Please enjoy Preemie Prints' families’
inspirational story & photos.
Consider supporting our mission to share hope with families
who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. We thank our
supporters, Preemie Prints volunteers, and donors for allowing us to continue
touching the lives of NICU, preemie, and angel families.
We pray these special memories from Preemie Prints
will help families heal and remember how strong
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.
A
NICU STORY | THOUGHTS FROM MOM
“Samuel Mark was born on
September 18th, 2014 and weighted 7 pounds 7 ounces and was 20 inches long.
Samuel was diagnosed with a double inlet single ventricle, a severe heart
defect while we were still pregnant with him. His life is a beautiful miracle!
‘Something is very wrong
with your baby's heart’- said the OB at our 28 weeks ultrasound. Both my
husband and I just froze. We were enjoying looking at the blurry black and
white images of our sweet boy on the ultrasound screen but all the sudden the
joy was replaced by fear. We were afraid of the unknown, not knowing what his
condition is and how serious it is. The next couple of weeks as we were waiting
for the appointments with the specialists were extremely hard but we tried not
to come up with different scenarios and just trust that we are in God's hands.
We then found out that our son has a double inlet single ventricle with some
aorta issues and would not be able to live unless he has an open-heart surgery
soon after birth and at least two more heart surgeries later. We cried hard as
we drove home. The diagnosis was terrifying, maybe even more so than not
knowing. We cried and prayed. In a way it was devastating news. Yet, we felt an
even deeper love for our ever moving, sweet unborn son and a peace that
surpasses all understanding that only Jesus can give. While we were anxious and
afraid of what the future would bring, the remaining weeks of the pregnancy
were a special time for our little family and we chose to celebrate the life of
our baby boy instead of constantly grieving his heart defect. We did not know
how long we would have the privilege to enjoy him, so we did not want to waste
any time. It was also so encouraging to have so many people pray for him and
us.
Samuel Mark was born on
September 18th, 2014 after 32 hours of long labor. I was told that I won't be able
to see him as he will immediately be rushed out to the ICU, but it was such a
special gift that I even got to hold him for a couple of seconds. Samuel has
been a true miracle baby! He had his open-heart surgery when he was 4 days old.
We were told that he would have to be in the hospital at least for a month but
we were able to come home after 12 days. The days in the hospital blend
together... It was extremely hard. I still weep when I think of our baby being
pushed into the operating room, sucking on his pacifier after we swaddled him
tight, prayed with him, and kissed him goodbye. He looked so tiny and helpless,
yet so brave and peaceful. It was extremely hard not being able to hold him for
so long, to watch him silently cry because he had no voice due to the tubes, to
see him breath hard and be in so much pain. It was not easy to pump every three
hours without being able to hold him and sit in the ICU all day while my body
ached from giving birth. However, every day we experienced that God is there and
He is taking care of us. It might have been hard, but it was also a special and
joyful time. We are so thankful for the incredible medical staff of the
Cleveland Clinic and the amazing care Samuel received. Samuel got the nicknames
"The Miracle Baby" and "Little Champion" at the hospital-
He is a miracle, indeed!”
A Note From Deneen:
“First I want t say thank you for this amazing opportunity. If I
could do this everyday I would - reminds me of how I felt when I first started
working as an RN years ago :). I had a fantastic experience. What amazing parents Samuel has. He is blessed, as are they by the wonderful
gift of Samuel. The session went well -
very typical of a newborn session. What
a good baby. He shared a few cries, some
yawns, and a few smiles. Samuel is truly
loved and cared for by many. He will
stay in my thoughts and prayers.”
Photos belong to our
volunteer photographers, families,
and organization
please do not use for any purpose.
____________________________________________
Preemie Prints is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization sharing hope with NICU families through a variety of support
programs. One of those programs is the gift of NICU photography and preemie
photography. NICU families from across the US can request a no-charge
photography session by a Preemie Prints volunteer. The family request from can
be found on the right side of our website. These sessions are free of charge
and for any NICU family, regardless of time spent in the NICU. The NICU photo
shoot can take place inside the NICU or after baby is discharged and at home
until their 1st birthday. Facing time in a NICU with a premature or critically
ill baby is an extremely difficult time for families. Preemie Prints has a
mission to share hope by letting families know they are not alone. Preemie
Prints currently has over 100 volunteers nationwide. We are always looking for
more volunteers to share in our mission! If you are interested, please
email sherri@preemieprints.org and visit our website at www.preemieprints.org.
To date Preemie Prints and our volunteers have gifted over 400 NICU family
sessions.
This was a Preemie Prints NICU graduate
photography session that took place near Mentor, OH.
We're thankful to the family for sharing their
story & memories in support of other NICU families.
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