On April 10, 2010, our family will once again be walking in the March of Dimes, March for Babies. That's four years and three days after our twins Ryan and Evan were born.
Ryan and Evan were born at 26 weeks and 2 days. 13 weeks and 5 days too early. Just 2 days into our third trimester.
When they were born we were told they would not make it. We were told to have a conversation and decide what kind of life saving measures they should take. We were told that it was only a matter of time. In spite of two doses of steroids to help their lung development, they were not responding to treatment. They were not behaving like typical 26 weekers, more like 24 weekers. There was little hope.
We sobbed. We cried. We held each other. We never had THAT conversation. Instead, we dried our tears, and went down to see our babies. We sat by our babies, we put our mouths into the portholes and begged our babies to fight. We told them how much we loved them, how we had fought to have them in our lives, and now it was their turn to fight to stay. Every day for weeks and weeks, all we could do was look at them and talk to them.
We learned to change their tiny, tiny diapers, because that allowed us to be able to touch them. For the first four, and five weeks the only physical contact we had with our children was while we were doing care on them. Changing diapers, taking temperatures, holding them down while procedures were being done to them. Blood draws, spinal taps, new IV placements, all these horrible things done to our children, allowed us a few minutes of contact with our fragile babies.
We spent the next five months living and breathing in the NICU. Everyday we walked in though those doors never knowing what we would find. I always held my breath until I saw that the space in front of my babies beds was clear. Clear of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists hovering. Clear of X-ray machines, or ultrasound machines. A clear view of those incubators meant all was okay for now. Not a clear view, I held my breath until I nearly passed out.
Still, almost 4 years later, the thoughts of those days, makes me pause and hold my breath for a few moments. We were *this* close to loosing our precious babies.
Thanks to the countless staff members of the NICU, many of whom are now like family to us, our boys are active, healthy, nearly four year old boys, with almost no signs of their terribly difficult start in life.
Our children are still here because of the Doctors, Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Pharmacists at the NICU, and because of the March of Dimes. Medications and research funded by the March of Dimes allowed our Doctors to keep our babies alive. Let me say that again for emphasis...It is because of generous donations to the March of Dimes, because the March of Dimes' mission is to prevent infant mortality, birth defects, and PREMATURITY, Ryan and Evan are alive today.
Please join us in supporting the March of Dimes efforts to make sure no other family has to go through what we did, or worse. We will be walking in Encinitas this year (it's a shorter walk for our boys) on April 10, 2010 at 9:00AM.
Please sign up to walk with us at http://www.marchforbabies.org/OstremFamily2009 . Every registered walker means a donation for our local March of Dimes chapter. You do not need to fund raise in order to walk. (but if you can it is a double bonus!) Register yourselves (and your children), join us for a brief morning walk though one of the most beautiful cities in San Diego.
If you cannot walk with us, please consider making a donation at http://www.marchforbabies.org/OstremFamily2009.
If you are more comfortable sending your donation by check, please make them payable to The March of Dimes, March for Babies and I will make sure they are received at the walk.
Scott, Ryan, Evan and I thank you for your generous support.
Showing posts with label March of Dimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label March of Dimes. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It all just boils to the surface.
I had a post planned for today with some of the stories that the boys and I have been creating, but last night I had a brief "conversation" with my friend Lindsay, and it got me thinking. (and thinking and thinking)
She has a friend who is 27 weeks pregnant with twin girls. Her friend is in the hospital, on the dreaded Magnesium Sulfate. Trying to keep those babies cooking, as long as possible.
It was shocking to us that we were so naive about pregnancy. We are both well educated women, who um, well, lets just say, "do our research." How could we not know, or maybe understand the epidemic of premature birth.
Maybe it is a blessing that we, as total worriers did not know, all that stress might have brought our kids even earlier!
Women give birth to term babies all the time. That is the norm, that is what we hear about. I knew I would not carry these babies to term. I have a small frame, small hips, just not a lot of room there to hold two babies. But did I ever think 26 weeks? That is just unheard of. 26 weeks. Think about that. More than three months early. Three months! Just into the third trimester. WHOA. How could I not know that this was even a possibility? I thought early, 36 weeks, 34 maybe.
One in EIGHT babies is born too soon. Look at 8 friends, at least one of them, statistically at least, should be touched by prematurity. That's the same number as women touched by breast cancer.
These are not all babies born addicted to drugs, or to teen moms, or mothers who did not have prenatal care. They are women like my friends, Lindsay, Jen, Nina, Saffron, Keri, Donna, Karissa, Educated Women who took care of themselves and their babies. Women who had no idea they would be a statistic of premature birth.
They had no idea that some doctor would come in and tell them that their child or children would not make it through the night, and if they did it would be a miracle. They had no idea that people would shake their heads every day that their children survived, and fought just to breathe. They had no idea that they would have to SIT and stare that their babies for days, weeks, before they could touch or hold their babies in their arms. They had no idea the kind of agony that would cause. How they would look around the NICU and see other moms or dads holding their babies, and they would fight back the tears as they wondered if their day would ever come.
Those parents would have no idea what an IVH, or a Oscillating Ventilator, or a High Frequency Ventilator, or a PICC line, or an umbilical line, or NEC, or a PDA, or a VCUG, or ROP or any of the many medical terms and procedures and equipment and all the things that could go wrong were. They would have no idea that they would spend endless hours at the beside of their barely alive child and then spend endless hours at home reading and researching all of the things they heard at the hospital that day.
Those parents would experience THAT moment. EVERYDAY. As they signed into the NICU and washed their hands. Searching the faces of the staff, for signs, was it a good day, was it a bad day, has anything changed, is my baby still alive? EVERYDAY. Intellectually you know they will call you if there is a problem and you need to get to the hospital quickly, because you've experienced THAT call already. But what if, in the time it took you to walk through that dead zone down that hallway in the hospital, they couldn't reach you. EVERYDAY.
Those parents, three plus years later, know that this experience will never fully leave them. There will still be days that while sitting in a park surrounded by moms and kids listening to a guy with a guitar sing "You Are My Sunshine" will bring a mom to tears, uncontrollable tears. There will still be days that hearing someone say they are 26 weeks pregnant and feel safe now will not make them want to shout, "YOU FOOL, you are NOT safe, you are a LONG, LONG way from safe". There will still be days that upon hearing that a friend of a friend is in the hospital at 27 weeks, their heart will not sink, and their eyes will not well up.
Those people, they, WE. We had no idea. Now we do and it still sucks. No one should ever have to go through that living hell. No child should ever go through half of the pain and suffering our children have been through in their young lives. No parent should have to look at her boys heels and see the scars from the constant blood draws, daily, twice daily, every three hours. No parent should have to see the scars on their child's back or chest, or belly from some procedure done before they were even supposed to be born. No parent should have to deal with NICU PTSD, for the rest of their lives. Yet, one in eight do, will, until WE do something about it.
Support the March of Dimes, during Prematurity Awareness Month, and everyday. They are Fighting for Preemies, and for All babies.
Support your local preemie parent. WE ARE EVERYWHERE.
She has a friend who is 27 weeks pregnant with twin girls. Her friend is in the hospital, on the dreaded Magnesium Sulfate. Trying to keep those babies cooking, as long as possible.
It was shocking to us that we were so naive about pregnancy. We are both well educated women, who um, well, lets just say, "do our research." How could we not know, or maybe understand the epidemic of premature birth.
Maybe it is a blessing that we, as total worriers did not know, all that stress might have brought our kids even earlier!
Women give birth to term babies all the time. That is the norm, that is what we hear about. I knew I would not carry these babies to term. I have a small frame, small hips, just not a lot of room there to hold two babies. But did I ever think 26 weeks? That is just unheard of. 26 weeks. Think about that. More than three months early. Three months! Just into the third trimester. WHOA. How could I not know that this was even a possibility? I thought early, 36 weeks, 34 maybe.
One in EIGHT babies is born too soon. Look at 8 friends, at least one of them, statistically at least, should be touched by prematurity. That's the same number as women touched by breast cancer.
These are not all babies born addicted to drugs, or to teen moms, or mothers who did not have prenatal care. They are women like my friends, Lindsay, Jen, Nina, Saffron, Keri, Donna, Karissa, Educated Women who took care of themselves and their babies. Women who had no idea they would be a statistic of premature birth.
They had no idea that some doctor would come in and tell them that their child or children would not make it through the night, and if they did it would be a miracle. They had no idea that people would shake their heads every day that their children survived, and fought just to breathe. They had no idea that they would have to SIT and stare that their babies for days, weeks, before they could touch or hold their babies in their arms. They had no idea the kind of agony that would cause. How they would look around the NICU and see other moms or dads holding their babies, and they would fight back the tears as they wondered if their day would ever come.
Those parents would have no idea what an IVH, or a Oscillating Ventilator, or a High Frequency Ventilator, or a PICC line, or an umbilical line, or NEC, or a PDA, or a VCUG, or ROP or any of the many medical terms and procedures and equipment and all the things that could go wrong were. They would have no idea that they would spend endless hours at the beside of their barely alive child and then spend endless hours at home reading and researching all of the things they heard at the hospital that day.
Those parents would experience THAT moment. EVERYDAY. As they signed into the NICU and washed their hands. Searching the faces of the staff, for signs, was it a good day, was it a bad day, has anything changed, is my baby still alive? EVERYDAY. Intellectually you know they will call you if there is a problem and you need to get to the hospital quickly, because you've experienced THAT call already. But what if, in the time it took you to walk through that dead zone down that hallway in the hospital, they couldn't reach you. EVERYDAY.
Those parents, three plus years later, know that this experience will never fully leave them. There will still be days that while sitting in a park surrounded by moms and kids listening to a guy with a guitar sing "You Are My Sunshine" will bring a mom to tears, uncontrollable tears. There will still be days that hearing someone say they are 26 weeks pregnant and feel safe now will not make them want to shout, "YOU FOOL, you are NOT safe, you are a LONG, LONG way from safe". There will still be days that upon hearing that a friend of a friend is in the hospital at 27 weeks, their heart will not sink, and their eyes will not well up.
Those people, they, WE. We had no idea. Now we do and it still sucks. No one should ever have to go through that living hell. No child should ever go through half of the pain and suffering our children have been through in their young lives. No parent should have to look at her boys heels and see the scars from the constant blood draws, daily, twice daily, every three hours. No parent should have to see the scars on their child's back or chest, or belly from some procedure done before they were even supposed to be born. No parent should have to deal with NICU PTSD, for the rest of their lives. Yet, one in eight do, will, until WE do something about it.
Support the March of Dimes, during Prematurity Awareness Month, and everyday. They are Fighting for Preemies, and for All babies.
Support your local preemie parent. WE ARE EVERYWHERE.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Prematurity Awareness Month
November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and today is Prematurity Awareness Day.
I am very aware.
I am 26 weeks aware.
I am 5 months in the NICU aware.
I am three and a half years of specialists, medicines, aware.
I am one heart surgery aware.
I am one pneumothorax aware.
I am two laser eye surgeries aware.
I am one brain bleed aware.
I am countless blood transfusions, rounds of antibiotics, and procedures aware.
I am I wonder if my babies are going to be alive if I fall asleep aware.
I am afraid of the phone ringing aware.
I am thankful for every milestone reached aware.
I am amazed by every day aware.
I am ONE IN EVERY EIGHT BABIES AWARE.
Fight for preemies. Be aware.
I am very aware.
I am 26 weeks aware.
I am 5 months in the NICU aware.
I am three and a half years of specialists, medicines, aware.
I am one heart surgery aware.
I am one pneumothorax aware.
I am two laser eye surgeries aware.
I am one brain bleed aware.
I am countless blood transfusions, rounds of antibiotics, and procedures aware.
I am I wonder if my babies are going to be alive if I fall asleep aware.
I am afraid of the phone ringing aware.
I am thankful for every milestone reached aware.
I am amazed by every day aware.
I am ONE IN EVERY EIGHT BABIES AWARE.
Fight for preemies. Be aware.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
March for Babies with Grammie
A much belated post. (I just found this in my drafts)
Grammie came to visit, and we went on a walk. A Walk for Babies.
Thanks to everyone who supported us, and the March of Dimes our team raised almost a thousand dollars!
This being our first walk, I was blown away by the mass of people walking. These shots only hint at the numbers. Wow, overwhelming.
It was great to participate this year and I'm already planning for next year. ( I hope to do shirts next year!)
We were lucky to have our good friend Jessy join us in our fundraising efforts and the walk. Thanks Jessy.
The walk also coincided with Grammie's visit and she got to join us too. We had a fun week with Grammie, although we were sick for some of the time, (which is my excuse for not having any pictures of the visit) it was super nice to see Grammie and the boys really enjoyed their time with her. And it was nice for me to have some help when I was feeling kind of crummy.
We are really looking forward to the summer when we get to see Grammie and Poppa! and the Diz.
__________________
*There is still time to donate to the March of Dimes. The link on my sidebar is still active.
Grammie came to visit, and we went on a walk. A Walk for Babies.
Thanks to everyone who supported us, and the March of Dimes our team raised almost a thousand dollars!
This being our first walk, I was blown away by the mass of people walking. These shots only hint at the numbers. Wow, overwhelming.
It was great to participate this year and I'm already planning for next year. ( I hope to do shirts next year!)
We were lucky to have our good friend Jessy join us in our fundraising efforts and the walk. Thanks Jessy.
The walk also coincided with Grammie's visit and she got to join us too. We had a fun week with Grammie, although we were sick for some of the time, (which is my excuse for not having any pictures of the visit) it was super nice to see Grammie and the boys really enjoyed their time with her. And it was nice for me to have some help when I was feeling kind of crummy.
We are really looking forward to the summer when we get to see Grammie and Poppa! and the Diz.
__________________
*There is still time to donate to the March of Dimes. The link on my sidebar is still active.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Top Chef or Fear Factor?
The boys have some play food, some of which includes this cool sushi set from Melissa and Doug. (Not that I'm trying to influence their food choices or anything, but eventually, these boys, my boys will HAVE to like sushi. It's their heritage. It's been decided.)
I found this masterpiece the other day after the boys went down for naps.
Forgive me if I am mistaken, but I believe that it is banana sushi. It's either brilliant, or something on the eating challenge of Fear Factor or Survivor. I'm going to go with brilliant, since I believe my resident chef Ryan created this culinary creation, but please, don't make me try it.
I had a moment early this week, I guess that means yesterday, where I realized I had left the boys alone for too long. It had gotten silent. Any mom knows the sound of silence strikes terror in the heart of even the most battle worn parent.
This is what I found...
Sigh...does this mean they are growing up?
Today Ryan was sitting on the potty, and he wasn't positioned right...let's just say if he had peed, he would have gotten it all over the floor. I used my finger and "positioned" him. This is what he told me.
"No Mommy, please don't touch my penis, it isn't nice."
on that note, don't forget to donate, sign up your own team, or support the March of Dimes
I found this masterpiece the other day after the boys went down for naps.
Forgive me if I am mistaken, but I believe that it is banana sushi. It's either brilliant, or something on the eating challenge of Fear Factor or Survivor. I'm going to go with brilliant, since I believe my resident chef Ryan created this culinary creation, but please, don't make me try it.**********************
I had a moment early this week, I guess that means yesterday, where I realized I had left the boys alone for too long. It had gotten silent. Any mom knows the sound of silence strikes terror in the heart of even the most battle worn parent.
This is what I found...
Sigh...does this mean they are growing up?
*************************
Today Ryan was sitting on the potty, and he wasn't positioned right...let's just say if he had peed, he would have gotten it all over the floor. I used my finger and "positioned" him. This is what he told me.
"No Mommy, please don't touch my penis, it isn't nice."
*************************
on that note, don't forget to donate, sign up your own team, or support the March of Dimes
Thursday, January 15, 2009
March for Babies
Ryan and Evan were born at 26 weeks.
During the pregnancy I did everything I could to ensure the health of my little guys. I was freakishly obsessive about my health. If one study showed something was possibly bad for fetuses, I eliminated it from my diet/lifestyle. I cut out coffee, chocolate, lunch meat, sushi (that one killed me), nitrates, everything and anything. Nothing was too much to sacrifice for these little ones.
None of it did any good. Twenty six weeks and two days in to the pregnancy, Ryan and Evan made their spectacular entrance into the world. In spite of numerous attempts by doctors to keep them safely in my womb, these two had minds of their own.
Sometimes that is just how it is. All the precautions, education and medical attention in the world can't always prevent prematurity. So much about why babies are born early is unknown. The March of Dimes is a wonderful organization dedicated to making sure that some day, every baby will be born healthy.
From their early work to find and develop a vaccine for polio, to their current work educating, funding important research in the areas of prematurity and birth defects, and advocating for babies...the March of Dimes is "dedicated to improving the health of babies."
Without the March of Dimes, the likely-hood that Ryan and Evan would be here with us today, is slim. In the 80's the March of Dimes funded research into Surfactant. A drug given to each of my babies. A drug that may have helped them breathe just a little easier. A drug that may have allowed their terribly premature lungs to heal just enough to keep them alive. A drug, that with out the support of the March of Dimes may not have been available to my precious (and many, many others) boys.
Why this March of Dimes PSA?
Well, my friend Lindsay, and fellow mom of preemie twins, recruited me to work on the Family Teams Council for the San Diego Chapter of the March of Dimes. One of our goals is to increase the number of Family Teams in our Chapter, and of course, the amount of money raised.
Putting my money and feet where my mouth is, we have signed up for the 2009 March for Babies.
Please join our team (Ostrem Family 2009)(come walk with us!), donate, or start a team of your own. Just follow the link here, or on the side bar, or on facebook, and stay tuned here for more info and progress reports.
Oh, and did I mention we have to walk 5 miles????
During the pregnancy I did everything I could to ensure the health of my little guys. I was freakishly obsessive about my health. If one study showed something was possibly bad for fetuses, I eliminated it from my diet/lifestyle. I cut out coffee, chocolate, lunch meat, sushi (that one killed me), nitrates, everything and anything. Nothing was too much to sacrifice for these little ones.
None of it did any good. Twenty six weeks and two days in to the pregnancy, Ryan and Evan made their spectacular entrance into the world. In spite of numerous attempts by doctors to keep them safely in my womb, these two had minds of their own.
Sometimes that is just how it is. All the precautions, education and medical attention in the world can't always prevent prematurity. So much about why babies are born early is unknown. The March of Dimes is a wonderful organization dedicated to making sure that some day, every baby will be born healthy.
From their early work to find and develop a vaccine for polio, to their current work educating, funding important research in the areas of prematurity and birth defects, and advocating for babies...the March of Dimes is "dedicated to improving the health of babies."
Without the March of Dimes, the likely-hood that Ryan and Evan would be here with us today, is slim. In the 80's the March of Dimes funded research into Surfactant. A drug given to each of my babies. A drug that may have helped them breathe just a little easier. A drug that may have allowed their terribly premature lungs to heal just enough to keep them alive. A drug, that with out the support of the March of Dimes may not have been available to my precious (and many, many others) boys.
Why this March of Dimes PSA?
Well, my friend Lindsay, and fellow mom of preemie twins, recruited me to work on the Family Teams Council for the San Diego Chapter of the March of Dimes. One of our goals is to increase the number of Family Teams in our Chapter, and of course, the amount of money raised.
Putting my money and feet where my mouth is, we have signed up for the 2009 March for Babies.
Please join our team (Ostrem Family 2009)(come walk with us!), donate, or start a team of your own. Just follow the link here, or on the side bar, or on facebook, and stay tuned here for more info and progress reports.
Oh, and did I mention we have to walk 5 miles????
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