Mary Farris will be 23 months old tomorrow. We are going for a swallow study Monday and hope to learn why she still refuses to drink. She is jabbering up a storm and repeats just about everything. (Note to self: must be very careful what I say from now on!)
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Mary Farris was born May 25, 2008. She was 15 weeks early and weighed only 1lb 3oz.
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Welcome to our site! Our precious baby came to us on May 25, 2008 at 10:54 am. She was only 25 weeks and weighed 1lb 3oz. Mary Farris spent 148 days in the NICU and has had 11 surgeries thus far. Feel free to follow her progress here, we are so proud of our little miracle!
Mary Farris was born with a birth defect called choanal atresia and had to be on a vent for 11 weeks. She taught herself how to breathe through her mouth, came off the vent and a short time later came off of oxygen. She had a PDA and ROP neither of which required surgery. She has done extremely well and her only lingering problem is with feeding. We are truly thankful for how far she has come and can't wait for you all to meet her in the spring.
We are truly thankful to the doctors, nurses, and RT's who cared for our girl like she was their own. We sincerely appreciate our family, friends, co-workers, church members, etc. that have been so supportive of us through this time. From prayers to food and gas money you guys have been wonderful to us!
How Preemie Moms Are Chosen(Adapted from Erma Bombeck)Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instrumentsfor propagation with great care and deliberation.As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger."Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter.Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard.He's used to profanity."Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy.""Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter?That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel."I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.I watched her today.She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own.She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy.""But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect.She has just the right amount of selfishness."The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive.Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.She will never take for granted a spoken word.She will never consider a step ordinary.When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them.She will never be alone.I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.""And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."
Mary Farris was born with a birth defect called choanal atresia and had to be on a vent for 11 weeks. She taught herself how to breathe through her mouth, came off the vent and a short time later came off of oxygen. She had a PDA and ROP neither of which required surgery. She has done extremely well and her only lingering problem is with feeding. We are truly thankful for how far she has come and can't wait for you all to meet her in the spring.
We are truly thankful to the doctors, nurses, and RT's who cared for our girl like she was their own. We sincerely appreciate our family, friends, co-workers, church members, etc. that have been so supportive of us through this time. From prayers to food and gas money you guys have been wonderful to us!
How Preemie Moms Are Chosen(Adapted from Erma Bombeck)Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instrumentsfor propagation with great care and deliberation.As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger."Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter.Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard.He's used to profanity."Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy.""Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter?That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel."I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.I watched her today.She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own.She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy.""But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect.She has just the right amount of selfishness."The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive.Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.She will never take for granted a spoken word.She will never consider a step ordinary.When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them.She will never be alone.I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.""And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."
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1 comment:
Holy moly! That is incredible! Kai can say "ba." Get that genius girl up here to teach our girl some speech and math!
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