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Tales of The Anti-Preemie

Following Sam as he grows and his impact on our family

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You Have Come A Long Way Baby

September 15, 2013 by melragent 2 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie: Hands

Then you were only 1 lbs 12 ozs. Now you are 31 lbs. Then your heart had a leaky valve. Now, a tiny clip has done its job and your heart is perfect - and you are learning the art of shaving. Then you needed a machine to help you breathe. Now, your lungs can carry you through a … [Read more...] about You Have Come A Long Way Baby

Filed Under: Three years to Four Years

Uncertainty

August 20, 2013 by melragent Leave a Comment

Sam the Anti-Preemie on his way to speech therapy

In terms of micro-preemies, I have had it pretty easy. Sam was big for his gestational age. Yes, you read that right. One pound twelve ounces is considered big. His time in the NICU was pretty uneventful… at least after he had his PDA ligation and began peeing regularly. Yes, we were there … [Read more...] about Uncertainty

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years

Redux: In honor of World Breastfeeding Week

August 7, 2013 by melragent Leave a Comment

Sam the Anti-Preemie: Breastfeeding at 30 weeks

Realizing it is World Breastfeeding Week, I thought it would be good to open up the archives and bring out this post I wrote about my two different experiences with breastfeeding. The topic is something I obsessed about with both of my children - term and preemie. In one, I was able to … [Read more...] about Redux: In honor of World Breastfeeding Week

Filed Under: Life at home, Parenting Tagged With: Breastfeeding

Making The Decsion

August 6, 2013 by melragent 2 Comments

A recent New York Times Op-Ed Piece called "End of Life, at Birth" has cause me to go back and relive those days almost three years ago when my husband and I were confronted with the terrible choice of trying to continue my pregnancy or to let our baby go. For those of you that haven't been … [Read more...] about Making The Decsion

Filed Under: Parenting, Therapy Fund

Travels in a Thin Country

July 27, 2013 by melragent Leave a Comment

While I wish our trip had just ended, the reality is we got home on July 4th... but things were crazed and complicated on our arrival (New puppy + my 2 night stay in the hospital for back issues) so it has taken me until today to finally be able to write about our adventures in Chile. As anyone … [Read more...] about Travels in a Thin Country

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years

Leaving on a jet plane

June 4, 2013 by melragent 2 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie and Irene

Or three... Next week, the whole clan (grandparents included) are heading out on a grand South American adventure. The trip should be fantastic- as we will get to show Sam off to a multitude of friends and family. For Irene, it will be a great opportunity to speak Spanish as she prepares to … [Read more...] about Leaving on a jet plane

Filed Under: Life at home, Parenting, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Travel

Compare and Contrast

April 19, 2013 by melragent 4 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie

Disclaimer: Since I am sure this might worry one particular friend - let me go on record... I LOVE your son. I celebrate his amazing progress. I love seeing him every week. I want nothing but for him to continue to be a presence in my home and my life. Please, do not be disheartened by what I am … [Read more...] about Compare and Contrast

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Autism

Singing to Soothe the Savage Preemie

April 17, 2013 by melragent 2 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie loves music

A recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics has shown the positive benefits of singing to your preemie. Thank god! At least now I can stop apologizing in my head for subjecting my wonderful nurses to my terrible singing voice for all those months! I wasn't just singing for myself - I was … [Read more...] about Singing to Soothe the Savage Preemie

Filed Under: Life at home, Life in the NICU, Parenting, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Music

Once Tiny, Now Average

April 3, 2013 by melragent 2 Comments

I know. It's not often you hear a parent bragging about their child being average... but for the parent of a mico-preemie, average is something we often only dream of. Think about it, when your baby starts life at just one pound twelve ounces and only twelve inches long, the thought of … [Read more...] about Once Tiny, Now Average

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Growth Chart

One Month Into ABA Therapy

March 29, 2013 by melragent 1 Comment

Sam the Anti-Preemie and his bubbles

Wow. I mean W.O.W. We are one month into Sam's ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) Therapy and what a month it has been. We are truly blessed to have selected the ABA company we did (Milestones), had the good fortune to have two of the most amazing therapists assigned to Sam's case (Ilona and … [Read more...] about One Month Into ABA Therapy

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: ABA Therpay

Therpaist Chemistry is Everything

February 12, 2013 by melragent Leave a Comment

Sam the Anti-Preemie having fun in the tub

As Sam and I start down the road of Autism Spectrum Therapy, we are getting to know a bunch of different therapists and therapy types. We have been very lucky so far with who we have been paired with - except for one. So, I did what any mama bear mom should do, I gutted up and fired the therapist I … [Read more...] about Therpaist Chemistry is Everything

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years

Where to start?

January 23, 2013 by melragent 5 Comments

Honestly. I am not sure I even know where to start - or where this post will end up. My mind is a jumble with all of the evaluations and recommendations and changes that I am just overwhelmed with it all. Since I triumphantly posted that Sam did not have autism, but PDD-NOS a shit load has … [Read more...] about Where to start?

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Autism

I’ll take that diagnosis

December 20, 2012 by melragent Leave a Comment

Sam the Anti-Preemie Eats a Persimmon

It could have been so much worse. I was sure that our appointment on Wednesday at the High Risk Follow-Up clinic was going to go so differently than it went. With all of the talk of Autism over the last month, I had let myself become consumed with the reality that I was sure was in front of me. I … [Read more...] about I’ll take that diagnosis

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Autism

Do I Want To Know?

December 16, 2012 by melragent 4 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie in the bath

Ignorance is bliss. I made it through my six days in trendelenberg and pre-term labor by not knowing the real danger both Sam and I were in.  I knew it was bad, but I intentionally kept myself as far from the details as possible.  When the neonatologist came to talk to Peter about Sam's survival … [Read more...] about Do I Want To Know?

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Autism, fear

World Prematurity Day

November 17, 2012 by melragent 2 Comments

Sam the Anti-Preemie: On the beach

I had planned to write a moving and deep post about world prematurity day.  Since my friend, Nicole... Kenna's mom took care of that with her beautifully written post.  Instead, I will take another approach. SCREW PREMATURITY. I would like to scream that from every roof top around the world.  … [Read more...] about World Prematurity Day

Filed Under: Life at home, Two years to Three years Tagged With: Autism, World Prematurity Day

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About Me

I’m Melissa. My life was turned upside down when my second child, Sam, was born just 24 weeks into my pregnancy. This is our continuing story. Memoir about our experiences due out Nov 2, 2021

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