A preemie’s mom says thanks
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- April
- 14
There is no more wonderful gift in my life than my daughter, who is upstairs getting tucked into bed by her Dada as I write this. And when I thank God for her, I also remember the doctors and nurses who cared for her when she was born too early. So, it was with great recognition and understanding that I read the story of MariaClaudia Casella, a Harrison woman who is also the mom of a preemie. MariaClaudia, whose baby was born three months early and weighed just over 2 pounds, has found a tangible way to help White Plains Hospital Center, where her daughter was born in 1998.
MariaClaudia invented what she calls the First Comes Love Box. It is intended to be purchased as a gift for brides. Inside are nested boxes designed to hold the memorabilia and flotsam of wedding planning, baby showers and so on. My colleague Alison Bert interviewed MariaClaudia, who said she is donating $10 of the $95 cost of each box to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at White Plains Hospital Center. You can read the full story here. Here is a picture staff photographer Matthew Brown took of MariaClaudia with the First Comes Love Box:
This Friday, it will be two years since I was admitted to White Plains Hospital Center with early symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Twelve days later, I gave birth to my daughter by emergency C-section. I was 27 weeks and 5 days pregnant. Pumpkin weighed just 1 pound, 13.4 ounces.
This year, on May 2, I hope to visit the NICU with bring Pumpkin so the nurses and doctors who saved her life can see for themselves the 21-pound wonder she’s become. Last year, on the day before her birthday, I stopped by the NICU when I was on the maternity floor to return the breast pump I used for a year. I was flooded with memories of the nine weeks I spent glued to her incubator and cradle and so happy to see those faces again which had become so familiar.
I think it’s wonderful that MariaClaudia has found a way to help the NICU. The way our family has chosen to celebrate Pumpkin’s triumph over prematurity is to participate each year in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event, which is coming up on April 29. I’ll be writing more about that soon.
I hope you enjoy reading Alison’s story about MariaClaudia, and I’d love to hear your own stories of the ways you thank and honor the people who helped your child into this world.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, April 14th, 2007 at 10:22 pm by Julie Moran Alterio.
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Julie,
I am tearing up as I read this – I am so sorry you had to go through what you did. But I am so happy you have your little miracle baby as I do! I hadn’t gone into details of my daughter’s actual birth with Alison but I too had (among many other complications) preeclampsia. My daughter’s birth ended up being an emergency C-section as well.
I hope little pumpkin is doing well. I’m sure you are just like I was – nervous, scared. So if you ever need someone to talk to please don’t hesitate to give me a call. My work # is 914-835-1292. (If I’m not there it rolls over to my cell so I’m pretty accessible all the time. Also, Dr. Jaile and Berenice at White Plains Hospital’s NICU know how to get ahold of me if you need to right away.)
I can add you to our Neonatal Parents Network (NPN) email list if you want so you have an idea of what we are doing, when we have meetings, etc.
Thanks for directing more attention to my product. Welcome to our White Plains Hospital NICU Family!!! And please don’t hesitate to call me or email me – like was say at the NPN “we know what you’re going through because we’ve been there”.
Talk to you soon and see you at the Neonatal Reunion in the fall…...Maria
Almost forgot – anyone interested in walking at the March of Dimes WalkAmerica on April 29th with our NICU family can join our team either at the event or online. Just register under “WPHC NICU FAMILY TEAM”. It is a great event, a wonderful cause that we are happy to be a part of. How wonderful that you have made it a tradition in celebration of little Pupmkin. See you there! MariaClaudia