06/12/2026
Many know how far David has come, but some of our newer followers might not know the full story. My friend Jay, a fellow nurse, said I should share more of David's journey with all of you! So here we go! David spent the first 2½ years of his life in Motts/Holden Hospital in the NICU and Children's Hospital because he was too unstable to be discharged. His social story is too personal and complex to write fully. My perspective on the series of events that allowed me to take David home—first as a foster parent and later to adopt him—feels truly like God's work. I cared for David in the neonatal ICU as one of many nurses who looked after him. Due to David’s complex medical and social needs, he was transferred to Motts Children's Hospital, where many of us from the NICU visited him often. When it was time for David to be discharged, he did not have a stable home environment to go to, so he entered foster care. However, within a week, that placement was failing because of his medical complexities and emotional outbursts. I was one of his caregivers in the foster home and asked if I could be his foster mom, take him home, and care for him. That’s how David’s story begins. Being single and working full-time, I didn't know how I would manage, but since David was vent-dependent, he received nursing care at my home. Many of the nurses who cared for David in my home were the same NICU and Mott nurses who cared for him in the hospital. This nursing care allowed me to go to work and sleep in peace, knowing he was well cared for. Over time, David became more stable and was able to come off the ventilator at age six. I will skip over the heartbreaks we have endured throughout the years because we have moved past those events. David has endured great physical pain and emotional trauma in his life, and it took great patience, faith, a supportive family and wonderful friends to get us to this point! The end result is what he shares with each of you. That's why I always tell him he's a blessing, a miracle, and a gift from God. 🩷