IDAHO FALLS, ID. (East Idaho News) — Kaio Doxey has come a long way over the past year.
Born at 24 weeks at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, the micro-premie, who weighed a little more than a can of soda, turned one on July 7.
For the first few days of life, Kaio lived second-by-second and fought to live.
He gained weight, became stronger and was called a “miracle” baby. Four months after his birth, went home.
He came home in November with oxygen and a feeding tube,” Kaio’s mother, Jessica Doxey, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “We were expecting for that to be a long road but it was ten days for his oxygen. Then about 2-3 weeks for his feeding tube to come out.”
Since coming home, Kaio’s health has been fairly stable, despite being diagnosed with pneumonia in February.
“Besides that, everything’s been really great,” Jessica says. “He’s a strong little guy and he’s determined to just be a regular baby.”
To celebrate Kaio’s first birthday, his parents made him a smash cake and a nurse from the EIRMC NICU dropped off a Dr. Seuss book called “Happy Birthday to You!”
“Some of his nurses in the NICU and Dr. (Wyc) Cheatham signed the book for Kaio and wrote a little bit of about him,” Kaio’s father, Kaio Doxey, says.
Kaio may have some vision issues and eventually need glasses. He could also develop asthma, but other than that, doctors believe he should grow just like any other child.
“I want the future with him to be about how great he’s doing – not about how scary it was,” Jessica says.
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