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Born Too Soon: T.J.'s Story

© Eric Jordan Jensen

With the early arrival of our son, who was born after only 29 weeks in the womb, we were thrust into the confusing and often frustrating world of premature infants. For those who have travelled this road, you know what an uphill climb it can sometimes be. Fortunately, our path wasn't littered with too many ditches, potholes or other disturbances. T.J. had a relatively easy path and continues to progress rapidly. Still, the journey has been an emotional one, one that is not uncommon, one we would like to share.

On November 5, 1997, Susan awoke with back pain. This is a common complaint in pregnancy and she thought nothing of it until she started having stomach pains as well. After several hours of enduring the pain, she realized that she was bleeding. Unsettled, she woke me up and we called the doctor. Her ob/gyn's calm response was falsely reassuring: he instructed us to go to the emergency room and get hooked up to a fetal monitor. Because of the doctor's gentle response, we believed our hospital stay would be a short one and that we would be sent home with a pain reliever or other medication. That was not to be.

After examining Susan, the doctor told us that we would be having a baby that day. Both of us were shocked. She wasn't due for anothe 2 1/2 months. How could this be happening to us? We were terrified. The doctor sensed our panic and quickly reassured us that not only would the baby live, but he would also develop normally, God willing. He then gave Susan several shots, including an epidural, which calmed her considerably.

As we waited for the arrival of our son, we talked and reassured each other that everything would be okay. An endless procession of hospital personnel also visited us, explaining what would happen to T.J. once he was born. They gave us mountains of paperwork, urging us to read all that we could and ask any questions we could think of. Everyone was positive and upbeat. By the time T.J. was ready, we were convinced that everything would work out fine.

Thomas Jordan Jensen (T.J.) was born at 3:29 p.m. weighing 3 pounds and 6 ounces (large for a baby born at 29 weeks). He was 15.5 inches long. Susan was not allowed to touch him immediately after the birth. As soon as the cord was cut, a respiratory team took over. They whisked him away to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), stopping only to let Susan put her hand inside his incubator. He grasped her finger with a strong, confident grip.

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