How tiny is 1 pound 3 ounces...

It is the hardest thing to imagine. You would think that you get it but then when you saw her she was even smaller then that. At 11.5 inches long she was the exact same length as a Barbie doll. Robins wedding ring could be slid up her arm to her arm pit, she was that thin. They took a preemie diaper, cut it into 4th and then just layed her on top of it. It was many months before a preemie diaper even came close to fitting her.

The Vicious Cycle

It was such a frustrating cycle: She can't breath on her own so needs the vent, but because her lungs have not developed the vent will trash her lungs, because her lungs are now trashed she is more dependant on the vent. She needs more oxygen because of the lung damage and immaturity but that will damage her eyes and hearing. The steroids help her lungs but lower her immune system so that she catches every little bug easier. Everything they did seemed to fix one thing but cause a problem somewhere else...