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Iowa baby badly hurt by softball finally returning home

McKenna Hovenga was struck in the head by an overthrown softball on May 2 while attending her father's game.
Credit: Special to The Des Moines Register
McKenna Hovenga

McKenna Hovenga has been battling for her life following a serious head injury she sustained at her dad's softball game when she was seven-weeks-old.

Now, at three-months-old, her mother, Kassy Hovenga posted on Facebook that her baby should be ready to go home Monday afternoon.

"It sounds like tomorrow is the day! Everything points to McKenna being 100% ready to go home! Unless something completely unexpected happens between now and then, she'll be released sometime after Noon tomorrow!

What a great way to celebrate your month-day!" the post said.

McKenna Hovenga was struck in the head by an overthrown softball on May 2 while attending her father's game and was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital at Mayo Clinic for skull fractures and two brain bleeds.

While McKenna has remained in the hospital for the past few weeks, a Facebook page created to update friends and family has gained hundreds of thousands of followers, all sending thoughts and prayers to the Iowa infant.

Kassy Hovenga, was breastfeeding McKenna in the stands behind third base when a ball came over the fence, striking both the mother and daughter. Kassy Hovenga, who had a large lump on her bicep where the ball impacted, did not realize her daughter had been hit until she started crying seconds later.

While in the hospital, McKenna had several seizures a day, some lasting an hour. The seizures were caused by pressure of the blood clots and the swelling of her brain, which continually changes.

The family reported that the bleeding in McKenna's skull was gone Wednesday, though she had two more seizures after several days of being seizure-free.

The softball game was McKenna's first outing, excluding trips to the grocery store, to see family or to doctor's appointments, according to the Facebook page.

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