A medical crisis upended their lives — three women share how they made it through
Five years ago, one of my children was born prematurely, at a very low birth weight. He stayed in the NICU for a few months. We put everything on hold, including my job as an occupational therapist, to be in the hospital full-time. Baruch Hashem, we made it through the first year, and today he’s a happy, healthy little boy.
In the NICU, they’re intentionally not reassuring. No one says, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” because they aren’t going to tell you something they can’t promise. The message is: Whatever it is, you can do this.
Watching other parents in the ICU keep it together was a big source of chizuk. It reminded me that even though something may seem beyond what I can handle, my job was to show up, no matter what. I needed to accept that this is the situation, and I can’t turn away from it. Now, when my own clients are struggling with a challenge and they ask: “How am I growing from this?” I tell them it’s about being there, and it’s not your concern how you’ll grow. The growth shows when you look back.
Right after the birth, Bubby flew in for two weeks, which was a real treat for the family. More than being a help with chores, having Bubby around meant that my kids could get some extra attention.
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