I feel like I'm the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" Yes, I am. At least that's how I've been feeling lately. You know that feeling ... when something is nagging at you but you can't figure out what it is? With everything that's getting ready to change around our household, you can't blame me for feeling restless. Or scatterbrained. Or even jumpy. Maybe it's that too-late-I-shouldn't-have-had-it cup of coffee, but as I put the finishing touches on my son's Halloween costume it has hit me that in a few short days it will be November ... and one of the most cherished times of the year for us as a family and for His Middle Name.
Fall 2014 Before I can begin to share all the excitement around His Middle Name, I want to take a step back and share all the changes that are getting ready to take place in the very place His Middle Name was birthed: our home. This past spring I shared my disappointment with having to withdraw Sutton from school after his unexpected diagnoses with Reactive Airway Disease (you can read that blog post here). At the time, the diagnoses was devastating to us, and we didn't know how to navigate this new health challenge. Over the last six months, we have found a way to live with Reactive Airway Disease (RAD). That means first having to accept it, and then learning how to manage it with the tools we've been given. Doing that has limited our appointments with our son's pediatrician (which were quite frequent in the beginning) and has meant NO trips to the ER. It has meant being proactive instead of reactive. It means the very moment I hear a sniffle, whether allergy or cold, I'm attacking it with breathing treatments and nasal spray and Flovent so it doesn't creep into his lungs. Doing that has made all the difference, and now we're ready for the biggest challenge yet: putting Sutton back into school. Yep, as in right now - in the middle of cold and flu season. Call me crazy, but I think we're ready! I know my son is going to get sick. I know he's going to have days when he struggles with his RAD, but he's eager to go back to school and physically we feel he's ready to go back, so fingers crossed for a fresh and healthy start in Pre-K 4!
With Sutton going back to school this Monday, that leaves me all by my lonesome - but not for long! I too am going back as well ... to work! I'm actually so excited because I work in a field that I am so passionate about (clinical research) and where the work truly makes a difference in people's lives, and that is so important to me as a woman and provider. It feels good to be starting this new chapter in a beautiful facility that focuses on healing and health. And even though a part of me will miss this special time I've had with Sutton, going back to work will be a welcome change for me and our family, and I couldn't be happier! I just feel confident that I'm moving in the right direction, and you can't put a sticker price on how that feels.
With Sutton going back to school this Monday, that leaves me all by my lonesome - but not for long! I too am going back as well ... to work! I'm actually so excited because I work in a field that I am so passionate about (clinical research) and where the work truly makes a difference in people's lives, and that is so important to me as a woman and provider. It feels good to be starting this new chapter in a beautiful facility that focuses on healing and health. And even though a part of me will miss this special time I've had with Sutton, going back to work will be a welcome change for me and our family, and I couldn't be happier! I just feel confident that I'm moving in the right direction, and you can't put a sticker price on how that feels.
Halloween in the NICU Now for the good stuff! There are so many exciting things coming up in November for His Middle Name I can barely keep them all straight! November is Prematurity Awareness Month and it's such a special time for the preemie community as a whole because not only does it raise awareness about prematurity, but the month lends a tender ear to all who have a story to tell. It's a meaningful time for many preemie parents and caretakers, as it gives a voice to those who have witnessed prematurity first-hand. It's a month to raise your voice and raise awareness about the need to prevent premature birth for other mothers and families. Looking for a way to get involved? It starts at home. Start a conversation by sharing your birth story or NICU journey with family and friends. Take to social media and change your profile picture to a photo of your preemie or share one on His Middle Name's Facebook page, as these are great ways to get people thinking about prematurity. Better yet, make use of the month by starting your March for Babies team fundraising! There will be many local and national events to observe the importance of this month, but there's one event in particular I'm really excited about! I'm not going to give it away just yet .... but it's a fun way to raise awareness and money for the March of Dimes and His Middle Name is proud to be a small part of it. I will be sharing more information about it this Saturday so stay tuned by visiting the His Middle Name Facebook page or following us on twitter @HisMiddleName. In the meantime, enjoy passing out candy or trick-or-treating with your sweet spooks and goblins!
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