by Tynisha Doe
“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” – Bob Marley
July 10th,2015, I was rushed to the hospital where my husband and I learned that my daughter would be coming into the world earlier than we had anticipated. Originally due on October 10th of that year, we were nearly 3 months away from when she was supposed to come. I was terrified. I felt guilty, heartbroken, and defeated all at once.
Three days later we welcomed our sweet baby girl Yvonne. After waking from the anesthesia, our doctor informed me that we had one strong little girl. He told us when she came out, Yvonne was determined to breathe on her own. But despite her willpower, we still endure the many scary, life changing experience that many of us face in NICU. It was daunting. Monitors, alarms, wiring, tubing, transfusions, heat lamps to name a few.
That moment changes you. You realize that you don’t have the choice to protect your child the way a “typical” parent would. The protection of my daughter was in the hands of trusted medical professional while I saw at her bedside. It certainly was not the introduction into parenthood that I had envisioned.
It was nearly 13 weeks that we spent in the NICU and transition units. Yvonne required two blood transfusion during her stay. After watching my little miracle grow and become strong day after day, we finally took her home just 2 weeks shy of her due date.
Yvonne is now 5 and I can’t believe how far she has come. Overcoming obstacles that many kids her age haven’t had to face. She is arguably the strongest person that I know and if there is a doubt that I can’t make it through the day, she gives me the strength to keep going.
Recently we have welcomed another child, a boy, who is 9 months old. He too was a very close call to the NICU. Again, I was terrified. It brought me back to the feelings I had experience when I had my daughter- the alarms, the wires, the tubing. I was overwhelmed with the thought of going through this again. We once again began to prepare for the worst. But with exceptional care from our doctors, we made it to full term.
Now that our lives feel whole with 4 happy children, we have decided now is the time to give back. My love for crafting led me to open my own business-one that I can combine both creativity and passion. I chose to focus on baby apparel and accessories because I wanted to design and provide families of preemies more options than what is out there today. Just shopping for something adorable for your baby to wear can give a parent a little bit of excitement during a difficult time. We wanted this business to be one that we could give back to our fellow NICU/Preemie families. We couldn’t think of a more rewarding organization than one that is so near and dear to our hearts.
I had longed for a community of support when I was facing the NICU experience. I felt alone, with no one to relate to how I was feeling. The Graham’s foundation is an incredible organization that I wish I had known about when I was in the NICU. The level of support and kindness this community shows others is uplifting. We are so excited and honored to partner with the Graham’s foundation as we launch our business. We hope that you will love our designs and find something to make you smile, give you hope, and bring a little joy during a time of struggle. We support you and we are with you. “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”- Ephesians 4:1
About our Guest Blogger: Tynisha Doe is a mom of 4 and has opened a children’s boutique – 4 Little Birds. Though it has been 5 years, the memories of their NICU journey has impacted them. As a family, they wanted a way to support other families going though similar difficult times while in the NICU. Their mission is to help give back to non profit foundations and organizations that support NICU families, such as Graham’s Foundation. You can check out their online boutique at: http://www.4littlebirdsboutique.com/
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