November 17 - Fight For Preemies

Millions of babies are born too early every year. I never thought it would be my baby, but as it turned out, it was! This is an incident that I never really worried about. I had the perfect pregnancy up until the point I went into the hospital. When I went in for that doctor’s visit, I would have sworn to you that he was going to tell me to take it easy for a while and then send me home. Unfortunately, I was admitted to the hospital immediately. Life from then and over the next four months was very difficult. Worrying constantly, trying to be productive at work and at life while concentrating on my child who was very sick in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), feeling bad if you weren’t at the hospital with the baby, the knowing there was nothing you could do to help him, the prayers, the wishes, the pain, the elations at his improvements, the heartache when he had a bad day, it’s an experience unlike much else. Time dragged on, it seemed, but everything happened exactly as it was supposed to. It’s easy to see that looking back :) Not so easy to see when you’re in that moment.

If you know anybody who has had a child born prematurely, take a minute to say a special prayer for that family, they went through a lot! I never understood what it was like until I was dealing with it myself. My sister-in-law delivered 28 week-old twins just 3 months before I went into early labor. After they were born, I knew that she went to the hospital daily, spent many hours there, talked about CPAPs and ventilators, diuretics, medications, breathing treatments, feeding tubes, monitors, de-sating, etc., etc., etc. But I didn’t KNOW what she was going through. Looking back, I wish I had done more for her. But it’s hard to understand when it’s not you.

So, on this day that we bring some awareness to this issue, maybe you give that preemie an extra hug today, or send some love to their mama and daddy! Maybe you make plans to walk in the march for babies, or sponsor somebody who does! Or even just send a card of encouragement to the NICU staff in your area. You don’t have to know them to appreciate their work. I have to tell you, the nurses (and doctors) in the NICU are exceptionally extraordinary people. I am eternally grateful for their love and care of my baby while he was there. They gave him a life. It could not have been done without them.

Please keep up with this issue throughout the year and do you part, whatever you can do! It doesn’t have to be big to mean something to somebody.

Declan Douglas O’Neal

Born on 12/27/08 at 25 weeks

Due on 4/5/09

1 pound 15 ounces

13 ½ inches long

Two days old...

A couple weeks old...

Stay tuned in November for a few more stories about Dex's time in the NICU.

"We need to fight ― because babies shouldn’t have to."