Baby Love
Do you remember Valentine’s Day 1998? I sure do. The mood had been set months earlier, and while I had low expectations of the day, itself, life is always full of surprises. Instead of receiving roses, I got dozens and dozens of contractions. I went into preterm labor. My actual due date: May 1.
Looking back I realize how incredibly blessed and fortunate I was. The hospital team was well-equipped to handle my situation. A few hours on a couple of monitors (one for me and one for the baby), some medication to stop the contractions, and a prescription for complete bed rest until May and I was sent home like a chocolate-covered cherry to celebrate my new world order.
Wait. Bed rest until May? I did not inherit the patience gene. So I learned to crochet.
My daughter arrived into my life on May 5, 1998, full-term and healthy.
More than 12 years have passed since those tenuous two+ months on my sofa, and I’ve learned a few things since then about the real risks my daughter and I unknowingly faced that February day. While I’m not one to speculate on what could have been, I am a firm believer in paying it forward.
On Thursday, November 4, 2010, it was my privilege to give back to the community that gave me a healthy baby all those years ago. In downtown Greensboro, NC, we held our 19th annual Signature Chefs Auction to benefit the March of Dimes.
We have an amazing team of dedicated individuals, who each believe in the mission and they give all they have to make this event truly magical. I’ve been part of the committee for eight years, myself, and I’ve witnessed the selfless giving of so many, and it has been my privilege to volunteer alongside each one of them.
I don’t know what the magic formula was, but I do know we literally shattered the fundraising goal set by the March of Dimes for our event by over $40,000! In one magnificent night of giving, we raised $147,567.00! And since I’m not one to settle, I’d love to make it an even $150K. All we need is an additional $2,433.00. If you want to donate to the research that benefits each one of us, please make your donation over the phone at 336-231-3766, and ask for Katie, our wonderful local Community Director for the March of Dimes.
How important can two+ months possibly be? One in eight babies is born prematurely, totaling over half a million premature births annually. Today I’m blogging for the love of my healthy 12-year-old baby, but I’m asking for your help to make a difference for the seven who weren’t.
How lovely of you to pay it forward, even though you were able to stave off a premature birth with bed rest. We were not so lucky and my twins arrived at 24 weeks, even after months of bed rest and 11 days hospitalization. In a sweet coincidence, my twins share a birthday Prematurity Awareness Day — November 17. If you’re interested, you can read more here. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you, Susan, for stopping by to read my story. I enjoyed your post, as well. I hope your birthday celebrations are very merry!
Great story! And good plea!
Kudos to Arminda as Chairperson of 2010′s amazing event.
Never was giving more fun that at the March of Dimes annual fundraiser. If you’ve never attended, mark your calendars for next year which is, I believe, Thursday evening, November 3rd.
Fund raising for such a worthwhile cause. Here’s to Healthy Babies!
I can’t even begin to imagine what two months on the sofa was like. But how fantastic that it paid off and that your daughter was born full-term. Not everyone is that lucky.
You are one fabulous volunteer and I just want to say that you folks royally rocked the socks off your goal. On behalf of the March of Dimes, thanks so so much for all you do!
Thank you for a good article and a great job this year at Signatures Chef Auction for March of Dimes. You’re good peoples!
What a heartfelt story, Arminda. Thank you for that and to all the volunteers who made the night “magical”! It was indeed magical as everything came together for the babies.
As the mom of a daughter born at 28 weeks, I would like to say thank you. Two simple words with a powerful meaning. Thank you for being so passionate about babies. Thank you for your story. Thank you for being the most awesome committee chair ever!!!!!! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of said awesome committee. Thank you to the March of Dimes for not only what they do for babies but what they do for pregnant women and research into conditions that cause prematurity. I had preeclampsia that was not held off by bedrest. I went completely blind and literally went out of my mind. My husband was faced with the very real fact that not only his precious baby might not live but his wife probably wouldn’t either. Thanks to the grace of God, wonderful hospital staff, and the March of Dimes; we got to bring home our Miracle Mariann. I volunteer so that all parents are granted their miracle. Thank you to all that support the March of Dimes. You are someone’s hero-mine.
Arminda…What a beautiful post for Prematurity Awareness Day. I’m so thankful that your precious Lindsay was born full-term and healthy. You have certainly done more than your share to “Pay it Forward,” and because you have, countless babies have been, and will be, born with a healthier start in life. The March of Dimes is so blessed to have your involvement, leadership and commitment. You are an inspiration to me and, I am confident, to all of the volunteers with whom you have worked. Thank you for chairing the Signature Chef’s event this year and a huge Congratulations for its overwhelming success! Thanks for making a difference…for the babies! Hugs!!! Lynda
Thanks for sharing your personal story and your heart Arminda! Your level of involvement with the March of Dimes is inspiring!
My daughter was born on May 6th, 1997. She was 8 days late. How ridiculous that sounds now. Regardless of all I went through during my pregnancy with her – she’s here, and she was healthy from the get-go. As Melinda stated above, you’re a hero – hers AND mine. Way to pay it forward and give back. You’re an Earth Angel.
I had no idea we shared a common experience – several months of complete bed rest to get our daughters here safely (in my case, it was Amy, and I was kept in Travis Air Force Base Hospital, not at home.) I’m so glad you got Lindsay here without mishap. She’s an incredible girl – and so are you! Miss you! Love to read about your latest adventures through your very interesting writing. Keep up the good work.
@Jennifer – thanks, friend!
@Karen – “Here’s to Healthy Babies!” And, yes! Please mark your calendars for next year’s event on Thursday, November 3, 2011.
@MoDLin – two months seems like such a small amount of time relative to my outcome :-) It’s our pleasure to volunteer and, of course, besting ourselves year over year is what we’re best at doing!
@Melanie – I cry each time I read your comment. YOU are the real hero here – YOU are the reason we volunteer – YOU are my inspiration. Thank you for giving back and for sharing your story. We need to continually be reminded of the work yet to do, and with volunteers like you – nothing will stop that effort.
@Teddy – so glad you could join us this year, my friend!
@Lynda – thanks for continuing to believe in me and the efforts of this amazing committee. We couldn’t have done it without you.
@Heather – so grateful for your involvement this year. You helped raise the event to an entirely new level.
@Sally – As always, you light up my life a little bit more each time our virtual paths cross. Thank you for stopping by, for reading, for contributing, and for being my friend.
@Janet – I am so delighted you stopped by for a read and left a comment! As you and I continue to discover, we have more in common than meets the eye! I love and miss you, too!
What an incredible story… I am so glad it had a happy ending! Congrats on shattering your fund raising goals. Having someone with your passion and enthusiasm at the helm it’s no wonder the fundraising was so successful! Kudos!
Thank you, Meg! Passion and enthusiasm are amazing drivers of success, aren’t they? :-)
Arminda recently posted..The Vortex of the Russian Disco