Meet July’s Legendairy Little, Wynonna

Each month we donate a portion of our proceeds to a child with medical needs through the Legendairy Littles program. In the month of July, we will be featuring Wynonna.

Born in November 2022 with Gastroschisis, Wynonna had to have her first surgery minutes after she was born. Gastroschisis is a birth defect where a baby has a hole in their belly that lets the intestines flow outside the baby’s body. When Gastroschisis is found during an ultrasound, doctors are unable to identify the severity of the case until the baby is born. Any combination of internal organs could develop outside of the baby’s tummy without a way to help until after birth.

The time frame for recovery depends on the baby. When Wynonna was 3 weeks old, she was able to be introduced to her mother's milk. At first, she was given one mL at a time, and the amounts increased as tolerated. However, when her demand for milk grew, formula was needed to supplement. The week Wynonna was expected to go home, she developed a severe case of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) from the formula. NEC is one of the most common and serious intestinal diseases in premature babies and occurs when intestine tissue is injured. Wynonna required emergency surgery. The surgery forced her to start from practically the beginning, requiring feeds to be paused and then slowly introduced againor. During this time, scans also detected a blood clot in the main vein of her liver.

Wynonna completed a two-month NICU stay. She was able to enjoy being home for 48 hours before being life-flighted back to the hospital related to bleeding. During this hospitalization, her blood clot and GI complications were monitored closely. It was determined her medication was too strong.

Throughout this NICU journey, Wynonna’s parents have done everything in their power to ensure they were able to visit her every single day. Being stationed 96 miles away from the hospital and thousands of miles from family frequently put their determination to the test.

In the past few months, Wynonna’s family executed military orders across the country, but they remain thankful to the hospital staff who saved her life more than once. Wynonna loves to go for stroller rides outside and enjoys the Legendairy Milk Teether Toy. Gastroschisis comes with its own unique ongoing challenges but she enjoys guzzling down a 5oz bottle of milk. The clot in her liver remains present. Medication is still not an option for treatment. For now, she receives regular in-depth ultrasounds and everyone holds on to hope that the clot will safely dissolve on its own.

Although her life has had its share of ups and downs, Wynonna is thriving and continuing to grow. During July, a portion of our proceeds will be donated to her family to help with her ongoing medical expenses.