 |
Tommy's
Preemie
Web Online since 1995! Home ::: Preemie Story ::: Pictures ::: Links ::: About |
 |
|
|
January through Early February Messages...
Hi Tommy: You are an inspirational little guy! I have a question I would love to ask your Mom. I am a mother of a 24 weeker (Emily, born 9/27/96 at 625 grams) and I just finished reading the story of how you learned to successfully to breast feed. Emily has been home for 3 weeks now and while she was in the hospital I managed to express milk by using a pump for three months. The day after Emily came home, my milk supply diminished and she's having a hard time with nipple confusion. I'm just about to give up trying, but actually accomplishing this would mean a lot to me. I would greatly appreciate any advise or encouragement. How long did it take for Tommy to switch to the breast? Thanks for your page. I have just discovered the net and I was so pleased to find so many preemie stories. It's so nice to see we are not alone. Eleanor
Hi Tommy: My name is Barb and my hubby 'Larry' and we are parents to 29 weeker twins Nicholas and Hailey. They will be 2 years old on February 25, one month from today. You remind me very much of Nicholas. You can check him and Hailey out our homepage called the "2 Monkeys Twins Page" and see for yourself. I hope to add more recent pictures soon as the latest ones are at about age one. So take a look now, but please check us out again in the next few weeks and hopefully I will have some new ones there too. Tell your Mommy and dad that the page is great and we'd like permission to add your address as a link on our page. Keep up the good work Tommy, you are a sweetie! Barb and Larry Wagner and the 2 MoNkEyS Nick and Hailey. St. Thomas, ON, CANADA "2 Monkeys Twins Page" preemies,twins,parenting
Hi Tommy: I just finished reading your story and as the grandmother of two grandsons (both born within the last 3 1/2 months). I was very touched and so glad to see that you are doing so well. Although both of our babies were born full term, I know that your sight will provide much support and information for those parents and grandparents facing your journey. Best of luck in the future!!! Rita Golden
Hi Tommy: I stumbled on your sight by accident, but after reading the first page <I became a> "Tommy" fan and wanted to continue on. As the parent of a 5 month old, boy (not a preemie), I can relate to the achievements of milestones. "Children Are a Blessing from God". You are truly blessed and your web page about your son is truly a blessing. Val
Hi Tommy: I am a medical student at The University of Birmingham in England and am currently writing an essay about a family who had a daughter who was born at 25 weeks gestation (the same as you!) weighing 820 grams. She was 1 year old in December and is currently doing extremely well. I would really appreciate any information you could send me about prematurity as I have discovered that many of the journals and books I have access to are out of date because of the speed progress is being made in the field. Thankyou in advance for any help you can give me, and I think the website is excellent. Yours sincerely Zoe Wyrko Zoe Wyrko
Hi Tommy: I wrote you about 3 months ago just three days after my little boy Cameron was born at 24 & 5 days gestation and 1lb 6oz. Well 3 months later he is still doing well and now weighs 3lb 7oz. He has had many, many ups and downs but he is getting there - slowly. Your story has really helped us, particularly after a hard day at SCBU(Special Care Baby Unit) - when we see that either you experienced a similar setback and recovered or just felt frustrated. We even printed the story off and circulated it around different people in SCBU. Over the next few months I plan to write a web site for Cameron, to tell is story just like you. When I do I will e-mail you the address. Thanks again, you have kept us going over some difficult times and no doubt will again. Love Scott, Michelle & Cameron Hi Tommy: I am an NICU nurse in a large hospital in Houston, TX. I found your story to be very inspiring and I plan to share it with other nurses on my unit and with parents in the NICU. Thanks so much for sharing. Bettina Gruenberger Hi Tommy: Wonderful site... when we get our web page up (hopefully in a couple months) you definitely will be included as a link!! In addition, at the next printing, we will include you in our annotated bibliography and resource guide, which just last year included the first few internet web site listings. I understand and appreciate that you don't link to commercial sites, but I note that you do make reference to some books and resource materials. We have recently published "Growing Sophia, The Story of a Premature Birth" by Rochelle Barsuhn. We are very excited by this book and have had excellent press in several areas including Minnesota, Texas, California, and Florida (they picked up an AP story about the book). Feedback from parents of premature infants from all across the country. The feedback from caregivers has not been 100% positive, the main complaint being that the book is too honest and straight forward (and so they apparently think that maybe it is their duty and right to protect the parents). Here is our description of the book: With over 45 vignettes such as Reality, Lungs, Affection, Patience, Gilt, Hope, Exhaustion, Dreams, Bad Advice, Pain, Privacy, Breastfeeding, Machines, and Apnea, you just know that this is one of the best books a premature baby's parents could read. "Growing Sophia: The Story of a Premature Birth" is told in the words of Rochelle Barsuhn who chronicles the birth at 24 weeks of her daughter, Sophia, as well as the emotional highs and lows faced by she and her husband, Scott. But this is much more than just one more personal tale. It will validate the feelings of every parent of a preemie, expose all of their anxieties, and let them know that everything they are going through is 'normal.' In addition to the story, there are a dozen pages of coping suggestions, a glossary with more than 60 terms, a bibliography and a list of resources. We would love to send you a complimentary copy of the book for your own library. We are convinced by your site that you will love this book but would never want you to mention it or list it as a resource unless you had seen a copy and were as convinced as we were that it was great. In addition, we would love any and all feedback from you or anyone else about the book. If you would like a copy, just e-mail us your snail mail address and we will forward one to you immediately. Oh, I guess I should mention that I am president of deRuyter-Nelson Publications, Inc., which two years ago started a new division called "A Place To Remember" whose tagline is "uplifting support materials and resources for those who have been touched by a crisis in pregnancy or the death of a baby." Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my e-mail. Sincerely, Calvin deRuyter, A Place To Remember Hi Clark - I received your message. I'm glad you like the parent book! Let me know if I can be of assistance in any way as you help parents through the NICU experience. Jeanette Zaichkin ---------- From: Clark T. King Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 5:58 PM To: BZYMOM5@aol.com; preemie-l@vicnet.net.au Cc: BZYMOM5@aol.com; Dana/Jeanette Zaichkin Subject: Re: preemie-l nicu book I have a copy of the book "Newborn Intensive Care", and I have to say it is excellent. Helen Harrison's "The Premature Baby Book" covers the parents needs and works through the emotions of the premature birth and how to deal with it. "Your Premature Baby" best covers the medical/complications end. And Now we have "Newborn Intensive Care: What Every Parent Needs to Know" a book which covers the kind of information typically covered by the NICU nurses. I highly recommend all three! Clark
Hi Tommy: He's baby <pictures> are beautiful!! cute...sweet!! I like the babies and he's the <cutest> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Catterin Lamboglia catti@cyberp.alcatec.com
Hi Tommy: Congratulations on becoming a big brother !!!!!!! My name is Anne-Mieke van den Berg and I am the mother of a very impatient baby boy named Robin. He decided at 23 weeks to try to escape my womb, but luckily I had a doctors appointment that day (I didn't feel anything, but I was in labor) and he stopped the escape. But at 25 weeks he tried again, we managed to stop the labor for a couple of days with a little help from the labor reducing medicines and absolute bed rest ( I wasn't even allowed to go to the toilet) When I was 26 weeks and two days Robin escaped, the doctor came just in time to catch him because I delivered him in three minutes..........I can still hear the nurse say when my water broke: relax your not going to have this baby now... He weighed a whooping 900 grams and breathed on his own, he also scored a 9 on his apgars, and every doctor was amazed about this. A more complete story is on Inkans Preemie home page, at the 26 weekers, its called the story of our boy wonder Robin. Robin is eight months old now, and he is doing just great. I wish you and your parents a lot of strength for the next couple of months, and I do hope your brother or sister doesn't come premature. Lots of love Anne-Mieke http://hem.passagen.se/inkan/preemie/robin.htm Hi Tommy: I am an NICU Nurse in New Jersey. I just wanted to say hi to you and your family......I really enjoyed looking at your pictures and hearing you laugh. I have taken care of many infants like you and have had the opportunity to see many of them grow up into fine young children. Thanks for letting me into your Cyber-Nursery. I have not had any of my own children yet, I am 37 and thinking about getting pregnant now. I wish you and your family all the luck in the world..... Susan Hi Tommy: What memories your story brought back. Our son Jack was born on April 26, 1994, a 24 weeker weighing 1 lb 9 oz. Like you, Jack was born due to placental abruption. Like all little guys, he had his ups and downs including a Grade 2 brain bleed, lung infection, long course of steroids, ROP stage 2, heaps of bradys and apneas and a PDA. Jack still holds the hospital record for extubating himself 7 times in 4 weeks - twice on one shift!. At 4 weeks of age, Jack picked up a hospital bug (citrobacter) and spent 11 weeks in an isolation nursery. Jack was on o2 support for his first 13 weeks of life, but was successfully weaned from O2 just prior to his homecoming. However, he had an extremely bad reaction to his triple antigen vaccination (pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus), which took him from breathing air, back to requiring O2. He ran a fierce temperature, had severe swelling in the leg and groin and had 17 apneas in 2 hours!! While the O2 situation was soon under control, ! he had a recurrent problem with apneas and finally went home on a Graseby (respiration) monitor. Jack came home, weighing 5lb 5oz at 105 days old (1 week pre term). Today to look at him, you would never be able to tell that he had such a tough start in life. He is 38 inches tall, weighs 35 lbs and has a serious devotion to Barney, Sesame Street and food of all descriptions!! In every way he is a perfect, normal, little boy - perhaps a bit more stubborn than most - but given his start in life who can blame him! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share our story with you and thank you for such a lovely page. The support it gives to other parents is fantastic. If any readers would like to get in touch to talk about preemies, etc please do! I am a member of the Preterm Parents and Infants Association (PIPA) in Australia and have also trained as a Breastfeeding Counselor with the Nursing Mothers Association of Australia (NMAA). Kerri Hallahan Hi Tommy: I was looking for more information as to how we can help our son's development. He is a was seventeen weeks early, weighing 1.3 pounds. His two other brothers did not survive. I am looking specifically for information on oral feeding and motor skill development. Support group information would also be helpful. Our son's name is Ralph McDermott Martinez (Ralphie). Thanks. Ralph Martinez, Sr Ralph F. Martinez Hi Tommy: My name is Rosa Chavez and delivered twin girls at 27 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. Dominique and Ashley were born on September 27, 1996 at 1lb. 5oz and 1lb 14oz. Needless to say they both spent a lot of time in ICU. Ashley was released from the hospital at 3lb. 14oz. after two months. Dominique on the other hand had a hole in her heart and therefore had problems with her lungs. After an additional two months in ICU, Dominique got a bad case of pneumonia and passed away due to cardiac arrest on January 21, 1997. Ashley is now about 5 1/2 pounds and doing fine with no problems yet. I am looking forward to reading up on as much as I get get on hands on in cyberspace. Rosa I. Chavez Hi! Don't know if you remember us--I know you get tons of emails. We sent a short hello to Tommy a few weeks ago and told you a little bit about our little miracle Shannon. She was the 12-ouncer born at 27 wks but developed only to about 21 wks. Anyway, just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know she is now up to a whopping 2 lbs 6 ounces. Just recently went through a bout with pneumonia, a staph infection, and an abdominal infection (they were initially concerned about NEC, but now they think that's not what it was). Also our little "fighter" somehow broke her arm, but that too is healing. She continues to amaze us, and I'm so proud of her I just wanted to give you an update. We've got a way to go, yet, so please keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming our way--we'll send them back in return. Continued best wishes, Shannon's Mom (Kathy)
Could you please add this site's URL to your links for parents? These tapes are used in hospitals around the country and have wondrous results, on newborns, on preemies...even on patients with Alzheimer's and cardiac trouble. Below is all the information on it. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Cathy Pedigo winedge@juno.com How to Quiet a Crying Baby...Baby Go To Sleep Tapes http://www.concentric.net/~Winedge/baby.shtml Statistics show that 40% of children under age 5 keep their parents up at night, and 1 out of 3 babies is colicky. Baby Go To Sleep tapes give help to parents of newborn babies, young children, and expectant parents. You don't have to let them cry...Sleep is just a heartbeat away! Catherine R. Pedigo How to Quiet a Crying Baby...Baby Go To Sleep Tapes
Hi Tommy: First of all, I have never had a preemie baby myself--but in a special way I have had hundreds of preemie babies. I am a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and have been working with preemies in the NICU setting for 20 years now. How pleasant it was to find your CyberNursery while surfing the net several days ago. I decided to come back and tell your parents that you are special (which they already know) and that they are also very special. I have stood beside countless parents Best Wishes for continued health and happiness. Lera Cavanaugh, NNP Hi Tommy: I have your page bookmarked and visit it often. I was fortunate and did not have a preemie, BUT my son William was born July 28, 1994 (full term). I had preterm dilation and early contractions with both of my younger children. Each requiring a cerclage at week 15 (Laura Jean) and week 17 (William)gestation. So I had a close brush with fate and your home page helps remind me how fortunate I am. I also enjoy keeping up with Thomas and his progress since he and William are so close in age. By all the information that you have provided on your page, it seems that he is right on the mark for any 2 and 1/2 year old. William has yet given any indication that he needs to start 'potty training' and I am trying not to push. He says some complete sentences that we understand what he is saying and many that are William's own natural language. He uses many single words at this point though. One other interest I have in your Web site is that my sister is a NICU nurse. Today I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your Web site, and have enjoyed it often. You are fortunate and have an adorable son. Jeanetha Wemken Mom to Gregg (23), Laura Jean (7) and William (2&1/2) Jeanetha Hi Tommy: Congratulations, you have a beautiful page and congratulations for fighting so hard and for having such loving wonderful parents, love Norma Daniel's 29 weeks preemie mom !!! Norma Drexel
Hi Tommy: I'm looking for documents about the psychology of preemie. Do doctors and nurses take <note> of signs (a movement of hand, of the body .etc....) and how they respond, then analyze these signs? Do you have any info or documents about this subject? Thank you very much. O. Martinand-Lurin
Hi Tommy: I am a NICU nurse in NM, I loved your story! Your story has a lot of useful information as well as compassion. Thank you for acknowledging the role nurses played in your son's recovery. I was also interested in your story because I am 27 weeks PG and home on bedrest. I had a small abruption at 20 weeks and then I tried to go into labor at 23 weeks, they were able to stop me. Good luck to you and your little boy!! LEE Hi Tommy: We have a Tommy also. He was a 30 weeker. He spent 6 weeks in the NICU. We are so happy to have found this site. When our Tommy was born (2 years ago tomorrow), The NICU connected us with a support group. I got one call from someone who also had a preemie and all she said to me was "the way we got through this was to look around and see who was smaller or worse off than us." At that time Tommy was the smallest and sickest in the NICU. Needless to say, the preemie "support group" we were connected to did not help. Now, 2 yrs later we find your site and We already feel better. Tommy is doing great and seems to have no lingering effects. He needs to work on his strength as he has a hard time learning to climb and walk up stairs. Anyway, we just wanted to say that your site helps us even though our son is 2. thank you so much and keep up the great work!! Lisa, Mike and Tommy Hi Tommy: My brother recently had a premature baby. His girlfriend was only 30 weeks pregnant and had preclampsia. She had c-section for the sake of the baby. She was born 2lbs 3oz and 14in. Her name is Hayley. Although she was able to breathe on her own she had trouble eating and going to the bathroom. I haven't seen her because I am in Hawaii and they are in California. My brother is 22 and his girlfriend just turned 18. I have heard that premature babies take a lot of caring for the first few months. I am pregnant right now and went into premature labor and was give turbutaline to stop it. Now that I am 37 weeks I have been taken off of it. Mostly I am curious about what temperature the baby is supposed to be at. My niece is barely 4 lbs and was released from the hospital a week ago. My brother and Hayley's mother are already taking her over to people's houses. Some in which have dogs in the house and have not been keeping her rapt in a blanket. I am asking because I am worried that she might get sick and would like to here from people about what you are supposed to be cautious of and other people's experiences. Mary
Hi Tommy: How wonderful to find a little boy like you! You must be really special for you mommy & daddy to do all this computer stuff for you. My name is Connie and I work with lots of Mommies and Daddies who had special babies just like you. They are very scared when they have their babies, and I try to help them and their families understand what's going on so they might not be so frightened We have many babies just like you who were born early or were born sick. We have brothers and sisters who come and look at the babies so they can get used to them. I thin you're very lucky to have such (obviously) devoted parents. Any thing they might like to tell me to help understand what they went through will be appreciated. I love your pictures too. You can write me back and I will tell my parents about your Connie St. Francis Medical Center, NICU Hi Tommy: My name is Kate Baggott, I'm a researcher for an author named Don Tapscott whose next book is going to be called "Growing UP Digital." I was doing my demographic research on our topic when I realized that technology goes beyond PC and the Net. I cal advancement in neonatal treatment played in Thomas' survival. I am touched by your story and I think your web page is indicative of one of the best uses of the Net. Yours sincerely, Kate Baggott, Toronto P.S. to see our profile see our site at http://www.mtnlake.com/paradigm
http://www.mtnlake.com/paradigm
Hi Tommy: My husband by chance found a symdome that was like reading my life history. He did not bookmark it and now I really need the info. I was born 1951 at 6mo., I suffer lung problems, reynards, depression, small seizures then I add fuel to the fire by being a alcoholic. In my 20's I miscarried 3 times I could not get passed the 5th month. If anyone reads this and can help me it would be greatly appreciated. I sound like a mess when it is in writing but I hope you will by pass the way it looks and help me. Thank-you for your time and trouble. Judith
Hi Tommy: Annette and Mark had a baby boy at 11:34pm 1/2/97!!!!! After being on bedrest at home from 11/9/96 to 12/3/96 and then being on hospital bedrest from 12/3 to 1/5/97, everything turned out OK! We thank God! An emergency C-section was performed on 1/2/97 due to a placental abruption and baby Markie Jr. was born at 2 lbs 11 oz. Mommy is recovering at home now and is up and about... It's GREAT to have them both! Baby was born a couple days short of 30 weeks Little did we know that we would be in the same type of situation as you, and your mommy & daddy were when they had you! Our web page was just started a few weeks before the birth and needs to be updated. Annette & Mark Gnatowski http://www.netwalk.com/~netmark/
Hi Tommy: I am not a mother of a preemie, however, my daughter is 2 years old and 21 pounds. I am writing because my daughter has:
Last year she had her adnoids removed and had a sinus irrigation. I would like to know if any parents of preemies have had any of these problems and could shed some light on it for me. I also would like to know where parents of preemies purchase clothing for their children. I am having a hard time finding clothes that fit my daughter well. I have found companies on the net that cater to preemie clothing, however they only cater to them until they reach 8 pounds. What do the parents do after that point. There has to be a manufacturer that caters to these kinds of children. PLEASE HELP ME! (WASHINGTON, DC) Twanna Washington
Hi Tommy: I just signed on to America on Line this morning. I also had a preemie, CJ was born @ 24 weeks. He weighed a whopping 838 grams. Within 7 days, he was 1lb. 6 oz.. He is now almost 10 months old. He is doing wonderful. As with most premature births, you just wait for something bad to happen for everything good that happens. Where do you live? We just moved from Alaska to Washington. I hope this gets to you, I have never "surfed the net". While CJ and I were in the hospital, my sister Pam printed a million pages for me to read on premature babies and problems. Until then ROP Intraventricular hemorrhaging PDA flap open Lungs collapse x2 You name it... Please write back if you have time. Thank you, Dona O'Malley
Hi Tommy: It was nice to read your story. It took back so many memories and the pictures looked just like my little boy. Dru was born at 29 weeks and weighed 2lbs. 10 oz., 14 inches long. I didn't even know that I was in labor until it was too late. Everything went so fast from there. I went to the hospital at 2 am and he was born at 3:30am by emergency c-section. Dru had the fight in him to live. They told us he probably would make it. But he was a fighter. He extubated himself after 3 weeks. He just reacheeyes. I am happy to say that my son will be turning 7 years old on the 27th of this month. He was born on Jan. 27, 1990. He is a vibrant 7 year old and very, very bright!!! Good luck! Sheila R. Davis |
|
Home ::: NICU Story ::: Pictures ::: Links ::: About Please message us via our fan page on Facebook KingProductions.com |
