1.18.2008

seriously... i'm serious this time


it all started with a month of bed rest. when i say bed rest, i mean ass moved form bed to the toilet and back. period. "strict doctor instructions." and we both took this very seriously. she's a hell of alot stronger than i would've been in that situation.

at the time we lived in a 700sq ft apartment and she was confined to a 7x5ft space in a 15x12ft room. no way in hell you're keeping me cooped up like that for a month. everything moved so slowly and then (Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?) it all hit the fan at 1am monday morning november, 21 2005 with yet, another trip the er. fyi-- pregnancy complications are a bitch and i wans't even carring the damn thing. finally after many test and zero sleep they moved us to a real room deciding to keep her around for additional testing. fast forward to dinner time same day. in walks dr. baby taker only to interrupt an enjoyable viewing of elizabeth and to let us know we were down to two options.

option 1: let them go ahead and take the baby out 8weeks early in the next 45 minutes
or
option 2: let them go ahead and take the baby out 8weeks early in the next 45 minutes

wife response: tears
my response: crap in drawers followed by a second round of crap in drawers

next thing i know i'm holding my 3lb 15oz daughter in between cell phone calls to friends and family. when "they" say your world gets turned upside down "they" have no idea the severity which loads that statement.

from there they transported callia to the nicu in the downtown hospital where she would live for the next month. without a doubt the toughest time in our lives. the bright side however, was meeting the mcg's. another couple with a premature daughter; giada. we bonded instantly and we've been friends ever since. amazingly enough the girls are inseparable. it's as if they were communicating from one tiny bed to the other the entire time. i have a great set of pictures of them here.

obviously when it comes to prematurity we don't mess around. that's why we feel the march of dimes is a more than worthy cause. along with the mcg's we have created the super-duo know as "nicu naughties-- being bad for the greater good". now, this isn't a ploy to get you to donate a month's salary to support these two wonderful girls and the mod mission but if you have a spare moment, hop on over to our page for a look see. they're also on myspace. and the page rocks.

so, that's our journey up till now and we wouldn't change a thing.

12 comments:

Jason Roth said...

Thanks for sharing. We donate to the March of Dimes each year. Definitely a worthy cause.

Jason Roth said...

Just donated a little bit more on your MOD page. Good luck in reaching your goal.

Anonymous said...

thank you so much. it means the world to us that so many people out there care.

Anonymous said...

...I second that! It really is overwhelming and we can't thank you enough!

Whit said...

Great cause. Thanks for sharing.

Johnny said...

I was 5 weeks earlier and lived for a month in the little oxygen beds to develop my lungs.. We do survive !!!!

Anonymous said...

that's awesome to hear.

Martin said...

Sweet post, lovely photoset, great cause.

Mucho Respectos.

piper said...

Amazing post Strugla! My family (not me!) is dealing with a similar situation right now, and it's so wonderful to see the flipside, and how beautiful and healthy your daughter is! I can't imagine what it would be like to be confined like your wife was... I'd go INSANE!

NH Yocal said...

What a story? It is amazing how many people I know that had preemie babies. It seems all too common these days.

piper said...

TAG! You're it!! Check my latest Meme... and don't hate me :)

Anonymous said...

Congrats to your beautiful babies!