Six months ago, Jennifer Findlay and Aaron Wood didn’t know if their son Izak-Jaron would survive. Born at 23 weeks and weighing only about one pound, Izak-Jaron was what doctors call a “micro-preemie.”
“The nurses said we could touch his head and feet, but that was it,” Findlay told CTV News. “No rubbing because of his skin – he was still see-through when he was born.”
His early birth came with multiple complications, and Dr. John Smyth, a neonatologist at B.C. Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, said he was uncertain the baby would survive.
“It was very scary,” Findlay said. “They didn’t know if he was going to make it.”
Izak-Jaron required a ventilator to get oxygen into his lungs, and had to undergo three separate surgeries.
The hospital sees 10 to 12 of these tiny patients in its nursery every year, and cares for them in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“One out of three babies born this early can’t survive to go home,” Smyth said. “He’s one of the lucky ones.”
Going back to B.C. Women’s Hospital was hard for Findlay and Wood who suffered a tragedy two years ago, when their two-year-old son Jaron died in the same hospital after contracting pneumonia.
Findlay said Jaron has played “a big part” of Izak-Jaron’s recovery.
“He’s his angel, his big brother.” she said.
Izak-Jaron now weighs 12 pounds, and after spending six months in the hospital, he’s finally ready to go home for the first time.
“He’s a strong little man,” Wood said. “He’s going to do something special in this world.”
With files from CTV News’ Melanie Nagy
