Nicole made 8 years old this July (2011) and what a journey it has been!  She was born 5 weeks premature with Down Syndrome to unsuspecting parents.  She barely survived her first night after being diagnosed with PDA, AV canal and a virul infection.  During her 6 week stay in NICU, she had g-tube surgery due to very low muscle tone and a very weak heart.

At 3 months, she had open heart surgery to repair the AV canal when it was discovered she had a severe aortic coarctation which was also repaired during a very lengthy surgery. She then had a pacemaker installed due to poor sinus rhythm three weeks later.

Although she had been quite lethargic since birth, an angioplasty to correct another aortic coarctation at 15 months seems to have turned on her "GO" switch and we can't find the "SLOW DOWN" button just yet!

Cognitively, she seems to have no limits having mastered the concept of saying "No-No" when she's doing something she shouldn't.

She currently takes synthroid daily and our next goal is walking by her birthday and hopefully oral feeding one day.  She's quite a wonderful, loving, happy, get-outta-my-way-cuz-I'm-comin-thru kinda gal.

Nicole is very much loved by a great big sister and adoring parents.