Rocky Start—Smooth Landing

The first few months of Audrey Patrick’s life were spent in the NICU. Today, she is growing and thriving.

Audrey Patrick, who lives in The Woodlands, spent the first few days of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit of a local hospital. There, Texas Children’s physicians monitored her mild pulmonary hypertension, but it soon became clear that there were more serious problems.

Audrey’s heart was on the right side of her chest instead of the left, and she had a significant abnormality on her left lung that signaled a congenital cystic lesion. Her condition was critical, and she needed immediate transport by a Texas Children’s Kangaroo Crew ambulance to the hospital’s Main Campus.

There, Texas Children’s surgeons performed a delicate procedure to remove part of Audrey’s lung. She came through the procedure with flying colors and soon returned home to her very grateful family. Today, Audrey is developing normally, growing and thriving.