On May 20, 2013, Cami was born via emergency c-section at 25 weeks and 2 days gestation weighing just  1 lb. 7 oz. The larger of our identical twin girls, she had an incredibly rough start and was given chest compressions in the delivery room. When our daughters were just 9 days old, we lost Cami’s sister Madi due to complications stemming from their extreme prematurity. Just 2 weeks later, at 23 days old, Cami was transferred in the middle of the night to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I have never been so grateful to have a top neonatology department so close to home.

Cami suffered from an infection called Necrotizing Enterocolitis. At just over one month old, she had emergency surgery to remove nearly 25% of her small intestine. Cami’s recovery from surgery went amazingly well. She was able to start drinking from a bottle, moved from an isolette to a crib and was weaned off all oxygen support. In August of 2013 Cami had an intestinal reconnection surgery and received a g-tube to help with her feeds. She was diagnosed with Short Bowel Syndrome. We thought we were officially in the clear, but in September, she had another setback. It was discovered that Cami had a rare genetic condition called an annular pancreas and a third surgery was needed.

In total, Cami spent 175 days in the NICU, finally coming home for the first time at almost six month old on November 11, 2013. She came home on 20 hour a day tube feeds weighing almost 10 lbs.

Since her homecoming, Cami has thrived! She no longer needed to be tube fed at 9 months old and her tube was removed completely in June of 2014. She is a now a happy, healthy, smart, beautiful and very sassy 4-year-old who adores her baby brother and loves preschool, soccer and dance. To look at her, you would never guess she had such a rough start in life. Cami’s journey with Nationwide Children’s Hospital is far from over and she is still seen regularly by the Gastroenterology team.

We are forever grateful for all Nationwide Children’s has done for our family!

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• Name: Camden D.Camden Dammann
• Condition(s): Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Prematurity, Short Bowel Syndrome
• Age at Treatment: 23 days
• Age Today: 05/20/201310 Years

On May 20, 2013, Cami was born via emergency c-section at 25 weeks and 2 days gestation weighing just  1 lb. 7 oz. The larger of our identical twin girls, she had an incredibly rough start and was given chest compressions in the delivery room. When our daughters were just 9 days old, we lost Cami’s sister Madi due to complications stemming from their extreme prematurity. Just 2 weeks later, at 23 days old, Cami was transferred in the middle of the night to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I have never been so grateful to have a top neonatology department so close to home.

Cami suffered from an infection called Necrotizing Enterocolitis. At just over one month old, she had emergency surgery to remove nearly 25% of her small intestine. Cami’s recovery from surgery went amazingly well. She was able to start drinking from a bottle, moved from an isolette to a crib and was weaned off all oxygen support. In August of 2013 Cami had an intestinal reconnection surgery and received a g-tube to help with her feeds. She was diagnosed with Short Bowel Syndrome. We thought we were officially in the clear, but in September, she had another setback. It was discovered that Cami had a rare genetic condition called an annular pancreas and a third surgery was needed.

In total, Cami spent 175 days in the NICU, finally coming home for the first time at almost six month old on November 11, 2013. She came home on 20 hour a day tube feeds weighing almost 10 lbs.

Since her homecoming, Cami has thrived! She no longer needed to be tube fed at 9 months old and her tube was removed completely in June of 2014. She is a now a happy, healthy, smart, beautiful and very sassy 4-year-old who adores her baby brother and loves preschool, soccer and dance. To look at her, you would never guess she had such a rough start in life. Cami’s journey with Nationwide Children’s Hospital is far from over and she is still seen regularly by the Gastroenterology team.

We are forever grateful for all Nationwide Children’s has done for our family!