Angelisse Rentas has become a beacon of hope this year, born at just 23 weeks, an age where survival is incredibly rare and challenges abound. The doctors classified her as “extremely premature,” weighing a mere 1 lb. 4 oz. at birth, a stark indicator of her precarious condition.
Tragically, her twin brother Elvin did not survive the harsh realities of such an early arrival. Doctors estimated Angelisse’s chances of survival at only 30 percent, a grim outlook for a baby born so soon.
Dr. Jaclyn Boulais, the medical director of the NICU at Tufts, explained the unfortunate situation faced by extreme preemies. “You have to think that they’ve missed out on 17 weeks of gestation where they should be growing inside of mom and getting nutrients from mom in the placenta,” she noted.
Angelisse, thrust into the world far too early, was now faced with the enormous task of developing outside of the nurturing environment of the womb. As a result, she and others in her position confront a heightened risk of serious complications, including difficulties with lung inflation, infections due to fragile skin, and severe brain bleeding.
Dr. Boulais remarked, “One of the most severe complications of prematurity that we see… we do our best to prevent. But the younger you are and the smaller you are, the more likely you are to suffer some of the more significant or severe complications of prematurity.”
Each day inside the NICU, Angelisse was under vigilant care. Her family made the daily journey from Lowell to Boston to be by her side, holding vigil as their tiny warrior fought for every moment.
After five long months, in a remarkable turn of events, the medical team determined that Angelisse had grown strong enough to finally go home. Dr. Boulais expressed her pride in Angelisse’s development: “She’s not on oxygen. She has not had a severe intraventricular hemorrhage. She’s never had a single infection. She tolerates her feeds. She takes her full bottles. That is just outstanding for someone who’s been born as young and as tiny as her. She’s truly amazing.”
For Ivelisse, Angelisse’s mother, the journey has been nothing short of miraculous. “She fought hard to be here,” Ivelisse said. “And they fought hard to keep her around. There’s no words for that. I’m just happy.”
Ivelisse has faced her share of grief; she experienced the losses of five pregnancies over the course of 11 years after the birth of her son. Throughout this difficult journey, the NICU has played a vital role in helping her navigate her emotions and find a pathway toward healing.
“They let us express ourselves whether it’s emotional, whether it’s happy, whether it’s sad,” she acknowledged. “They’re there to let you let it out and to reassure us that, ‘You take that time if you need it, but we’ll be taking care of your baby until the time for you to do it comes.'”
That much-anticipated time finally arrived.
Dr. Boulais shared an uplifting tradition at the NICU that began several years ago. For babies like Angelisse, who stay for 50 days or more, a special ‘Discharge Parade’ is held to celebrate their journey towards health.
NewsCenter 5 covered the touching scene as doctors and nurses lined the hallway outside the NICU. Angelisse passed by in her car seat, akin to a Grand Marshal at a festive event, marking her incredible milestone.
Her parents felt an overwhelming wave of pride and gratitude as they prepared to take her home. Ivelisse reflected on the challenging days she had spent waiting to see her daughter. “Being here, I only got to spend a couple of hours with her and then go back home and wait all day to then come again and see her,” she recounted.
Now, she expressed a profound sense of fulfillment, knowing that she would awaken every day with Angelisse by her side, turning what once felt like a dream into a beautiful reality. “This ain’t a dream — and she’s going to be there with us,” Ivelisse said, her voice filled with joy and relief.
image source from：wcvb
