ex machina
pregnancy update: born on the fourth of july.
Eric C. Snowdeal IV.
born at 8:36 p.m. on july fourth 2004.
weight: 1 pound 7 ounces
length: 12 inches
sometimes things they don't turn out quite exactly how you planned.
72 hours ago there was not a single, solitary hint that kris and i would be thrust into the most emotionally wrenching experience that any parent-to-be could ever go through.
what looked initially like a bad migraine turned far, far too quickly into a life threatening, early, undetectable and freakishly aggressive case of preeclampsia.
in 48 hours kris went from a healthy, happy mother-to-be, to a woman who was frighteningly close to having a stroke and seizure and whose kidneys and liver were failing. and so, at 7:00 p.m. on july fourth 2004, the impossibly hard choice was made to deliver eric at a time when the odds aren't in his favor to help kris survive.
kris is slowly recovering. her blood pressure is still far, far too high, but her kidneys and liver are slowly recovering. beautiful and fragil eric has a tough, tough path ahead of him. the statistics are not good for a baby born in the 24th and 6th day of gestation. the professionals would not give him a better than 65 percent chance of survival. but he's already shown himself to be a good fighter and i truly believe he's going to give it one hell of a shot.
no matter what your pursuasion, please think good thoughts for us.
we're going to need it.
7/05/2004 11:04:00 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
warmest, warmest, wishes and blessings to your family. do take care...ariella winograd
By 
, at
12:25 PM
Eric,
All good thoughts your way. Tell Chris my thoughts are with both of you. If you need anything at all please do not hesitate to contact me.
Rudy
By , at
12:57 PM
I'm so terribly sorry for the ordeal that all three of you have been through, and wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I wish you all nothing but the best.
Love,
Aaron McManus
By , at
1:46 PM
I don't really know you, but I just started following your blog about 2 weeks ago. Just wanted to let you know that my wife and I will be praying for you and your family.
God bless,
Michael
Whoa. Good luck, Eric. I hope everything works out.
Whoa. Good luck, Eric. I hope everything works out.
I am very, very sorry this happened. As a mother of two who had a very difficult first pregnancy, I have some sense of what you're going through.
Sending you, your wife, and child my very best wishes.
best of luck to you and your family
By , at
10:35 PM
Come on, little fighter! You can do it!
By , at
8:35 AM
I had my daughter the day I turned 24 weeks. She was breeched and in an empty sac, coming out with only one leg and weighed 1 pound 11 ounces and 12 inches long. I was the most optimistic person of everybody in our family. She's now 22 months and the happiest, most loving little girl. Just know in your heart that all will go well and let him know all the time that you are there for him--encourage and praise his every tiny milestone. Adore every moment with him. He's a very special little boy. You'll look back on the long road all three of you have come, and wonder where all of the time has gone. Take lots and lots of pictures and/or video. Also, just a little note...the NICU nurses and I found that once we started putting Micro Preemie clothes on my daughter, she did much better. You can purchase them from several websites. Good luck to all of you and I hope your wife gets to feeling better soon.
alittleangelsmom
lacarrasco@hotmail.com
By , at
3:58 AM
We are the proud parents of a Micro preemie boy 25 Weeks - 1 Day
weighed 1 Lbs 8 oz. 13 inches long!
He actually cried & astonished everyone in the delivery room, (natural birth in minutes) when he was born! Apgar score 7 & 9 born March 6th 2003.
I had no major complications with my health; he just wanted to be born that day! We heard of the term White Wimpy Boy many times but he surpased that by making up for lost time quickly as he is huge! We spent 93 days in in the NICU, and have celebrated his first 2 birthdays with the staff from Long Beach Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, California.
No problems since, and today he is 30 Lbs 37 inches tall
Hope your boy is doing just fine today, remember to celebrate everything!
It is a blessing to have a micro preemie!
By , at
10:06 AM
I hope your beautiful little angel is doing well. I just saw your story and picture, and had to respond. My precious angel was born 1 lb 4 oz at 23 weeks, and after 4 months in NICU, although very tiny, came home to become very happy and healthy. Our only major obstacle is his vision, and some delays in motor skills and we are very thankful that's all. He is going to be six years old, and is student of the month in kindergarten. Despite his beginnings, he is very smart, self-confident, cute, humorous, and very lovable. I hope and pray that you have a miracle to share with the world. Please write me and let me know how you are doing.
By , at
5:48 AM
I hope he is doing great. We also had a 24 week baby girl, 1lb.2 oz. 11 1/2 in. long. She will be 3 years old in 3 weeks and is going great. She is were she should be and a little wild child (witch is a good thing) :)
Our prayers are with your family
Lana
By , at
4:46 PM
We had a micro premmie baby this morning at 24 weeks, she is so small, looking at all your stories gives up hope and optimism, but i know we have a long way to go but at least we know from reading your messages that we do have a chance
By , at
7:43 PM
I had a micro-preemie nearly 3 weeks ago. She was born 15 weeks early (25 weeks gestation) weighed 1 lb. 3oz. She's in the NICU but thriving more and more everyday. I will pray for your child and family just as deeply as I pray for my own. Hang in there!
By , at
3:58 PM
Hey! I had my precious daughter at 23 weeks 2 days gestation, weighing a mere 1lb 4.5oz (580g). After 3 long months in NICU, and 1 month in SCBU, she was released a week before her actual due date! After requiring oxygen her whole life, she's been off 2 and a half weeks. She is a healthy 7 and a half month old, 3 and a half months corrected!
It is truely amazing what hospitals can do now! Before I had my daughter, I never would have thought a baby being born so early would survive. But they are true miracles. It is a very very long journey, but it's all worth it in the end. Best wishes to you! All the best x
By 
Shockzworth., at
8:36 AM
[ rhetoric ]
“"it is hard to be brave," said piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal." rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said: "it is because you are a very small animal that you will be Useful in the adventure before us."”
the complete tales & poems of winnie the pooh[ about ]
this site chronicles the continuing adventures of my son, odin, who was unexpectedly born on the fourth of july at 25 weeks gestation, weighing 1 pound 7 ounces.
he's quite a fighter and you can always send him a postcard to the most current address listed here if you're inspired by his adventures. see the postcard project/google maps mashup to see a map of the postcards.
if you're new, you can browse the archives to catch up. and don't forget to watch a few movies that i made while we were in the neonatal intensive care unit. or if you want the abridged version and you can find a copy, you can read about his adventures in the november 2005 issue of parents magazine.
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