Fight For Preemies Comments
My angel Joshua
My son was born to early at 22 weeks, my labor lasted many hours and his little heart just couldn't hold on. Knowing the pain I went through, only makes me want to help so others will never have to go through the loss that I endured 16 years ago. I will always be thankful for the time I had with my angel inside of me, but I will also always wish that I would of had the chance to watch my angel grow up. I admire the work that the March of Dimes has done over the years and will always support them in the fight for preemies. Someday I hope we will be able to find away to keep all preemies from leaving us to soon.
Triplets
I had triplets at 27 weeks 6 days. Unfortunately, only two of them survived. Without the March of Dimes and the research that they do, I'm not sure that my other two girls would be alive today. I will be Fighting for Preemies on Nov. 17th. The event badge will stay on my blog until then at www.janetsmith0718.blogspot.com
aiden
my son aiden was born at 28 weeks weighing 2.13. he is home now weighing almost 10 lbs and is doing great!!!! i will be fighting for preemies on this day!!!
Tessa - My 15 week early miracle
Tessa was born on August 3, 2008 at 25 weeks weighing 1 pound 15 ounces and 13 ½ inches long. We had three wonderful weeks of amazing progress. Though Tessa was so small and under developed she continued to fight and amaze everyone. The doctors kept telling us that we needed to remember that just as we have good days, we can also have bad ones. About 3 ½ weeks after Tessa was born she got a staph infection that was septic and she took a turn for the worse. She began to retain fluids and in a matter of days she had doubled her weight. Tessa was placed on a high frequency ventilator and more medications than I can remember. To keep her comfortable she was sedated and paralyzed. When her body stopped producing urine we were told that things were at their worst.
I began to sleep in the waiting room because I couldn't bare the thought of getting a phone call and having to make a 20 minute drive if her tiny body had finally taken all it could. During the 9 day “vigil” we were told twice that she probably would not make it through the night. Matter of fact, one day I was paged from the waiting room to come in immediately. When I entered the room it seemed like every doctor and nurse was at her incubator. I walked over and placed her tiny hand in mine and began to silently pray. I told her that I loved her more than she could ever know but if she could no longer fight and the pain was too much to bare, she was free to go and that I would see her again one day. That was the hardest thing I have ever done. Since the day she was born I had been praying that one day she be healed and we could take her home. While I still wanted that and would have given anything for it, at that moment I felt I was being selfish…I did not want her to be in pain and suffer anymore.
It wasn’t long after that, that Tessa began to recover. One by one the medications hanging began to be discontinued and the oxygen support was decreased. She started to pee again and lose the fluids her body had retained. Eventually she was taken off the sedation and paralyzation medications and placed back on the normal ventilator. Once again she had amazed the doctors and nurses. Before long she had graduated to a crib, was placed on a nasal cannula and was moved out of POD 1 into POD 4 and then upstairs. We began to bottle feed her and in no time the word DISCHARGE was mentioned frequently.
On November 19, 2008 we got to take our miracle home. She weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces and was 19 inches long.
Another parent in the hospital once told me to never give up. She said that these babies are fighters they do not know what giving up means; they have never been taught it.
I hope that Tessa’s story gives you hope. Hope that I got reading all of the other success stories. Through all the sleepless nights, the teary eyes, hours in the pump room, hours in the chapel, blood gases and breathing treatments, PICC lines and IVs, the shaved head, the breakfasts, lunches and dinners in the cafeteria, kangarooing, hands on, the x-rays and eye surgery, though I told her to let go if she needed to I never gave up hope.
MIRACLES HAPPEN....WE HAVE PROOF
tessastidings.blogspot.com/
Miracle baby
Hello, my name is Natalie. I am 31 years old. I was born at 24 weeks at 1lb and 5 oz, on May 31, 1978 at Boston's Lyon-Inn/Children's/Beth-Irsael Hospital, now known today as Brigham and Women's Hospital. I was 11 1/2 inches long the length and width of my father's hand. In 1978, chances of survival were slim, however I fought to survive. I was in the NICU for 3 months in an incubator, then the doctors graduated me to another nursery, at this time my mother was in the ICU for awhile for her heart disease. Then, since both my parents had experience in the medical field, I was able to go home in December 1978 with portal oxygen to travel with and oxygen tanks in the house. I was on oxygen at home for awhile until I was able to be weaned off it. I was placed in YMCA swimming program and other programs to develop my fine and coarse motor skills. I had a tiny hole in my heart/valve that not closed, so the doctor planned on giving me open heart surgery or take a brand new drug called Endomethicin, which was use to close the valve. The Endomethcin worked to close the valve. I have had some small lung problems since I was on high frequency ventulator oxygen for so long. I have RLF and ROP in both eyes. In March of 2009, I found out that I have cataracts and macular-degeneration in both eyes. No matter what obstacles life has given me, I have always overcome these challenges. I will keep supporting the March of Dimes and pray for all Preemies. My family and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my NICU nurse, Ms. Carol Shockley and my other 5 godmother NICU nurses who supported me and my parents through such an ordeal. My life has been truly blessed for those who were there the day I was born.
Awareness/Former NICU mom
I'll admit it, I was never a supporter for the march of dimes. I would see the collection cans/mailings and thought that it didn't go to where it was supposed to. Well that all changed 11/11/08 when I gave birth to 32 week gestation twin boys. Weighing in at 3lbs 2ozs and 3lbs 5ozs both 15in long both were taken to the NICU immediately. My husband and I were at the mercy of doctors and nurses we didn't know to take care of our little boys. It was then that a nurse explained to me that the march of dimes makes it possible for NICU's to have everything needed to care for preemies and help provide in the future if things are needed. My boys were only in the NICU for 3 weeks but I had a lot of time to see that the money really does go where it was supposed to. I am now proud to say that I donate faithfully and I hope research continues to provide more answers and hopefully leads to a full all out prevention of prematurity.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Former NICU mom
My son was born at 32 weeks at 2lbs and 12oz and I'm glad to see that the public is being aware that all babies don't go straight to the newborn nursery. This was a very overwhelming experience and I am glad that I had som much support from the hospital he was born in. I never knew that there were so many other mothers in my position.
24 years old and still going strong!
Thank you for bringing this important cause to light. This is something we all need to know about. I'm a 24 year old woman, who was born at 32 weeks and weighed 1 pound 4 oz. I support the March of Dimes in it's on going fight to raise awareness for premature births.
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Fight For Preemies
http://www.marchofdimes.com/fi…
Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick ― half a million of them in the United States. November 17 is when we fight.
Do you know a baby that was born too soon, too small, unable to suck, unable to breathe on his own? Premature birth is a health crisis that jeopardizes the lives and health of nearly half-million babies each year. It is the #1 killer of newborns and can lead to lifelong disabilities. Worse: the number has increased 31 percent since 1981. It can happen without warning and for no known reason. Until we have more answers, anyone’s baby, could be born too soon. Medical advances give even the tiniest babies a chance of survival, yet for many babies premature birth is still a life or death condition. It’s the #1 cause of death during the first month of life. And babies who survive face serious health challenges and risk lifelong disabilities. The rate of premature birth has never been higher. In half the cases, we simply don’t understand what went wrong. We need to fight for answers. And, ultimately, preventions. November 17 is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis of premature birth. The March of Dimes invites bloggers like you to get involved. • Learn about premature birth at marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies • Put a badge on your blog during November, Prematurity Awareness Month® • On November 17, blog for a baby you love and to help others We need to fight ― because babies shouldn’t have to. ............................................................................. El 17 de noviembre estará dedicado a crear conciencia sobre la crisis del nacimiento prematuro. March of Dimes le extiende una invitación a los blogueros como usted para que participen. -Aprenda acerca del nacimiento prematuro en nacersano.org o marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies -Añada un botón en su blog durante el mes de noviembre, Mes del Nacimiento Prematuro -El 17 de noviembre, dedique una entrada en su blog a un bebé que usted ama y para ayudar a otros Necesitamos luchar por todos los bebés.
MY LITTLE PRINCESS KRISTIN MARIE
10/10/09
by: MOMMYSANGEL
It was my first pregnancy. I was extremely excited to bring a child into my family. When i found out I was pregnant I prayed for a little girl but figured I would have a baby boy since that was all that was in my family.The sex of my child was unknown because of her position in all the sonograms.I had given birth to a precious baby girl at 19 weeks, on September. 23,2009 at 3:31am. Unfortunately my angel did not survive.It is very hard to deal with but I know I must stay strong. So on November 17th I will most defiantly support the fight for preemies and my baby girl.
-CHRISTINA
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