WHEC - "Right now, there's a baby girl in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital weighing a little over a pound and a half. Madison Grace Jones was born 18 weeks early to Lisa Snyder and Samuel Jones from Clyde. Doctors say Madison is one of the smallest and youngest babies they've ever seen.She's hooked up to a breathing tube, in an incubator and under constant watch.
Her parents say they have no doubt little Madison is a fighter, but she has a long journey ahead.“It was kind of a really big surprise, the joke is I sneezed and wound up at Strong,” Snyder said. “It was really scary only because I didn't know what was going on and I was worried about the fact that I was so early and what was going to happen to her.”Lisa Snyder gave birth to Madison on June 15th, at 22 weeks and five days. Madison weighed 1.39lbs.
Despite Snyder’s worries, delivery went smoothly and dad, Samuel Jones, says little Madison is stronger than she looks.“Just everything she's been through so far I just can't believe,” Jones said. “I wouldn't even be able to do the things she's done.”Out of 1200 babies in the NICU at Golisano Children's Hospital, Doctor Carl D'Angio, Chief of Neonatology says about 600 to 700 of them are premature, but Madison is a special case.“She is among the smallest and youngest of the babies that we take care of,” D’Angio said. “Right now, with the technology we have that's absolutely the youngest baby who's likely to survive.”Because of Madison’s premature birth, she faces a unique set of challenges."
When babies are born this early one of the major difficulties they have is with their lungs because their lungs really aren't fully formed,” D’Angio said.D’Angio also says the rest of her organs aren’t fully developed either. Despite the circumstances, new technology increases Madison’s chance of survival and her family looks forward to her progress."Just holding her myself and bringing her home,” Jones said. “It's a long ways away but we're going to be here every step of the way and it'll be nice to get her in the car seat and drive her home.”
The Golisano Children's Hospital is made so that babies in incubators can be in the rooms with their parents, which isn't always easy to find at hospitals.Little Madison will most likely be in the NICU until October.
Her family has started a Facebook Page for people to keep up with her progress and you can help the family by donating to their GoFundMe."