TJ's Story
Aspiring Astronaut
TJ was due in March 2004. However, he surprised everyone by arriving over three months early, on Thanksgiving Day, 2003. For his parents and family, it was an emotional whirlwind -- overwhelming joy at the arrival of a firstborn, constant anxiety about his health, and looming uncertainty about the future.
The team in California Pacific Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was there every step of the way, from walking them through the state-of-the-art medical and surgical care TJ was receiving to counseling them through the trying emotional journey. The nurses became a second family to TJ, celebrating along with his family as he reached every new milestone. (They even hold a special place in his baby book.) Now, two years later, TJ is still in a playgroup with other California Pacific NICU graduates, and the hospital continues to track his development to make sure he's thriving in every possible way. And, we're happy to report, he is.
