Kimberly Thomas and Damante Jackson’s twins, Kimyah and DJ, may be complete opposites, but they share one important trait: resiliency. Born premature at just 22 weeks, they became the youngest surviving premature twins at Cleveland Clinic. With Kimyah weighing 12 ounces and DJ weighing 15 ounces, their fight for survival was an uphill battle.
IMAGE: Kimberly Brown VIA Cleveland Clinic
Kimberly knew something was wrong when she began leaking amniotic fluid. She promptly called her doctor, and soon found herself in the hospital, four centimeters dilated. With a slim 10-20% chance of survival and possible developmental delays, Kimberly made the decision to do everything possible to give her twins a fighting chance.
The twins had to be resuscitated and intubated immediately after birth, before being rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Kimberly was in awe of just how small they were, with Kimyah being the size of a soda can. The dedicated nurses worked tirelessly to care for the tiny babies, learning how to adapt to their unique needs.
IMAGE: Kimberly Brown VIA Cleveland Clinic
Kimberly spent every single day and night with her babies, taking part in their care despite not being able to hold them for a month due to their fragile skin. She worked closely with the care team, staying informed about their progress and providing support whenever she could.
“Every morning I would get an update from the doctors on how they did overnight and what the plan for the day was,” says Kimberly. “I would then go into the NICU just to talk to my babies. I don’t think there was one day I didn’t spend at least a few minutes with them. I pretty much lived at the NICU for four-and-a-half months.”
The road to recovery was filled with ups and downs, with DJ experiencing a lung collapse and Kimyah suffering from a minor brain bleed. However, with the support of their dedicated care team and their mother’s involvement, the twins overcame each obstacle and celebrated every milestone along the way.
“We celebrated every milestone with them while they were in the hospital. At one month, my mom, uncle, and some other family came together to throw a party for the twins at the hospital with a cake. We had their baby shower at three months, and we even did a photo shoot to mark their due date, which was Valentine’s Day,” says Kimberly.
After 138 days in the NICU, Kimyah and DJ were finally ready to go home. Although they still required oxygen and close monitoring, their progress was remarkable.
“I was super excited when I found out they were able to come home but a little nervous as well,” says Kimberly. “They needed to remain on oxygen since their lungs were so underdeveloped when they were born. I also needed to continue checking their blood oxygen saturation levels with a pulse oximeter.”
A graduation ceremony was held, complete with caps and gowns, as the twins were cheered on by the caregivers who had formed a special bond with them.
IMAGE VIA Cleveland Clinic
Now almost a year old, Kimyah and DJ are thriving. They are catching up on weight and height and their lungs are developing well. While it will take a few more years to determine if there are any developmental delays, they continue to exceed expectations and make incredible strides through therapy sessions.
IMAGE VIA Cleveland Clinic
Care for babies this small has come a long way over the last decade with the survival rate of babies who born extremely premature increasing every year.
“Along with medical advancements to care for premature babies, research shows centers that push the envelope consistently have more successful outcomes,” says Firas Saker, MD, the medical director of Cleveland Clinic Children’s Level III NICU at Hillcrest Hospital. “If you asked me 10 years ago, resuscitation at less than 24 weeks gestation would not have been possible without the advanced technology and skillset we have today. Now, there’s more tendency across the world to reevaluate our thinking and push the envelope. We have a great team that’s been able to make a tremendous amount of progress.”
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