Why we walk
I know I’ve written about premature birth before on this blog. I have thrown some stats your way (I can’t help myself, it’s my job!) and some cutie pictures of my just barley preemie newborns. I want people to understand how big this problem is, but the issue is, I don’t even fully comprehend the depth and scope of premature birth myself.
I know the stats about premature births, like I said that is my job (like the one I get paid for). I know the risk factors when you’re talking about whole populations. I can tell you how it felt to hold my two 5 pound babies and wonder how in world smaller babies could actually be real. I know just the twinges of worry and doubt about your babies’ weight, growth, development.
But what I don’t understand is why one mom over another mom just like her has a preemie and one has a full term baby. I don’t understand spending all your waking hours in a NICU and going home to an empty nursery praying to bring your baby to their real home. I don’t understand the crushing worry that your baby’s lungs are forever diminished and wondering if this cold could kill her. I don’t understand the unfathomable strength it would take to keep breathing after your baby was taken from you. I don’t understand.
And because I can’t understand, I’m going to walk. I’m going to walk for Emma Catherine and James Daniel to celebrate them. Celebrate that they can walk and talk and sing and hug me goodnight. I am going to walk for the twin moms who I know who spent hours, weeks, months of their lives living and breathing the NICU. I’m going to walk for Maddie who has inspired thousands of other people to walk too. I’m going to walk for Victoria who spends her time carefully tending to the tiniest lives and fights for them just as hard as anyone can. And I’m going to walk for the March of Dimes because I believe they will help us make sure that one day ALL babies will be born healthy.
But I’m not walking alone. All across the country thousands and thousands of people are going to be walking for babies. Team FoxTwins will be walking 3 miles here in Ohio. Emma & James will be walking (okay, riding) along with Mama, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Cassie, and (honorary) Aunt Kelly. Please, please take a minute to check out our March for Babies website. Your support is so important to us! Think about walking with us, or donating to our march. Even just a couple dollars would help us toward our monetary goal and our lofty, visionary goal for all babies to be born healthy. And above all, please pray for us as we walk, pray for the families of preemies, pray for all babies.
Thank you for your support! It means more to us than you know.
3 Responses to “Why we walk”
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This is such an important message. My daughter was born pre -mature and I am so supportive of anything and everything I can do to help! Thank you and I love your blog.
April 1st, 2010 at 3:49 pmpraying for all the babies and walking, too!!
April 10th, 2010 at 11:52 pmHi! I love this post. My twins were born at 37 weeks and 1 day, and each weighed a couple ounces more than our 5 lb 8 oz goal point. They were so small and floppy and unhealthy looking, and it’s hard to believe that is what a healthy-enough baby looks like.
I am in Cleveland, by the way. I grew up in Worthington and know a couple bloggers down there. WAY TO GO OHIO!
- Jen from diagnosis: urine
July 18th, 2010 at 8:36 am