Daniel age 9 weeks, 31 weeks adjusted age
November just so happens to be the month that focuses on two of my most favorite concerns: prematurity and adoption. It’s a very good thing that they are both focused on in one month since these days I am just a little too distracted. I thought the anti-depressants were supposed to help me be better focused. Note how I refuse to accept that it just might be me getting older and just a tad feeble. But the fact remains that this month is Adoption Awareness MonthANDPrematurity Awareness Month.
Today I want to share with you that prematurity awareness is not just my passion, but the passion of at least 252 bloggers all united to fight for preemies.
Our objective is a simple one: Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick ― half a million of them in the United States. In half the cases, we simply don’t understand what went wrong. We need to fight for answers. And, ultimately, prevention… prevention that is accessible for all. Over the nearly two decades of my practice as a neonatal intensive care nurse, many advances have taken place. We (I) have learned much about the support and care for the tiniest and frailest of babies. Babies I see born into our unit that I care for today I would have never imagined surviving when I first began my career in the NICU. Yet for a number of these preemies, surviving the NICU is no guarantee because their premature birth often remains still a life and 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 physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Children like my Daniel are indeed miraculous and lucky. While I won’t hesitate to celebrate just how lucky and rare he is as an ex-24 weeker, I still am very much aware that his challenges remain many. What I wouldn’t do to just snap my fingers and make them all go away for him. I can’t. But I can be here to support and guide him through as he faces them down one by one AND I can unite with the March of Dimes and other bloggers to make more people aware just how serious, scary and life threatening this can be.
This month I invite all of you to join this support and fight. Many of you are a fan of Daniel so I can tell you that you must join. Yes, you must. How?
- Learn about premature birth at marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies
- make a little time to check out one of the 252 other united bloggers
- 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 may not wipe prematurity and all of its complications out overnight but I do know we are moving forward, and trust me, every baby step forward counts.
Daniel age 9 weeks, 31 weeks adjusted age
November just so happens to be the month that focuses on two of my most favorite concerns: prematurity and adoption. It’s a very good thing that they are both focused on in one month since these days I am just a little too distracted. I thought the anti-depressants were supposed to help me be better focused. Note how I refuse to accept that it just might be me getting older and just a tad feeble. But the fact remains that this month is Adoption Awareness MonthANDPrematurity Awareness Month.
Today I want to share with you that prematurity awareness is not just my passion, but the passion of at least 252 bloggers all united to fight for preemies.
Our objective is a simple one: Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick ― half a million of them in the United States. In half the cases, we simply don’t understand what went wrong. We need to fight for answers. And, ultimately, prevention… prevention that is accessible for all. Over the nearly two decades of my practice as a neonatal intensive care nurse, many advances have taken place. We (I) have learned much about the support and care for the tiniest and frailest of babies. Babies I see born into our unit that I care for today I would have never imagined surviving when I first began my career in the NICU. Yet for a number of these preemies, surviving the NICU is no guarantee because their premature birth often remains still a life and 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 physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Children like my Daniel are indeed miraculous and lucky. While I won’t hesitate to celebrate just how lucky and rare he is as an ex-24 weeker, I still am very much aware that his challenges remain many. What I wouldn’t do to just snap my fingers and make them all go away for him. I can’t. But I can be here to support and guide him through as he faces them down one by one AND I can unite with the March of Dimes and other bloggers to make more people aware just how serious, scary and life threatening this can be.
This month I invite all of you to join this support and fight. Many of you are a fan of Daniel so I can tell you that you must join. Yes, you must. How?
We may not wipe prematurity and all of its complications out overnight but I do know we are moving forward, and trust me, every baby step forward counts.