‼️ WHEN DOCTORS TOLD TONY AND HIS FAMILY THAT THEIR NEWBORN DAUGHTER MIGHT HAVE ONLY 2 TO 7 DAYS TO LIVE, THEY PREPARED themselves FOR A goodbye no parent should ever have to face.

But Baby Iris Faith had other plans.

Now 51 days old, the tiny girl has already lived far beyond the time her parents were initially given. Yet her journey remains incredibly fragile, with new medical challenges making each day a delicate balance between hope and fear.

Iris was born July 16 with Trisomy 18, a serious genetic condition ᴀssociated with numerous complex medical complications. She weighed only about 3 pounds.

Just two days after her birth, her parents brought her home on hospice care after being told she might have only days with her.

But Iris kept fighting.

And so did her parents.

After Iris experienced further difficulties, the family returned to the hospital and has now spent more than three additional weeks there. Tony recently shared another update about their daughter, explaining that doctors have finally identified one of the reasons Iris has been unable to eat normally.

She has been diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, a condition in which the pᴀssage between the stomach and small intestine becomes narrowed, making it difficult for food to move through.

Under ordinary circumstances, surgery may be used to correct the problem. But Iris is not an ordinary medical case.

Because of her Trisomy 18 and extremely fragile condition, doctors believe surgery is currently too risky.

For now, her medical team is trying another approach.

Tony says Iris is receiving nutrition through a PICC line while doctors use atropine in the hope that the medication will relax the narrowed pᴀssage enough to allow food to move through.

There is no guarantee that it will work.

If the treatment is unsuccessful, Tony says doctors have explained that they may need to wait until Iris becomes bigger and stronger before surgery can safely be considered.

Meanwhile, another part of her condition has become more concerning.

“Her respiratory state has gotten worse,” Tony shared. “Everything is up and down and we get discouraged some days but other days are okay.”

Despite the uncertainty, Iris continues to surprise her family.

“We need all the prayers, love and support we can get,” Tony said. “We still have a long hospital journey, but Iris is a fighter and she continues to show us that everyday!”

That determination means even more when you consider where this little girl began.

Her parents once took their newborn daughter home on hospice, believing they were preparing for the possibility of losing her within days. When Iris struggled, they repeatedly returned to Birmingham, Alabama, seeking help.

Tony says the family was twice told there was nothing more doctors could do.

But Iris kept showing them she was not finished fighting.

Now, more than seven weeks later, her parents are still by her side.

They are celebrating every extra day while facing new fears that can arrive without warning.

🙏 Please pray that atropine works and that Iris can eventually tolerate food again.

Pray for her breathing, her strength and her growth.

Pray for the doctors caring for her as they try to find the safest path forward for such a medically fragile baby.

And please pray for Tony and Iris’ mother as they endure the emotional roller coaster of encouraging moments followed by frightening setbacks.

They were told they might have only 2 to 7 days.

Iris has already given them more than seven weeks.

And every single one of those precious days has mattered. ❤️🕊️🙏