Marchin' for babies...at the Rodeo...

Each year, since the twins were born prematurely, we have assembled a group of family and friends and participated in the "March for Babies" on Mother's Day weekend in order to raise money for the March of Dimes. This organization works tirelessly as they fund raise to support prenatal education and testing for those yet-to-be-born babies. The idea is that with more awareness, we can decrease the number of births of premature babies and help mothers carry their pregnancies to term. Of course, some premature births - like Creed & Zelda's - were/are inevitable, and the March of Dimes helps with research in the fields related to early birth problems.

So, every spring we form the Team Toxotwins and walk to raise money for this organization. I never want to forget and always want the twins to understand how many doctors, nurses, supporters - friends and strangers - it took for them to be where they are today.

This year we didn't march due to my extreme fatigue from the chemo treatments - but we did walk around the block to Torchy's Taco Trailer this morning for breakfast! Manu is here from Paris and Evan & Jason took the twins out to Abilene. They went to their first Ranch Rodeo last night and today are visiting with the 'good ole' boys' who set up at the Bit n'Spur Show. So, Creed & Zelda are on a road trip visiting Grandma, eating bar-b-q, buying old cowboy boots and Mom gets a break: feet up, peace & quiet, and every now and then, thinks about what she'll have for dinner...

Pay it forward...

it's that time again. We're going to "March for Babies"...raising money for the efforts of the March of Dimes. This special organisation supports research, education, and grant funding for issues pertaining to prematurely born babies. Someone asked me the other day why I thought there were more premature babies being born than ever before. Here's my theory and it may have something to do with it: Medical science has come so far in saving the life of even the tiniest baby when born early...in the past, these babies would have died. There would be no talk of "I was a preemie". There would only be talk of a baby being born too early and who died too soon. Now that these little ones are surviving, the doctors, surgeons, nurses and specialists all work together to help create a healthy baby that can face the future without hopefully too many residual issues from a too early birth.

So why do we walk? We walk for...Enzo who was born with spina bifida and who only lived a few months. We walk for Aidan who was born with a kidney disorder and spent his few short months of life on dialysis and was Creed & Zelda's very first friend ever. We walk for Bailey who somehow contracted every preemie issue that an early birth can suffer from in the NICU. She never went home. We walk for Frederic who lived only an hour. There are so many more...

I'm trying to teach my kids to "Pay it forward". They're alive. So many people helped them get to this point. Now we need to help others.

If you have a chance, please donate to this worthy cause...

Walk America 2007...

Carbo loading before the walk.


Practice - and yes, Evan did the entire walk in jeans and cowboy boots.


We're ready to walk.


Team Toxotwins at the finish line!

Next year we'll have team t-shirts - will you walk with us???

Marchin' for Dimes

Having a premature baby sucks - never mind having 2 of them. That is, it sucks for the little ones that were still supposed to be safely growing in your womb and it sucks for the mom who goes through a terrifying delivery. Some women know that they are at risk for premature labor and know how to read the signs but it doesn't make it any easier. One still suffers the pain and guilt of the experience. When Dr Polon told me at 26 weeks 5 days that he was going to take out my babies, I screamed "They are not ready! They are too little!" The rest was a blur. Thank God for the epidural for there was no joy in the delivery room, no happily slapping of the baby on the fanny, no bonding with the twins on my chest. There were 14 people of assorted responsibilities in the room ready to attach the twins to machines to help them breathe, ready to give them blood transfusions, ready to make sure they lived.

I had a healthy pregnancy. I was never sick. I swam every day. I gained enough weight and drank tons of water. Sure I was uncomfortable but I was a skinny lady with a rapidly growing uterus and sometimes/often, I ached. I felt them move but also felt contractions. With every twinge, my OB/GYN would say "You're having twins." I had countless ultrasounds and each one was normal. I counted the days like hash marks on a prison wall to get through the next week, seeing each as a milestone in the fetal development of my little ones.

But I gave birth early. No one knows why. I was not dialated but the babies needed to come out. The official diagnosis was "non-reassuring fetal status". My micro-preemies at 2 lbs each went directly to the NICU where specially trained neo-natologists and neo-natal nurses cared for them. Every day was touch and go. We didn't know if they would survive. Each ounce that they gained was cause for celebration. They have a saying in the NICU "One step forward, two steps back." Progress was slow. They were at risk for so many things, so many infections, so many issues due to their still undeveloped systems in their hearts, eyes, brains, lungs - you name it. But they survived and after 4 1/2 months in the hospital and 15+ surgeries between them, Credence and Zelda came home. Still now, I sometimes go into their room at night while they sleep and check to see that they are still breathing.

So, on May 12th we are participating in the Walk America event to raise money for the March of Dimes. We are walking to raise money for prematurity awareness, for education, for research, for prenatal testing and newborn screening programs. Evan, Creed, Zelda, my sister Shakti and others will join me as we walk to save our babies. I won't be sending out emails to all of you to ask for money but if you are interested in donating, even pennies, please contact me. We have a jar on the counter in my shop and already so many customers have been generous with their spare change and more. For that we are thankful. We also continue to be thankful everyday for continued research and advances in the field of neo-natology. Give to the March of Dimes. I guarantee that everyone out there at least knows someone who has had a premature baby, has had a baby with difficulties at birth or was maybe even a preemie themselves. Thanks.

to donate: www.walkamerica.org/toxotwins