Oklahoma Children’s Pathway to Home program teaches parents how to care for child with complex medical needs
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Ranger’s care journey was a long one — from Durant, Okla., to Austin, Texas, and finally OU Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. Born at just 25 weeks and weighing only 1 pound, Ranger faced daunting medical challenges, including a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). His parents, Mariah and Riggin Dellis, remained hopeful through every setback. “So excited beyond words,” Mariah said as they prepared to leave the hospital 277 days after Ranger’s birth.
A key part of Ranger’s progress came through the hospital’s Pathway to Home program, which equips families with the skills and confidence needed to care for medically complex children once they leave the hospital. Under the guidance of Theresa Graif, M.D, medical director of the Transitional Care Unit and Pathway to Home Program, the Dellis family learned to manage Ranger’s care, including his ventilator support and extensive medication routine. “They are now, truly, the experts; they know Ranger, they know how to care for him,” Graif said, highlighting how the program empowers parents to move from hospital to home safely and successfully. Ranger’s departure marked not only the end of an intensive medical journey, but the beginning of a hopeful new chapter for his family.