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Show I VP I H I 1 Small wonder Little Madison Klein is a miracle to her mother, Rebecca. Madison came home from the hospital at the age of 15 weeks, on what was to have been her birthday, Jan. 10. Born at one pound, 10 ounces, doctors gave the tiny baby no hope of survival. Although Madison must be on oxygen, her mother said the "worst part" of her fight for life is over. Miracle baby beats the odds By JUDY JENSEN Managing Editor CENTER VILLE Tiny Madison Klein was given no chance of survival when she entered the world Oct 7 at one pound 10 ounces. Now the miracle baby has celebrated what should have been her birthday. The daughter of Derren and Rebecca Klein was due to be bom Jan. 10, but instead they celebrated because the 16-week-old baby finally came home from the hospital to join her older brother, two-year-old Joshua, "Words can't express what this has been like. It's been a nightmare. It's been hell, but there have been so many wonderful people involved in her little life it's been bearable. She's just a trooper," said Rebecca. The "nightmare" began Oct 7 when Rebecca went into labor at not quite 25 weeks into her pregnancy. This being her second se-cond pregnancy, Rebecca said she felt something was different from the beginning. "My doctor said 'there is no way this fetus can live. ' " Rebecca Klein "I took very good care of myself. I watched all of the "Baby Your Baby" information. I ate the right foods, and I put myself down because I knew there was a problem, but I didn't know what," she said. When Madison was bora placenta previa at Lakeview Hospital, the doctor told the Kleins there was no hope for her survival. "My doctor said 'there is no way this fetus can live,' " said Rebecca. Madison was rushed by helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center and the miracle began to unfold. un-fold. "The neonatology team was wonderful They began to treat Madison immediately, but they told us they felt there was no way she could survive," said Rebecca. But Madison was a tighter. When she survived the first 24 hours, the doctors were more hopeful. "One thing that paid off was the fact that I had taken care of SEE KLINE ON PG.3 Kline CONTINUED FROM PG.l myself. The doctors told me that my good health had allowed Madison's lung buds to grow." Many babies would not have developed lung buds that early in a pregnancy and they would die because of it. Madison's survival to 72 hours baffled the doctors. At one week she had survived surgery, chest tubes, a heart monitor and scores of invasive tests. Rebecca credits the nurses in the intensive care nursery for helping Madison survive. "They are fabulous. They would catch any little thing immediately." Rebecca said Madison would get "right to the brink of death" many times, and miraculously the deadly progression of a condition would cease and she would recover. "A baby can have a brain bleed only to a certain point before it causes serious permanent damage. Madison would reach that point, but not cross the line," said Rebecca. She said the same was true of her eyes. At one time doctors warned she might be blind, but that condition condi-tion lessened also. "She may need a little laser surgery on her eyes later, but her eyes are good," said Rebecca. Rebe-cca. "We've beaten the odds right and left. One thing that kills a lot of these premature babies is the pain. This is a story of Madison's will to live. We're proud of every one of her little battle scars, "said Rebecca. She said she has "seen the dark side" of stories like Madison. She explained her mother had premature twins 17 years ago, and both babies died. "It's marvelous to see how modern technology has changed. They kept her alive and she is wonderful." "Wonderful" little Madison now weighs in at a hefty 5 lbs. 8 oz. and is expected to live a normal life. She is at home and on oxygen which the Kleins hope will be eliminated elim-inated within the next month. "Her spirit nearly jumps out of her body, she is such a trooper. In her little lifetime she has gone through more pain than most people ever do. The doctors make no bones about saying she's a miracle, and we agree," Rebecca concluded. "i i X ?rrfF & Madison's foot, and handprint at one month |