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Letters to the NICU: From Letty

I wanted to offer you words of support and to share my story with you of my little brother who was born two months premature 34 years ago.

 

I can only begin to imagine what my mother went through. He was her first natural born child, she had adopted three of us prior to him and we siblings were so excited that we were going to have a little brother or sister.

 

My mum had carried, nurtured and cared for her baby in utero. He then arrived completely unexpected late one night. I remember waking up to the sound and lights of the ambulance sirens. My little brother was born in the ambulance, his lungs had not yet fully developed. How he kept breathing until he reached intensive care is a complete miracle from God. My mum was separated from him from the moment of birth for weeks on end as he was transferred to a separate hospital from her. The absolute distressing heartbreak at not being able to be by his side, the isolation, feeling frightened and alone with worry are only some of the emotions that she experienced. Her body needed to heal and she was shrouded in worry and loneliness.

 

I want to tell you that when I first saw my brother in an incubator he was smaller than a doll and could fit in the palm of my father’s hand. I wanted to share that despite the start in life, my brother is now 34 years old and about to get married. Being a mum myself and having lost pregnancies along my own personal journey I know how precious life is.

 

Keep the faith, wrap yourself in love and the knowledge that you are not alone in your journey. There are lots of others out here praying alongside you. I wish you love, hope, encouragement and strength on your journey.

 

Letty X

 

Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash