Today, I had the privilege of speaking to first year medical students about our micro preemie experience. I was impressed with how thoughtful and intelligent their questions were.
Mostly, I was happy to be there and for others to learn from our story. It is an instance of something good (other than Charlie) coming from the circumstances of Charlie’s birth.
When Charlie’s early arrival was imminent, I was asked to participate in research by donating my placenta and providing blood samples from me, my husband, and Charlie. I readily agreed.
At the time, I needed to believe something good could come from our tragedy. I believe in the importance of research and it seemed like a small way to help others.
Now, I still feel the need for good to come out of our situation. I feel the initial good continues when I speak or allow others to learn from our case. However, my motives are not entirely altruistic.
Each time I tell our story, it gets easier to tell. Our reality becomes less of a shock to me. Each time I talk about it, it normalizes things for me. The words flow easier and are not as hard to find. Each time I say it out loud, I process it a little more and gain a better understanding.
If there are questions, I think about different aspects that I hadn’t considered before. Sometimes, questions challenge me to consider a different perspective.
Today, I told the story of Charlie to med students. Something good happened today.
Cheering on Charlie 