I just learned yesterday about the story of a 12 week early preemie named Kayleigh of North Carolina. She was born weighing a little over a pound, and had to endure well over 200 medical procedures, including open heart surgery. I saw her story on the TV show The Doctors yesterday, and it broke my heart to see the pain she went through, as well as her parents sorrow.
I know exactly how they felt, could feel the tears wanting to explode out of their eyes, but holding them back just to try and stay strong. Our boy Ronan Troy was born 10 weeks too early, weighing 3 pounds, 9 ounces. He endured a 59 day stay at the NICU, and various medical procedures, including two rectal biopsies, 2 PIC lines, many IVs, TPN treatments, intubation, NG tubes, stomach distensions leading to no feedings for our baby for days, barium x-rays, invasive eye exams, EEG exam, many ultrasounds including cranial and renal, and many more I'm sure I'm forgetting, or have subconsciously wanted to forget. I wish I could forget everytime my baby's small belly would get so distended from not being able to tolerate his feedings then, even my breast milk, that the doctors would have to stop feeding him. Thank GOD those days are long gone.
I was there in the NICU with my boy everyday all day for 59 days. It became like another home, with the nursing staff and doctors becoming like close friends. I remember having to bear witness to a preemie twin who was put to sleep forever in the the isolette bed right next to Ronan's bad, and how I ran out of the NICU crying for fear of that maybe being my little man.
Fortunately, Ronan made it through being the strong soul he is, and is now less than a month away from being a year old on June 9th, born just two weeks before Kayleigh. I wish I would have learned of her story earlier so I could have followed her story as well and empathized with her family, and felt and given love and support to them.
My mother always says it is like a special "club" that preemies and preemie parents are in, one that no one can really understand unless you are in our shoes. I am so deeply and truly sorry for your loss, dear Freemans. It breaks my heart thinking of her being in the NICU for over 10 months. She was a fighter and a little pink angel. I love her, just having learned of your fight yesterday, I really do.
Please know that I feel your sorrow and pain, I feel joy and happiness you were blessed to have when Kayleigh was in your arms smiling, and will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers forever.
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