A Different Purple Heart

Bella asked me to do this post. She wanted me to let y'all know...this is gonna be a long one. In fact, it may even be a series. We got a lot to say and don't want to lose you before we even get started. I know y'alls world doesn't stop with her, but mine did March 12, 2008. Because of the circumstances leading up to her birth, I feel she has an important message to share and I'm the designated typist. If you see any misspelled words or dangling participles...blame Bella..'kay?Most of y'all who read my blog know the circumstances surrounding Bella's birth. Jenn developed Preeclampsia in February and after three weeks in the hospital, buying Bella more time, complications set in. Her OB/GYN made the decision to deliver Bella by C-section at 23 weeks, 4 days. Bella came into the world (with her tiny legs kicking) measuring 10" in length and weighing 15 oz. Prior to the delivery, Jenn and Roby had been advised her chances of survival were slim if any. She hadn't reached the point of viability which meant a decision had to made as to whether to place Bella on the ventilator and it had to be made by Roby and Jenn. At 24 weeks, preemies are automatically placed on one. They were advised that if they chose not to, it might be their only chance to hold her. (The survival rate for babies born under 23 weeks is less than 10%) Jennifer as a child of God, believed that she would hold her baby one day and they chose to intubate Bella. I'm about to get technical on y'all, so don't stop reading please....these numbers are important.

The number of premature births in America are on the rise. A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks. Anything less than 37 weeks is considered preterm. 70% are delivered between 34 and 36 weeks; 12% at 32 and 33; 10% at 28 and 31; 6% at less than 28. Even at 37 weeks, there can be complications and the babies are placed in NICU. The survival rate is even more staggering....40% chance at 24 weeks increasing with each week until 90% at 28 weeks. The medical advances over the last 40 years has been phenomenal, but the numbers demonstrate why every precious day that can be bought for these babies is critical.

Bella was born a micro-preemie which is a baby born under 26 weeks and weighing less than 1 3/4 pounds. The complications that can arise for these babies are a mile long beginning with lung problems, eye surgery and the list goes on and on. These babies haven't had time, as Jenn put it, to finish cooking.

Delivering these micro-preemies even by C-Section is a risk with possible brain damage as a result...through no fault of the doctor. Imagine if you will how tiny they are...then picture in your mind how tiny the lines are that are inserted into them and the risks to the lungs. It takes a skillful hand and a lot of prayer. The odds are not in their favor, but God is.

Here's the gist of it y'all. November is National Premature Awareness month and purple designated as the official color. Bella is asking y'all to help. If you visit the March of Dimes web page, you can read all the statistics, advancements, and ways to help.

I'm showing y'all these photos of Bella while she was in her glass castle to make a point. For five months, Jenn and Roby called Baylor Hospital NICU home. They traveled back and forth daily to be with her and to learn how to care for her.

The constant tug on their hearts would sometimes be more than they could handle, but they did it. Think of those who are out there right now with their babies in hospitals close to where you live. Not only are they watching their baby fight to live, but they share a bond with the other parents there whose baby may or may not live. There is the constant noise of alarms, monitors, doctors, nurses, but very little crying. These babies do not cry early on. The reason maybe the intubators or that their lungs aren't developed enough. The only crying heard is usually that of the families.

Bella was blessed with God's favor. Her only major complication was a heart defect, PDA, which required surgery. She'll have the scar to remind her of how much God loves her always.

Imagine the heart ache of going to the hospital day in and day out and never getting to touch, much less hold, your baby. These tiny babies are so fragile with absolutely no fat under their skin, they bruise from the slightest touch.

Jenn and Roby were fortunate. They brought Bella home in August with just an oxygen tank. I say just...she had to be on oxygen all the time as well as an apnea monitor.

I'm digressing here for just a moment to mention again...these babies have virtually no fat. I'm going to ask you again to picture changing a diaper and not being sure if it's a girl or a boy. The hospital staff sometimes forgets that things like this are important for the new parents to know. Without that layer of fat, things don't look exactly right. The babies literally have no bottom....just a back. If that is confusing, I'll try to explain it in a future post.

Jenn knows she has been blessed and has constantly prayed to God about what she can do to repay this blessing. He has placed in her heart the need to help those parents who are in those NICUs. After much more praying and soul searching, she has decided to try and start a special program that she has named Pennies For Preemies. With the donations she receives, she plans on using the money to help parents who will be spending Christmas at Baylor Hospital with their premature babies.

We plan on the kickoff to be at Winnie & Tulula's Angels in America Christmas Open House next Friday, November 26th. She'll have a can that pennies can be dropped into or you can contact her for more information about donating. I'm going to be doing more posts on this because I truly believe it is a worthy cause and also because I love my daughter with all my heart.

She is walking a path I don't know that I would be able to with grace, fierce determination and a grateful heart.

I always end my prayers with the request that I be allowed to live until I see my children grown. Watching her and her faithfulness to God while walking through fire tells me, He heard my cry.

I am thankful for my God whose eye is always on the sparrow.

I am linking this to Debra's VIF and Lynn's A "Give Thanks" Party.