A few things I never thought I’d say: “James, don’t bite your arm.” “James, don’t drag your head across the floor.” and my favorite, “James, don’t lick the tree, (short pause) or the telephone pole!” Our latest challenge continues to be addressing James’ sensory needs. He has a variety of them, and they seem to … Continue reading
I’ve thought about writing this post many times. I haven’t been able to do it yet for a few reasons, mostly because I know it will be impossibly hard to say in words how much James’ NICU nurses mean to us. There are no words to describe how amazing they are, or explain the impact they had on our lives. This week is … Continue reading
One of the greatest comforts for me is the touch of another person. Whether it’s a hug, holding their hand, a pat on the back, or just sitting close enough to feel that person beside me, someone else’s presence is very reassuring. Their touch can give me confidence, take away fear, relieve worry; it lets me know I’m … Continue reading
A day late because sometimes life happens on it’s own schedule, not mine. For 11 years I worked with Early Childhood Intervention, assisting families with the developmental delays of their children, and helping them through the transition process as their children neared the age of three. I’ve talked families through the steps of being referred to the Preschool Program for … Continue reading
I love this photo of James! His nurse, Lisa, taught me how to do a Developmental Bath. Bath time can be stressful for some babies, and they were concerned it would be for James. Doing a Developmental Bath kept him partially covered in the bath, allowing the weight of the blankets to help define his … Continue reading
Part of keeping my sanity through our NICU journey and beyond has involved finding online support groups to draw strength from. It is incredibly comforting to know others have been where you are and survived. Not to mention how helpful it is bounce questions off people with experience and insight. Sometimes I feel like they know me better than … Continue reading
I wasn’t going to publish a blog today. There is so much happening in the world that makes anything I have to say seem trivial. But James isn’t trivial, and some people have told me that he gives them hope. I think we need a whole lot of hope, goodness, and love during times like these. Maybe James … Continue reading
This is for me. I wanted to remind myself of how far James has come with his feeding. He had a weight check this week and lost an ounce. Still choosing not to be stressed about it, but definitely disappointed. I feel like a good share of our day is spent trying to get James to eat or drink, which he’s done … Continue reading
We each have a unique perspective on the world around us. That’s part of what makes our world so interesting. We can look at the same thing, but what you see may be completely different from what I see. Thank goodness for those differences. If we didn’t have them it would be a very robotic … Continue reading
How young is too young, and who is it that makes that decision? You are the person I want to talk with. You are the person who needs to meet James. Had the NICU team attending James’ delivery known his correct gestational age, they would have done nothing. The NICU team would not have been … Continue reading
The weblog about Behavior
My lifesaving journey...
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