On June 27, her 30th birthday, she finally got to take her son Knox home.
Getting there, to that picturesque bungalow on the corner of a quiet Summerside street, was a long time coming, a journey filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and, at times, uncertainty, for Lisa, her husband, Nick and their first child.
“It was very nice to come home, to feel the normalcy again,” said Lisa. “I don’t think I have actually fully stopped and thought about it. It was just like it just happened and we dealt with it and we just jumped in and away we went.
“He’s definitely a little fighter.”
Knox, who wasn’t due to arrive until July 7, was born on March 17, 24 weeks into her pregnancy. For 97 days, the family called IWK Health Centre home.
Click here to read more about Knox's journey.
“We were a bit nervous but they prepared of very, very well,” Lisa said of leaving the Halifax hospital. “We were there for three months and we were very hands on the whole time.”
On June 23, the trio finally made that long-anticipated trek across the Confederation Bridge to red soil, first spending a few days at Prince County Hospital.
“That is where we started,” said Nick, referring to the place Knox was born.
Now, sitting in their living room, the family of three is content.
Gone are the feeding tubes, monitors, nurses and doctors. No more hospital room.
In the background soft music plays as Knox, dressed in a smart white shirt, complete with blue bow tie and matching dress pants, makes faces.
He’s hungry, about to have a second bottle, something Nick, a first-time father, eagerly prepares as his wife lovingly nestles their tiny miracle.
Knox’s journey was documented daily, devoured by family, friends, even strangers, on social media. The daily updates have stopped since, as their author, Lisa’s sister, Leeann, wrote, “Knox is doing so well that there is really not a whole lot to report.”
“She was extremely dedicated and she was so busy. She has three boys, she works a full-time job and her husband works shift work,” said Lisa. “For her to do that took a lot of time and preparation. She fully committed to it, which was amazing.”
The Hanns are thankful for the staff at PCH and the IWK and overwhelmed by the support from family and friends and complete strangers touched by Knox’s journey.
“We are still receiving it, so much positive support,” said Lisa. “I was out and a lady stopped me and said ‘you’re home!’ I didn’t know who she was.”
She feels like Knox’s story resonated with so many because “people don’t fully understand the preemie journey, especially a 24-week preemie journey.”
“When my sister start this post it really allowed people to really experience this is what people go through in the NICU,” added Lisa. “Unless you’ve been there then you really have no idea.”
Now, it’s time to settle into life at home with a newborn.
Knox is sleeping, well, like a baby. He’s bright, inquisitive and growing — fast.
Feeding is constant, like taking care for triplets with Knox’s growing appetite.
“The worries are now peeing and pooping,” Nick said with a laugh. “The things we worry about now are quite different than we were worrying about a few months ago.”
The Hanns feel like someone was watching over their family.
“We definitely have a lot of angels,” added Lisa. “We can’t thank everybody enough.”
On June 27, her 30th birthday, she finally got to take her son Knox home.
Getting there, to that picturesque bungalow on the corner of a quiet Summerside street, was a long time coming, a journey filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and, at times, uncertainty, for Lisa, her husband, Nick and their first child.
“It was very nice to come home, to feel the normalcy again,” said Lisa. “I don’t think I have actually fully stopped and thought about it. It was just like it just happened and we dealt with it and we just jumped in and away we went.
“He’s definitely a little fighter.”
Knox, who wasn’t due to arrive until July 7, was born on March 17, 24 weeks into her pregnancy. For 97 days, the family called IWK Health Centre home.
Click here to read more about Knox's journey.
“We were a bit nervous but they prepared of very, very well,” Lisa said of leaving the Halifax hospital. “We were there for three months and we were very hands on the whole time.”
On June 23, the trio finally made that long-anticipated trek across the Confederation Bridge to red soil, first spending a few days at Prince County Hospital.
“That is where we started,” said Nick, referring to the place Knox was born.
Now, sitting in their living room, the family of three is content.
Gone are the feeding tubes, monitors, nurses and doctors. No more hospital room.
In the background soft music plays as Knox, dressed in a smart white shirt, complete with blue bow tie and matching dress pants, makes faces.
He’s hungry, about to have a second bottle, something Nick, a first-time father, eagerly prepares as his wife lovingly nestles their tiny miracle.
Knox’s journey was documented daily, devoured by family, friends, even strangers, on social media. The daily updates have stopped since, as their author, Lisa’s sister, Leeann, wrote, “Knox is doing so well that there is really not a whole lot to report.”
“She was extremely dedicated and she was so busy. She has three boys, she works a full-time job and her husband works shift work,” said Lisa. “For her to do that took a lot of time and preparation. She fully committed to it, which was amazing.”
The Hanns are thankful for the staff at PCH and the IWK and overwhelmed by the support from family and friends and complete strangers touched by Knox’s journey.
“We are still receiving it, so much positive support,” said Lisa. “I was out and a lady stopped me and said ‘you’re home!’ I didn’t know who she was.”
She feels like Knox’s story resonated with so many because “people don’t fully understand the preemie journey, especially a 24-week preemie journey.”
“When my sister start this post it really allowed people to really experience this is what people go through in the NICU,” added Lisa. “Unless you’ve been there then you really have no idea.”
Now, it’s time to settle into life at home with a newborn.
Knox is sleeping, well, like a baby. He’s bright, inquisitive and growing — fast.
Feeding is constant, like taking care for triplets with Knox’s growing appetite.
“The worries are now peeing and pooping,” Nick said with a laugh. “The things we worry about now are quite different than we were worrying about a few months ago.”
The Hanns feel like someone was watching over their family.
“We definitely have a lot of angels,” added Lisa. “We can’t thank everybody enough.”
