Premature Baby Born at 1 Lb. Heads Home After Spending 16 Months at Hospital
Greyson Butler underwent 15 blood transfusions, five bouts of pneumonia and two surgeries before being discharged after nearly 500 days
Born 16 weeks premature and weighing 1 lb., 2 oz., a New York micropreemie spent his entire life — nearly 500 days — under the care of nurses, doctors and other medical staff.
But on Wednesday, Greyson Butler was finally discharged from the hospital, according to ABC affiliate WABC-TV and CBS affiliate WCBS-TV.
"A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of tears, a lot of prayers, a lot of cries,” his mother, Monae Harper, told WABC-TV, adding that he is living proof of the power of miracles. “Overall, a lot of smiles because my son is here right now. He's a miracle baby.”
Harper and Greyson’s father, Jeffrey Butler, were seemingly ecstatic to be headed home from Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla after over a year of “roller coaster” emotions following Greyson’s birth on June 27, 2022.
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Given about a 20% chance of survival, the Bronx baby was diagnosed with congenital heart defect and chronic lung disease, per WCBS-TV.
Greyson needed 15 blood transfusions during his time in the hospital — which actually spanned five different medical facilities — and endured two surgeries and five bouts of pneumonia.
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“I was instantly worried,” Harper told WCBS about her feelings after Greyson’s birth. “So, a lot of days I was thinking my son was going home, but then another situation happened. We were so scared. He looked like he would break. He was so delicate.”
She added, "When they say roller coaster, they mean it. Many days are so good, but a lot of days are stomach crunching and you can't even hold your head up. I knew it was a long roller coaster, but I didn't know it was going to be this long.”
Yet through it all, tiny Greyson — who now weighs 20 lbs. — overcame the obstacles. And doctors are not concerned about any neurological issues the smiley baby could have faced.
"I come in the morning and I know he's okay because if I tickle him, he rolls around laughing and he throws a towel over his head," Dr. Dennis Davidson told WABC-TV.
Related: Twins Born at 22 Weeks — Who Both Weighed Less Than 1 Lb. — Don Cap and Gown at NICU 'Graduation'
In advance of his homecoming this week, Greyson’s parents were trained to take care of the machines for his ventilator and tracheostomy.
Now, as the family prepares for a new life outside the hospital, Greyson’s dad couldn’t help but reflect on their difficult journey and how inspiring his son has been through it all.
"When kids start walking, he might be a little delayed. But he's perfectly fine with me. He's smart, sense of humor," Butler told WCBS-TV.
He added, "I think it's a story of a miracle. He never stopped fighting. There's a lot of situations I've been through that I wanted to just throw in the towel and I'm like if he could — he's here every day, he never stops fighting — then what am I gonna stop fighting for?"
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