SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - One and a half year old, Nora Masterson has one of those contagious smiles even though she had an incredibly rough start to her little life.
She was born at 23 weeks and weighed a little over a pound when she was born. Sadly, after a week of intensive around-the-clock care, Nora's twin passed away.
Little Nora needed multiple surgeries for her heart, abdomen, intestines and her eyes.
All of the surgeries and recoveries had her in the NICU at UCSD for 203 days before she was finally able to head home.
Nora’s parents called her a fighter and said that her fighting spirit got everyone through the difficult times.
On Saturday, the family returned to the hospital, not for treatment, but to meet other families who shre similar stories.
UC San Diego’s Little Grad’s picnic allows the kids to just be kids. They got to experience everything from eating snowcones to playing carnival games.
For the medical staff, it is a chance to see the little patients they spent so much time with.
The doctors say unfortunately, they see a lot of tragedy so it is wonderful to relish in the success stories.
Today, Nora is content in her mother’s arms or just walking around.
It is those small milestones the Masterson’s cherish every single day.
