I just wanted to share our story... It's kind of a long one.

My son, Ridge, was born 37 weeks. We had an emergency c-section bc he wasn't moving, had an ultrasound, looked at his organ functions, and learned his heart was enlarged and was reverse flow. They wanted to deliver right away and fly him to Duke to preform open heart surgery. 

The nightmare just started. After delivery, we learned Ridge was suffering from a virus (which caused the heart issues and so we didn't have to fly to Duke). He was jaundiced, had aspirated on meconium, and had so many other life threatening issues that I couldn't even recall because I was so shocked and traumatized by the immediate and severe nature of the situation. He was intubated for 2 weeks. I couldn't breast feed. The doctors told me he might not live. That he would be deaf and blind and mentally retarded. 

The virus he contracted en utero was CMV (cytomegalovirus). It's something like the common cold, and we've all had it or will have it. There should be more awareness about it, honestly, because more babies are born with CMV than Downs Syndrome per year. 

We spent 3 months in the NICU, the longest time of my entire life!!! 

He is doing great now and is celebrating his 6th birthday in two weeks. He has some permanent issues from the virus, such as autism, visual impairment, hearing loss in one ear, and global delays. But he is amazing, and a character, and a true individual. The time at the NICU was traumatic, and seems like a nightmare, and was the most difficult time of my life. But we are grateful, and they took amazing care of our son, and it is all just part of our story now. 

Feel free to ask me any questions! 

Good luck to anyone who is reading this, and know that if you're there, spending the longest days of your life, they will pass and be a distant memory soon!!