Toddler heads home with family after near 2-year stay at Blythedale Children's Hospital

Nearly two years after his birth, toddler Nathaniel is finally heading home.

Nathaniel Flores was born prematurely at just 26 weeks old and 13.5 ounces along with his brother at Blythedale Children's Hospital. His brother died shortly after birth, but Nathaniel continued to fight.

"I'm just grateful to hang out with him," said Sandya Flores, Nathaniel's mother. "I mean, he's got opinions and feelings and he lets them know. And so I look forward to the playful period of this and just having fun."

Getting to this day was a team effort -- Nathaniel's strength and the work of his doctors and nurses. Nathaniel was on a ventilator with very high settings and required a tremendous amount of touch and go changes in his in his ventilation strategy. He also need to gain weight to outgrow that problem.

"Letting him wander on the living room floor, watching a ball game with him," added Jorge Flores, Nathaniel's father. "Those are the things I'm looking forward to."

Sandya and Jorge Flores spent a lot of time preparing for Nathaniel eventual homecoming, and they able to get ready with the hospital's parent and caregiver training center.

"We have a simulated mock up home environment where they learn how to establish the baby's room, how to care for their child in the home environment, which is very different than the hospital environment," said Blythedale Children's Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Jill Wegener.

The Flores' family say there have been ups and downs in their journey with Nathaniel, but they never felt alone thanks to the support of those around them.

I almost feel like we had more support than a parent who goes over to the newborn," acknowledged Sandya Flores. "You have a newborn, they send you home after two days. Now we had probably way too much support. People have held our hands for 22 months and I think we'll be okay. I think we're ready."

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