still counting towards World Prematurity Day...
By kate blue - Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Premature
birth is the leading killer of newborns worldwide. Did you know that
more babies die from premature birth than from better-known health
problems like malaria and AIDS? The United States has the sixth largest number of premature births, with more than 500,000 premature babies born each year. Many preemies run the risk of developing eye problems such as ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity.) ROP is a condition that causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the
retina (back of the eye) and can cause retinal detachment, which is a
major cause of childhood blindness globally. A detached retina may
lead to vision loss and even blindness unless it is treated with surgery.
At exactly the age of 4 months, my Thing 2 underwent the eye surgery to correct his ROP...He wasn't even 5 lbs and they weren't sure if he was even strong enough to withstand the surgery, but if they would've prolonged it by even a week, he would've gone blind. Was our surgeon an absolute asshole as a person?? Yup! But he was the best surgeon for the job and for that, I am grateful....all of the other surgeons we had after that made up for his lack of bedside manner-I'll strike it up to cultural differences....And the followup care that we still receive 9 years later (it's been years of patching, drops and vision therapy) has been amazing too-we've had the same opthamologist since age 1 :):)
World Prematurity Day brings awareness to the unspoken challenges that babies and parents of preemies face. One of the partners who makes a difference in raising awareness is KMART.
2013 marks the 21st year that Kmart has been the exclusive national mass merchandise retail sponsor of March for Babies. Their partnership is part of Kmart for KidsSM, the umbrella program for Kmart’s philanthropic initiatives, which focuses on improving children’s health and wellness. The strength of the March of Dimes/Kmart partnership, the desire to ensure the health of all babies and the sheer passion and compassion of Kmart customers and associates continues to inspire us all.
At exactly the age of 4 months, my Thing 2 underwent the eye surgery to correct his ROP...He wasn't even 5 lbs and they weren't sure if he was even strong enough to withstand the surgery, but if they would've prolonged it by even a week, he would've gone blind. Was our surgeon an absolute asshole as a person?? Yup! But he was the best surgeon for the job and for that, I am grateful....all of the other surgeons we had after that made up for his lack of bedside manner-I'll strike it up to cultural differences....And the followup care that we still receive 9 years later (it's been years of patching, drops and vision therapy) has been amazing too-we've had the same opthamologist since age 1 :):)
World Prematurity Day brings awareness to the unspoken challenges that babies and parents of preemies face. One of the partners who makes a difference in raising awareness is KMART.
2013 marks the 21st year that Kmart has been the exclusive national mass merchandise retail sponsor of March for Babies. Their partnership is part of Kmart for KidsSM, the umbrella program for Kmart’s philanthropic initiatives, which focuses on improving children’s health and wellness. The strength of the March of Dimes/Kmart partnership, the desire to ensure the health of all babies and the sheer passion and compassion of Kmart customers and associates continues to inspire us all.
4 comments
What an amazing story ... he is just the sweetest!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you sharing your story. I truly admire your family's strength and courage.
ReplyDeleteMy last doctor was an absolute jerk too- it must be something about holding lives in your hands every day- perhaps they need to detach themselves from the normal human interaction. I got very lucky with Lola- she could have been 2 months early but she held on for 2 extra weeks and by then her lungs were fully developed. So glad you found the right doctor!!! This is a beautiful post- the photos- your words- bring it all back. Keep it coming! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a trooper!
ReplyDeleteThanks for leaving some L-O-V-E !