Baby Born At 22 Weeks Finally Goes Home After Spending More Than 6 Months In NICU

A preemie baby who is the longest patient at a hospital in Boston has defied all odds to go home after spending more than six months there.

His delighted mother, Shana Alexander says, “You just think about getting through the next day, the next day, the next day,” she said.

His mother has been literally counting down the days, “Two hundred and two next-days,” that’s how long Shana’s precious family has stayed and watched their son Abel fight to survive.

Abel was only 22 weeks old when he was delivered on October 28, “I woke up intubated. I didn’t know if the baby made it. I didn’t know if it was a boy or girl,” Shana said.

He weighed one pound and eight ounces and there wasn’t a good outlook on his survival. “They wanted to do comfort care twice the first three weeks he was born. My kids were able to come in the second week to say bye,” she said.

Abel received good care from the teams at Beth Israel’s and Children’s for almost seven months and kept surprising everyone with his strong will to live.

Shana recalls the heartache she experienced while waiting at the hospital, “You sit in a room for a long time watching other families – I’ve watched more than 50 babies leave during my stay. We’ve had more than 19 roommates. You pray to God I hope that’s going to be me one day,” Shana said.

But God was working silently in the background and using this opportunity of distress to bring them closer to Him. Shana and her husband clung to God more than ever and knew that He had their backs.

Shana says, “It’s brought me so much closer to God. My eyes are opened. I’m very thankful for so much more things. I could have died too that day,” Shana said.

Their prayers have finally been answered and on this Sunday, little Abel is going home to Wilmington to join his parents and 3 siblings. All Glory to God.