Let’s Bring Luke Home!

What a journey this has been.

After spending 26 days in the hospital due to complications with severe preeclampsia that developed into life-threatening disseminated intravascular coagulation, Lauren and Dillon had to agree to move forward with a c-section at just 24 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Luke Camden Cunningham came into the world on June 24, 2024 at 10:10 AM weighing a tiny 1 pound 6.9 ounces and measuring only 11.93 inches. Luke spent 175 days in the Johns Hopkins hospital NICU before getting transferred to the PICU. As of typing this, he has spent 50 days and counting in the PICU. In those 225 days of hospitalization, Luke has fought countless battles and endured more than any person, let alone a tiny baby, should have to. From spending 121 days intubated, to sepsis, chronic lung disease/bronchopulmonary dysplasia, bilateral grade 4 brain bleeds, hydrocephalus, FIVE brain surgeries (and more to come), bacterial meningitis, capillary leak syndrome, retinopathy of prematurity, eye injections, laser eye surgery, countless x-rays/ultrasounds/MRIs/EKGs/and echocardiograms, multiple days hooked up to EEGs to monitor seizure concerns, necrotizing enterocolitis, a urinary tract infection, numerous blood transfusions, multiple courses of steroids, multiple PICC lines, and many more things that are slipping our minds at the moment, Luke has proven to be the most brave, strong, and resilient little human. To say that the past 250 days have been a rollercoaster ride that we never wanted to be on would be an understatement. It has challenged us, broken us, and forced us to put the pieces back together in any way we possibly can.

Because of this unique journey we've been on, we never got to have the baby shower that pregnant women look forward to. Let’s be real…. we never got to do a lot of the “normal” pregnant and newborn baby things, and that has been heartbreaking. Because we never were able to see an end in sight, and all our time and energy has been poured into being with Luke and being his advocates and sources of love that he can count on, we never got around to putting a nursery together for him or getting all the necessary things that you need to care for a baby at home. We are getting to a place in Luke’s medical care that he may be home before we know it (like in a couple weeks from today 2/4/25) and we are completely unprepared. Due to Luke’s complex medical needs, we know that there will be a lot of expenses that we will have to take on. It is our hope that, even though we can’t have the typical baby shower, our family and friends can come together in support of Luke and of us and help us get the things we need to FINALLY have Luke at home. We absolutely cannot wait to have our miracle at home where he belongs, and we can’t wait for everyone to meet him. You’re going to love him (if you don’t already)! Thank you all in advance for any help you can provide and love you can show to little Luke.