I received my key from my sister when I was in the NICU at MUSC in Charleston, South Carolina four days after giving birth to my second son. My husband and I had found Lewis non-responsive after a very short car ride. We had to take him into the hospital everyday because the doctors wanted check his blood work, as he had been jaundice when he was born. Everything had been going well and he was a happy baby. After a week in the NICU, they diagnosed him with reflux and sent us home. He has had a few other non-breathing episodes that doctors have yet to find a diagnosis.
However, when I was 3 months pregnant with Lewis I found out that I had the BRCA1 genetic mutation gene that had been passed down from my father's side. Just months after Lewis was born I had my bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, and was in surgery for a little over 8 hours.
Through all of this I had either been wearing my Strength necklace or someone near to me has worn it for me.
Tomorrow I will ship the necklace overnight to someone who needs it more than I do, even though I am not quite ready to let go of it. Someone I love, a dear friend of mine from back home in Minnesota, has a four-month-old son, named Finn. Finn was admitted to Mayo in Rochester after spending a month at the children's hospital in Minneapolis for complications due to his heart. Finn was officially added to the UNOS, United Network for Organ Sharing. He was diagnosed with CHD, coronary artery disease.
Right now they are waiting. Waiting for the phone to ring for that sweet baby's heart.
So today I decided to pay it forward.
Thank you for all you do.
-Lori
