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#1
08-31-2010, 10:21 AM
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NSBR: awesome, sweet discovery...(NICU related)
When by dd was born, she spent a week in the NICU because she had gone into distress while I was in labor. She had to be treated for meconium aspiration...it was horrible, stressful, but in the end beautifu - because we finally got to take home our sweet, perfectly healthy little girl! It took me a year though to even be able to look at the photos we took during that time because it was so hard on us.
While we were there we met many other parents, and we all shared stories about how our babies were and what the current prognosis was for them. One of the babies didn't make it, and several others were just beginning what would surely be a lifetime of medical issues. One of the families we met was actually from our same hometown (a suburb of Austin), and they also had a little girl. She was born with Downe Syndrome, but had complications eating (which I understand is common) so they were there the same week we were. anyhow, fast forward almost SIX years. I went to drop my DD off today for kindergarten, where they wait in lines in the cafeteria to go to their classroom. Guess who was in line RIGHT NEXT TO HER in the neighboring kindergarten class? Sweet little Faith, the little girl born with DS who was in the NICU with her almost 6 years ago. I teared up and cried right there on the spot! Got goosebumps and the whole thing. I just need to get a picture. I've never scrapped the pictures from her NICU time, just never wanted to look at them much. But now it all makes sense for me! I need a photo of the two of them now, to create a page to celebrate LIFE and the two beautiful little girls who live today, starting Kindergarten, all because of the hard work of those doctors and nurses in the NICU. sorry this is so long, but i really just had to share...i'm not a mushy/warm fuzzy person but this unexpected surprise this morning has made such an impact on me!! 
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#2
08-31-2010, 10:25 AM
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How neat, Beckie!! Isn't it wonderful to see how they've both progressed?!
I still have problems looking at Aiden's pics. We weren't in NICU, but it was a very rough 4 first months with him at home, and I get nervous and anxious and go back to that dark place whenever I see his infant shots, so I totally get what you mean about not looking at her pics a lot. ((HUGS))
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#4
08-31-2010, 10:51 AM
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What a blessing and a beautiful story. Maybe putting the pictures where the girls are doing well on a layout next to the other photos will make them easier to see. What fun to be able to meet up with the other baby again.
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#5
08-31-2010, 10:53 AM
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Oh that's so wonderful!
I decided that I'm going to knit baby hats and blankets with my stash of yarn and send them to hospitals for the NICU's. I found a blog the other day that talked about doing it and it peaked my interested. 
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~Colleen~
Re-attempting a creative life after far too long!
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#6
08-31-2010, 10:54 AM
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That gave me chill bumps! How special!
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#7
08-31-2010, 10:57 AM
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#8
08-31-2010, 11:09 AM
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Wow- that's such a beautiful story. It really does make things feel like it all works out in the end, right?
I have to say...I'm so happy you had that support system in the NICU. Coming off a recent two-week experience with our daughter, it was even harder because none of the families talked to each other. I made an effort...just wasn't reciprocated. It was a very quiet lonely time for us. I had/have to keep telling myself that this is just "part of her story" and that it's OK. I haven't shared/scrapped her NICU photos either, but they will hold a special place in my personal albums. So glad everything seems to "make sense" now. I agree with everything you've said and hope you can get a photo of both of them together!
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#9
08-31-2010, 11:59 AM
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That is so sweet! I hope you can get a picture of them!
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#10
08-31-2010, 12:16 PM
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awww, you made me teary
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#11
08-31-2010, 12:17 PM
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I understand about not wanting to look at the pictures as well. My son was hospitalized at 5 months for failure to thrive--he only weighed 9 lbs. I look back at those pictures of him and they make me want to cry 4 years later. But I have a happy, healthy boy now, and it all worked out.
That was such a great story to start my day off with. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Chelsey -------  
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#13
08-31-2010, 03:27 PM
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What an awesome blessing to meet her/see her again. My Kyle had the similar thing happen (full term but meconium aspiration) and ended up staying three weeks due to an infection he developed while there. It was a terrifying experience to say the least and I know that there was a purpose for it all, sometimes it is just so hard to see at the time.
We were in the isolation pod after the first three days because DS tested positive for MRSA (carrier). And VERY few of the other families came to visit. I spent a lot of time there because after that first week I was breastfeeding him as much as I could and overheard so many scary and sad stories. I still remember one little preemie girl that had developed an infection in her leg and despite all the antibiotics and such, it was spreading up. So the docs decided it was time to remove the foot/ankle and the 17? year old mother could not comprehend this. She just kept saying...can't you just give her more medicine? I still get chills. I have scrapped our time there some, it was good to get that "done", but I still will carry that experience with me. And I praise the Lord everyday for modern medicine!!!
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#14
08-31-2010, 03:36 PM
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That is a neat story! I got goosebumps up and down and all over!
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#16
08-31-2010, 04:05 PM
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That is a really sweet story!!! My twins spent a month in the NICU and I know what you mean about not being able to look at the pictures. It didn't take me as long as you, but at first I didn't even scrap those photos or include them in the albums. But now I display them proudly at the beginning of their baby book! Thanks for sharing your story!
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#18
08-31-2010, 10:41 PM
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Aww...thanks for sharing! You totally made me tear up!
I didn't have a NICU experience, but my oldest DS did get meningitis when he was 7 months old and we spent time in PICU. There were so many sad, sad stories there, and I too have trouble looking at pics from that time. Just looking at the pics makes all those feelings come rushing right back!
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#19
08-31-2010, 10:56 PM
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#22
09-01-2010, 12:25 AM
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What an awesome story!
My twin boys were born 14 weeks early- Colin was 1 lb 13 oz and Drew was 1 lb 11 oz. Both were in the NICU although Colin passed away at 3 days old. Drew spent an agonizing 109 days in the NICU and I remember like it was yesterday all of the emotions of being in there. It is very lonely and we did talk casually to some other families but didn't get to know anybody very well. I did scrap Colin's short little life- it was very therapeutic for me. I have grand plans of doing Drew's NICU album but I just havent found the right kit for the vision that I have for it. We sent out daily emails to family and friends and took 47839195 pictures so the pictures and journaling will not be a problem at all!
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#23
09-01-2010, 04:27 AM
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What a fantastic story! I was a NICU nurse in life before kids, and met so many wonderful families. It was always a highlight to see the children after discharge as they grew-up and often thrived. And I remember those who never got to grow up. It was always great to see the families get to know each other whilst their children were on the unit, and I feel those relationships were some of the most important at the time, as they had a much greater understanding of what they were each feeling and facing.
When my DD started at nursery when she was 18 months old, I was recognised by a mum whose little boy I had looked after fairly regularly whilst he was in NICU. It was fantastic to see him at nearly 1 doing well, and he now joins his older brother and DD in pre-school.
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#25
09-01-2010, 10:26 AM
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What an amazing story. The NICU is filled with so many miracles, big and small, and the NICU nurses are angels on earth.
Brings me right back to when my youngest was born. He was 12 weeks premature, and spent 73 days in the NICU. He was born unexpectedly, so no chance to use steroids to mature his lungs. When I think back, I still remember the periods of intense fear when things were going wrong or badly in the NICU. But he's just like any other 4 1/2 year old now, and we rarely think back to those dark days. I've kept in touch with 2 of the moms who I spent a lot of time with. All 3 of our babies made it out, and it's a joy to see how the other 2 are thriving.
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#26
09-01-2010, 10:29 AM
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Aww! That's so cool! Noah was a NICU baby too. He spent 3 horrible weeks there. The emotions were terrible, up and down all the time, good news one day, then bad news the next, and never really knowing if he was going to be ok. They have a reunion every year at Christmas for the NICU babies, and we went the first year. When we walked through the doors at the hospital I literally felt sick to my stomach, because it just brought back all those memories and emotions. We haven't been able to go back. We're so grateful that everything turned out ok, but it's just too difficult reliving those emotions.
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#27
09-01-2010, 12:33 PM
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WOW everyone, thanks for sharing your stories!! Its amazing how many lives have been touched by the special, caring people who treat our kids.
I WILL get a picture of this little girl with my daughter, and I'll will share it here with everyone! we might even need a THREAD to let everyone else do the same!
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