For the next week, we worked at feeding T.J. He was incredibly successful at the bottle; before we knew it he was taken a bottle at every feeding. The doctor was true to his word: T.J. was discharged on Dec. 15, 6 weeks after his birth. He came home on a whiff of oxygen, an apnea monitor and several meds. We were cautioned to keep him at home until cold and flu season passes.
This is the short version of our story. It says little of the emotional journey that we went through. It does not detail the frustration, guilt, denial and depression that haunted us. It does not reveal the heartbreak, the loss, the sadness that preemie parents feel. But, be assured that we felt all those things as we left the hospital each night without our child.
My wife and I have decided to write this column to share our story and to provide a forum for others who are interested in discussing premature birth. We will provide articles on many topics and welcome your input and insight. We will provide links to as many preemie sites as possible (please see those listed on this site) and help you to navigate the Web.
T.J. is our special little miracle. I have created several pages dedicated to him. You can access his online photo album by visiting: http://members.tripod.com/jensenej/tj/my...
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