Emmanuel Barajas’s parents, Laura and Jose Barajas, are happy to have him now at home happy and healthy.
“He had a reputation for being feisty and I think him being so feisty helped us leave,” said Laura Barajas. “He is such a special little guy even though he was born so little, he’s just doing so great.”
Gayno Swanson was one of Emmanuel’s nurses.
“I love it because I feel like it’s the one job in the hospital where you’re going to have a chance to see somebody to go on a long happy healthy life and you just never know what these babies are gonna do…what they are gonna become,” said Gayno Swanson, nurse at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.
27-year old Jess Dedrick and her twin sister were born with twin to twin transfusion syndrome, a complication with disproportionate blood supply.
“I was born nine weeks early at 31-weeks. We had a lot of issues,” said Dedrick. “I weighed two pounds and my twin weighed three pounds and we were in NICU for 40 days.
Jess and her mom say the first three years of their life consisted of back to back doctor appointments but she says it’s all worth it.
“I have so much hope for the future and hope for these little babies that they can grow up strong and healthy and end up with great jobs and health,” said Samantha Dedrick, mother of Jess Dedrick.
Jess and her twin sister have gone on to live active lives as a Medford Police officer and a wildland firefighter.
“It’s not part of your plan to come and see us but when you have to be here, know that we put our hearts and souls into everything that we do for you. We love you. We love our communities and these babies and we want you to have a healthy-happy start to life,” said Swanson.
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