{Straight From the Heart} *My LITTLE Blessing* 11/20/99
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(Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
I asked a good friend of ours, Shelly Smith, to share the experience of the birth of her
first child two years ago. Here is Zach's story....
Thank you for sharing a part of your life with all of us, Shelly!
My LITTLE Blessing!
I can remember like it was yesterday, yet it seems like a long time ago....
October 25, 1997, was like any ordinary Saturday, or so I thought. My husband,
Scott and I were talking about how in less than a month we would be parents, and
our lives would be changing for the best. Little did I know it would be much
sooner than we thought.
We had plans that night to play cards with my parents. I made chili
and apple pie. They were expected to arrive about 7:30 but at 7:00 my water
broke. Our plans changed. Now we would be playing cards in my hospital room.
We settled in and knew it would be a long night. I won't bore you
with details, but it ended up being 25 hours of labor.
Our little boy, Zachary, was born at 6:06 PM on October 26, 1997, choosing
to be born on the day when we "fall back." Approximately 1/2 hour after he
was born, they realized he wouldn't stop crying and his fingers and toes were
still blue. The nurses checked his oxygen level and found it to be very low.
He was rushed down to the nursery and placed under an oxygen hood which helped
some, but he needed to stay there. His chest was barreled from trying to breath
and his lungs were sticking together. The pediatrician arrived and after lengthy
discussions, decided that it would be best to transport him to a hospital that was
better equipped to handle the situation. From what we understood, his lungs weren't
quite mature and just needed some time.
He was transported to a local NICU via ambulance. Would have been in a
helicopter, except that he also chose a day of freezing rain. Zach left
me at shortly after midnight. With tears in my eyes, I knew I would see
him tomorrow. Scott, the new daddy, had to follow the ambulance and called
me when they arrived and said the doctors thought he would be just fine.
Although Zach was born a month early, he weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. and
was a very big boy compared to the other babies in the NICU. Scott was able
to stay at the hospital that night in case something went wrong. Well, around
4:00 Monday morning, the doctors decided to put Zach on a ventilator because he
was just working too hard to breath. They wanted him to get a break and he was
not responding to the medicine he was being given. If he could just make it through
Monday night we knew things would be OK..... That night Zach crashed. We were
whisked out of the NICU and placed in chairs outside. The doctors told us Zach's
only hope would be to be placed in an experimental treatment and that we needed to
sign the papers right away. We could not wait. Of course we signed them. Zach
was given a 30% chance of survival. Without it, it was zero. There was no option
for us.
There had been prayer chains going all over, praying for good results for my
little boy. I don't believe I have ever been so frightened but yet I never doubted
that Zach was in God's hands with whatever the outcome was to be.
Zach responded immediately to the nitric oxide treatment. There was a
slight chance he could get worse again, but in this case he didn't. He
continued to get stronger each day there after. We were able to sleep
right outside the NICU and visit anytime. We attended support groups at
the hospital, they helped immensely. To see such a tiny boy covered with
tubes, an IV in his skull, and his little chest shaking due to an oscillating
ventilator, was more scary than I ever imagined. I truly believe that I was
able to handle this because of the strength God gave me to endure anything.
Zach was given the strength to get better.
Things slowly began to be taken away, an IV, a feeding tube, and a ventilator.
He was moved to a big crib from his warmer and I was finally able to feed him a
bottle and give him a sponge bath. Nine days after being born he was coming home.
He had endured so much in nine days, things I wouldn't want anyone to go through in
a lifetime.
He is now a healthy, energetic little boy with heart of gold. By looking at
him you would never know how his life began. I feel so blessed to have him as my son
and I am thankful everyday for My LITTLE Zachary.
Shelly Smith
Shel1201@aol.com
Write Shelly and let her know what you thought as you read her story!
Make sure you visit her web page to see just how cute Zach is!
Baby Zach's web page
http://hometown.aol.com/SHEL1201/zach-index.html
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REQUESTS:
Lynann's uncle, Larry Coe, has just been diagnosed with a tumor in his bladder
and it appears to be cancer. We will know tomorrow. We would deeply appreciate
your remembering him in your prayers. Thank you.
=Bill Rayborn=
tcmrtalk@mail.airmail.net
From: RKaGe@aol.com (Kelli)
Howdy Michael,
I just wanted to request that you pray for the students at Texas A&M.
You're welcome to send this out on your list. I'm sure everyone has heard by now
that our Bonfire fell and 11 students, and a graduate was killed. The mood here is
unbelievably somber and quiet. I just praise the Lord that He has a plan and that He
is uniting, not only the Aggies, but the Christians on campus through this. Please pray
for eyes to be opened and hardened hearts to be softened. God is real and He is just--I
pray that people, instead of getting angry at Him, get on their knees before Him.
Love in Christ,
<>< kelli
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What's the world coming to! Michael has his own weekly column on being a daddy!!
This week: Michael takes Caleb to his first swimming lessons!
Click on this link to go to ChildFun.com!
Daddy's View | Michael's Weekly Column
or type in the following in your browser:
http://www.childfun.com/dads/michael.shtml
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Thought For The Day:
"He who provides for this life, but takes no care for eternity, is wise for a moment,
but a fool forever."
(Tillotson)
Verse for the Day:
"What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul, or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Matthew 16:26
Kid's Thought for the day:
"Make up a reason to have a party."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Is it not strange that they who have no children bring them up so well?"
Coach's Thought For The Day
"You don't break habits; you can still know how to do the wrong habit, you just don't
do it anymore."
(John Kessel)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Since light travels faster than sound, isn't that why some people appear bright until
you hear them speak?"
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20