Baby Rose Home After 165 Days
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — After a challenging 165-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Riley Hospital for Children, baby Rose Opal Ann Byers is finally heading home to Greencastle, Indiana.
The five-month ordeal concluded with a festive, movie-themed send-off as Rose, dressed as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” followed her own “yellow brick road” out of the hospital. Her parents, Spencer and Madison Byers, decorated her wagon with yellow brick road paper to celebrate the momentous occasion.
“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home,” echoed the sentiment as Rose, complete with tiny bows, a gingham dress, and ruby red slippers, departed the hospital for the first time since her birth in June.
Open-Heart Surgery at 11 Days Old:
Rose’s long journey began after she was born with a rare heart defect. She underwent open-heart surgery performed by Riley heart surgeon Dr. Mark Turrentine at just 11 days old.
The NICU nurses embraced the celebratory theme, inspired by the recent movie release of Wicked: For Good, making Rose’s discharge a memorable event for the family.
The Byers family can now start their next chapter in Greencastle, finally getting to experience life at home with their resilient daughter.
