Correspondent

Delivered just shy of 26 weeks and weighing just 16 ounces, little Caleb Nunn survived the odds, thanks in large part to the advances in research by the non-profit organization, the March of Dimes.

Chosen as one of this year's local poster children, Caleb's story seems at once impossible and yet, it is true. Sixteen years after being told by her doctor that she would never have a child, Susan Nunn discovered during a routine doctor's visit that she was, indeed, with child.

Going to the doctor with what she thought was a kidney infection, Nunn was told she was 14 weeks pregnant. Once the shock wore off, Nunn says she was ecstatic. However, that joy would prove to be short lived.

At her regular 26 week check up, Nunn was sent by ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, in order to be examined by specialists.

"When they checked me, my blood pressure was so high they told me the blood supply was being cut off to the baby - instead of the baby getting a new supply of oxygenated blood, he was getting the old blood. They also told me that my liver was closing down," she explained.

Nunn says she arrived at UT between 12 noon and 1 p.m. and that by 6 p.m. that evening, she had delivered Caleb via emergency C-Section.

"When he was born, his hand and feet prints were done. We took a dime and was able to completely cover his hand print with it," Nunn said. "They say he was 12 inches long at birth but, we were able to take a dollar bill and lay it over him, and only his feet were sticking out."

Nunn says the specialists held no hope for Caleb's survival but, approximately 148 days later, the couple was allowed to bring their baby home.

And, that was the continuation of a four plus yearsâ struggle to keep Caleb alive. Born on Jan. 26, 2001, the infant had already beaten the odds. An estimated four out of five male premature births end with the child not making it through the first few days of life.

During his short five years on earth, Caleb has faced multiple surgeries, the first performed at four weeks of age to correct a malfunctioning heart valve.

In April 2003, Caleb suffered the first of what would become several life threatening incidents when he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and hypertension after collapsing at a routine doctor's

visit.

"They gave him up - we were told he had no chance," Nunn remembered. "He was on the ventilator for 31 days before he was in good enough shape to be taken off. After three days off the ventilator, he was taken from (the Critical Care Unit) and, after two more days, he was sent home."

Again, in March 2004, Caleb collapsed during one of his RSV shots (a preemie virus shot), "coded" and was given 30 minutes to live. That time, he was on the ventilator for 34 days before being released by the hospital just three days after being taken off the ventilator.

Nunn says the struggle to keep Caleb alive has, at times, overwhelmed her and her husband, Joe.

Nevertheless, each time little Caleb's condition seems to deteriorate, what she characterizes as a miracle from God turned each life threatening incident around.

"Anyone who doesn't believe in God and miracles only needs to look at Caleb's life. Every time the doctors gave him up, he survived. Even though these last five years haven't been easy, Caleb is now at the point where he's been taken off the oxygen and his lungs are growing normally," Nunn said. "The doctors told us Caleb would more than likely not be able to see because of all the oxygen that was forced to his brain by being on the ventilator for so long. They also told us he wouldn't be able to hold a pencil in his hand because of the way he had held his thumb inside his fist for so long after his birth."

Today, Caleb is keeping up intellectually, physically and emotionally with his fellow class mates in his second term of pre-school at The Alpha School.

According to his mother, the survivor knows his ABC's, can count to 20, knows his birth date and his full name.

The 25 pound wonder enjoys using pencils and crayons to write and draw and can see (two things the doctors predicted he would never be able to do).

The spunky five year old preschooler even knows what he wants to be when he grows up - a preacher, "just like Pastor Lonnie (Dalton, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church)." And, according to his mother, Caleb has found himself a girlfriend - "Tiny" Emma Beason - who attends The Alpha School with him.

Nunn says her son looks forward each evening to helping his Dad "do the chores" of feeding the chickens and gathering eggs, using his own bucket during the process.

The young mother is forthcoming in her appreciation for all the help she has had from family, friends, and the March of Dimes these last five years.

"Without my family's financial help, I would never have found the money to stay in the motel next to the hospital those months after Caleb was born. But, somehow the money seemed to come just when it was needed," Nunn said. "Our families especially have been such a source of strength for me and Joe.

"And, without the help of the March of Dimes, we would never have been able to afford all the medical needs Caleb had. We sat down just the other day and added up the medical costs of Caleb's 148 day stay in the hospital when he was born, and it totaled $700,000. All but $14 was paid by the March of Dimes."

The couple also gives credit to their home churches, Liberty Baptist and Mulberry Gap, for "being there" for them through the last five years.

These days, Nunn is staying very busy with her efforts in the upcoming March of Dimes Walk America, slated to be held on April 22nd in Claiborne County and April 23rd in Middlesboro, Ky.

Registration is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the new Claiborne High School, with the walk commencing at 9 a.m. sharp. In Middlesboro, registration for the event will begin at 1 p.m., followed at 2 p.m. with the kick off of the walk.

Already, Nunn has managed to involve the local banking institutions, churches, civic organizations, county court offices, schools, and others in the event.

Just a few of those sponsoring the upcoming local Walk America are First Century Bank, Commercial Bank, Coffey Funeral Home, Giles, and Springdale School.

Caleb was chosen to represent the March of Dimes Walk America as one of the poster children in Claiborne and Hancock (Tennessee) counties and in Middlesboro and Pineville (Kentucky).

Nunn says she is willing to speak on behalf of the March of Dimes at any church, school or civic organization in the local area who will contact her.

Interested parties may telephone Nunn by dialing (423) 526-2987.