with a gentle and effective mode of ventilation. It was so important for his survival, but it also meant I could not hold him until ten days after he was born. And I finally did so with Marcus still connected to his breathing machine and with the help of a whole team of nurses and respiratory therapists. That was a special moment, but Marcus remained on his ventilator for the first few weeks of his life.
The Burry Family with the frontline team of Royal Columbian Hospital
Each year since 1980, TB Vets has provided approximately 20 ventilators/year to address the urgent need for respiratory equipment across British Columbia.
Micro preemies like my baby account for less than two-percent of preterm births. The jet ventilator helped Marcus fight through numerous complications until he became strong enough to graduate to a lesser form of breathing support. His first attempt at getting off the ventilator lasted a half hour. But two days later, he successfully made the transition to my great surprise.
Nine weeks after his birth, Marcus moved from an incubator to a crib and was big enough to wear clothes. Slowly, my boy was getting stronger and needing fewer medical supports.
After 132 days, we reached the moment I wasn’t sure would ever come. We went home with Marcus for the first time. It was so amazing!
Looking back, there are days when you feel like you’re going to be in the hospital forever, and it’s never going to end. But we have been home now for more than a year, and I am thrilled to say today that my boy is doing great. I am so grateful to everyone who played a part in helping Marcus reach all of his milestones.
Makayla Burry
Marcus’ grateful mom
