'The doctors had tried everything': Preemie born at 22 weeks called 'miracle'

After 350 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) battling near-death medical struggles, premature Gabriel James Golden has proven himself a warrior already and has headed home with his family. 

Key Takeaways:

• High-risk pregnancy complications caused Caroline Golden to require an emergency cesarean section at just 22 weeks.

• Gabriel was born weighing just one pound, one ounce, and doctors warned his chances of survival were slim.

• After three months in the NICU, one hospital transfer, and 350 days in the hospital, Gabriel was miraculously discharged from the hospital to go home with his parents.

• Babies born as young as 21 weeks have a chance of surviving outside the womb.

• Abortion is not necessary when a woman's water breaks prematurely.

The Details:

Caroline Golden of Jacksonville, Tennessee, had entered her 14th week of pregnancy when things took a serious turn. She was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma after experiencing bleeding that landed her in the hospital. Subchorionic hematoma is a condition in which blood collects between the placenta and the uterine lining. Treatment depends on the size, location, and severity of the hematoma, as well as the gestational age of the baby. A pregnancy is considered high-risk when a woman has a subchorionic hematoma and she will be ordered to rest and will be closely monitored by doctors. In some cases, surgery and antibiotics may be required.

Golden's water broke at 18 weeks, but she was able to continue carrying Gabriel until 22 weeks, when she was admitted to the hospital. She delivered Gabriel via C-section five days later. 

‘Miracle baby’ born at 1 pound, finally home after nearly a year in the hospital

Gabriel weighed only one pound, one ounce as birth and was a tiny 11 inches long. According to an interview with FOX News 13, doctors felt Gabriel’s chances of survival were slim. In his first month after birth, Gabriel battled pneumonia and severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic lung disease common in premature infants.

When his oxygen levels began to plummet, his parents were told to say their goodbyes; instead, they began to pray. “The doctors had tried everything,” Golden said. “We started singing praises over him, and slowly the number crept up. It was just something you cannot explain. It was truly a miracle.” 

During Gabriel's time in the hospital, his mother shared these sentimental and heartfelt words of faith on Instagram regarding the challenging situation her son and family were facing. 

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"There have been multiple occasions on which we almost lost our boy but God shows up every single time. I will never not believe. I will never not have Faith again. Sometimes I struggle with the 'why us' but then I change my mindset to “why not us”. God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called and it’s a BLESSING to be called. I’m blessed that I get to see Jesus’s work first hand. I can’t wait until the day when we take Gabriel home and I will continue to speak it into existence and thank God in advance for that day. I can’t wait to see how his testimony impacts people and we will NEVER stop telling those of what he has done," she wrote.

After nearly a year in the hospital for Gabriel and months of staying in hotels, hospitality houses, and even the Ronald McDonald House for his parents, the Golden family had their prayers joyfully answered. On September 15, as nurses and doctors celebrated with a graduation march, Gabriel left the hospital for home in his little cap and gown. Although Gabriel will still need a tracheostomy and feeding tube, his parents remain hopeful that his lungs will grow as he does.

“Gabriel is a warrior,” Caroline wrote in an Instagram post. His name means “God is my strength."

“He’s got a lot of care that he needs, but we’re so excited to do it,” his father, Garreth, said. “He’s got a story to tell people, a positive one. It's that there are still good things that happen in the world.”

Why it Matters:

Unfortunately, not all hospitals are equipped to help babies born as young as Gabriel was. The organization TwentyTwo Matters has created a map of hospitals able to take care of micropreemies, even those born as young as 21 weeks, who are capable of surviving when given proper care.

Gabriel was born by emergency C-section after his mother's water broke at 18 weeks. While the abortion-friendly media has claimed that such a situation requires an immediate induced abortion, Gabriel's life proves this is not true.