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Teresa's Journey
lmalecki1982 - 02:32pm Apr 6, 2012 EST
Before I had my daughter Teresa I miscarried twins one at 6 weeks one at 9 weeks. This was in September and they told us we only had to wait a month and we could try again. We thought it would take a while but we received a blessing and in November we found out I was pregnant again. Everything was going well. Then at 14 weeks I experienced placental bleeding, but the baby was fine and it healed itself so we continued our journey with me on bed rest for the next four weeks. At 22 weeks i went in for a normal monthly appointment. I complained about cramping and pressure and after closer inspection the doctor notified me that I was 2 cm dilated. I thought what I was experiencing was normal and hadn’t even planned to mention it, but it’s a good thing I did because they admitted me to sisters hospital. For the next 12 days I would be on bed rest- feet up head down. For those 12 days she was in between the uterus and cervix, just waiting to be born. They said I had to keep her in as long as i could but after 12 long days she was coming – feet first she was coming.
So at 24 weeks they took me for a c-section, but when she came out she had the characteristics of a 22 week – 23 week old baby. It hasn’t been an easy road, she’s still not a normal healthy child, but it’s only been a year and its going to take a little time and a lot of love. She was put her for a reason and she made people believe in miracles. Teresa wasn’t the first and she’s not the last this happens all the time. We didn’t know about it and its sad that we had to go through this experience to discover the March of Dimes. But we have had our journey and our experience. We want to share our story and help bring hope to other families.
Once she was born my husband and I were unable to see her, they rushed her right to the NICU.
I finally saw her that night at 3am and I was in total shock – they told me she had a 30% chance of survival. She was sick and she was so tiny you could fit her in your hand at 1lb 4oz.
This is where the journey began – a lot of people didn’t have a lot of hope in her but she proved everyone wrong. Her eyes will still fused shut but she was a fighter, she beat all odds and everything they threw at her she just pulled through it.
After 16 days she finally opened her eyes, as a mother I felt hopeless, you want to take care of your child and all I could do was sit there and watch her fight for her life
I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through this
She was on an oscillator; she was on a ventilator and poked like a pin cushion. I really thought we were going to lose her. She kept having spells and destating, she could barely breathe on her own and the machines were keeping her alive. But in all of this we found reasons to be thankful- she had no brain bleeding, heart defects or mental disabilities. But still her small lungs weren’t strong enough. We decided to put her on steroids. She did so well on them and we found hope.
In total she was in the NICU for 8 months. She received the first experimental medication therapy in WNY for her eyes. We were afraid to put her through the laser surgery, because her little lungs had already spent so much time on a ventilator. She responded wonderfully to the treatment. Eventually her right eye would receive 3 treatments. Her peripheral vision is still impaired but she has great vision other than that.
Early on we found hope in little things and choose to see the positive. The doctors thought I was overly optimistic but I had to be strong for her and she had to be strong for me. We celebrated everything she did and everyday she was alive. I talked to her all day every day I sang songs to her and she knew I was there. Sometimes I couldn’t believe how strong she was and I had to be strong for her. Her will was made of iron and she was wonderful. If she could do what she was doing and stay strong I could stay strong too. I tell everyone she’s my hero and she really is. I can’t believe how far she has come and I can’t wait to see her in the future and watch her grow, someday I will be proud to tell her story.
While we were in the NICU one of the nurses told us about the March of Dimes. She suggested that we go to March for Babies just to get out. So we went, we gathered up a little team and we started fundraising that day. We realized that this happens to a lot of people and not a lot of people know about the March of Dimes. It helped me a lot listening to the Mothers talk- I was just beginning my journey, but a lot of them had success stories and I was hoping that I could have one too. Now that I do I want to share our story so that other people in my shoes know that they can have a success story too. My daughter needed me and I needed my daughter, I was looking for hope and support and I found that in the March of Dimes. To see our friends and family there at the walk giving us support meant a lot. There were a lot of smiling faces and it was heartwarming, to be surrounded by that much hope in the middle of our struggle was unexplainable feeling. Without the research done by the March of Dimes funded by the money raised by people before us Teresa wouldn’t be here. I felt guilty when I had a preemie, I felt like my body had failed her. I know that this isn’t the case, and I can’t turn back the clock but what I can do is raise money now to help the babies that come after Teresa have more of a chance. Some babies never make it out of the NICU and we are raising money for them, for our children’s children so that they have more options so that they have better chances and the March of Dimes is our partner in this fight. Hug your children every day, love them and see them for the miracle that they are because the March of Dimes sees the miracle and we can all be a part of these miracles.
Before I had my daughter Teresa I miscarried twins one at 6 weeks one at 9 weeks. This was in September and they told us we only had to wait a month and we could try again. We thought it would take a while but we received a blessing and in November we found out I was pregnant again. Everything was going well. Then at 14 weeks I experienced placental bleeding, but the baby was fine and it healed itself so we continued our journey with me on bed rest for the next four weeks. At 22 weeks i went in for a normal monthly appointment. I complained about cramping and pressure and after closer inspection the doctor notified me that I was 2 cm dilated. I thought what I was experiencing was normal and hadn’t even planned to mention it, but it’s a good thing I did because they admitted me to sisters hospital. For the next 12 days I would be on bed rest- feet up head down. For those 12 days she was in between the uterus and cervix, just waiting to be born. They said I had to keep her in as long as i could but after 12 long days she was coming – feet first she was coming.
So at 24 weeks they took me for a c-section, but when she came out she had the characteristics of a 22 week – 23 week old baby. It hasn’t been an easy road, she’s still not a normal healthy child, but it’s only been a year and its going to take a little time and a lot of love. She was put her for a reason and she made people believe in miracles. Teresa wasn’t the first and she’s not the last this happens all the time. We didn’t know about it and its sad that we had to go through this experience to discover the March of Dimes. But we have had our journey and our experience. We want to share our story and help bring hope to other families.
Once she was born my husband and I were unable to see her, they rushed her right to the NICU.
I finally saw her that night at 3am and I was in total shock – they told me she had a 30% chance of survival. She was sick and she was so tiny you could fit her in your hand at 1lb 4oz.
This is where the journey began – a lot of people didn’t have a lot of hope in her but she proved everyone wrong. Her eyes will still fused shut but she was a fighter, she beat all odds and everything they threw at her she just pulled through it.
After 16 days she finally opened her eyes, as a mother I felt hopeless, you want to take care of your child and all I could do was sit there and watch her fight for her life
I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through this
She was on an oscillator; she was on a ventilator and poked like a pin cushion. I really thought we were going to lose her. She kept having spells and destating, she could barely breathe on her own and the machines were keeping her alive. But in all of this we found reasons to be thankful- she had no brain bleeding, heart defects or mental disabilities. But still her small lungs weren’t strong enough. We decided to put her on steroids. She did so well on them and we found hope.
In total she was in the NICU for 8 months. She received the first experimental medication therapy in WNY for her eyes. We were afraid to put her through the laser surgery, because her little lungs had already spent so much time on a ventilator. She responded wonderfully to the treatment. Eventually her right eye would receive 3 treatments. Her peripheral vision is still impaired but she has great vision other than that.
Early on we found hope in little things and choose to see the positive. The doctors thought I was overly optimistic but I had to be strong for her and she had to be strong for me. We celebrated everything she did and everyday she was alive. I talked to her all day every day I sang songs to her and she knew I was there. Sometimes I couldn’t believe how strong she was and I had to be strong for her. Her will was made of iron and she was wonderful. If she could do what she was doing and stay strong I could stay strong too. I tell everyone she’s my hero and she really is. I can’t believe how far she has come and I can’t wait to see her in the future and watch her grow, someday I will be proud to tell her story.
While we were in the NICU one of the nurses told us about the March of Dimes. She suggested that we go to March for Babies just to get out. So we went, we gathered up a little team and we started fundraising that day. We realized that this happens to a lot of people and not a lot of people know about the March of Dimes. It helped me a lot listening to the Mothers talk- I was just beginning my journey, but a lot of them had success stories and I was hoping that I could have one too. Now that I do I want to share our story so that other people in my shoes know that they can have a success story too. My daughter needed me and I needed my daughter, I was looking for hope and support and I found that in the March of Dimes. To see our friends and family there at the walk giving us support meant a lot. There were a lot of smiling faces and it was heartwarming, to be surrounded by that much hope in the middle of our struggle was unexplainable feeling. Without the research done by the March of Dimes funded by the money raised by people before us Teresa wouldn’t be here. I felt guilty when I had a preemie, I felt like my body had failed her. I know that this isn’t the case, and I can’t turn back the clock but what I can do is raise money now to help the babies that come after Teresa have more of a chance. Some babies never make it out of the NICU and we are raising money for them, for our children’s children so that they have more options so that they have better chances and the March of Dimes is our partner in this fight. Hug your children every day, love them and see them for the miracle that they are because the March of Dimes sees the miracle and we can all be a part of these miracles.
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