Parents of Preemies Day

Someone posted this on the newsfeed on fb this morning, I thought I'd share it here.

For all the preemie mums and dads today...

It takes a lot courage, strength, willpower and grace to navigate the traumatic NICU rollercoaster. While other parents get to bring their little ones home, we have a schedule of when we can even see ours. While other parents get to hold and cuddle their child whenever they like, we have to ask for permission to even touch ours. We visit, but never stay.We walk out of the hospital day after day after day after day, weeks on end, months go by, without our child. It is a long, never-ending road we travel. We often feel isolated from the real world, somehow feeling like less of a parent because our child is not with us. We sit by the phone, anticipating "the call"; when alone at night, we break down and cry. But, we get up, dust ourselves off and do it again the next day. Even when discharged, a preemie doesn't stop being a preemie. A preemie will forever be a preemie and likewise, a preemie parent will always be.This is the life of a preemie parent and today is the first ever Parents of Preemies Day. If you or someone you know is a proud parent of a preemie please join us in honoring their journey.

*love*

I have three friends that have had premmies (one still in hospital now). Much love and strength to you all

Love it soo true!!
hey we are 9 years down the track from our premie experience- it never leaves you !! You certainly never forget how precious life is when you look death in the eye so many times and tell it to bugger off!!
i can offer perspective to anyone who wants it !!!
Such a short time in their life, shapes who they are for the rest of their lives!!!
but i wouldnt swap it for quids as my kids wouldnt be who they are today without us all going through what we did!!
happy parent of preemie day
xxxx

Couldn't have said it better myself *det*

Although DS1 is past the NICU now, we still deal with hospitals a fair bit and even the PICU last year, so he's very much on the roller-coaster still... however he is so strong willed he is not going anywhere without a fight that's for sure!

I like that. Thanks for sharing.