Najae's Story   — anonymous

my baby Najae was born on December 27, 2002. On January 14, 2003 I noticed she wasn't eating and kept sleeping alot and when I would go to pick her up to make sure she was ok she would let out a horrific scream. Her stomach looked big on one side, too. On the way to the emergency room, she was gagging and milk or throw up was pouring out of her nose. When we got to the hospital first they hooked her up to a machine that monitors your vitals. The nurse stepped out. Najae's oxygen level kept dropping. They drew blood, took an Xray of her distended belly, and intubated her because she had respiratory failure. Then they took her up to the PICU and everyone just surrounded my baby, hooking her up to all kinds of things, drawing more blood. I was overwhelmed, scared, confused, all in one. I started crying more and was asked to step out until they got her situated. While she stayed in the hospital she had a spinal tap, zillions of IV's, an arterial line or v line (I don't remember which one), lots of medicine (one for her heart, one for blood pressure). She also had to have a blood tranfusion. She was in the hospital for 2 and a half weeks, then was moved to the stable floor after a week in the PICU. The third day we were in the PICU the head doctor told me your daughter is very sick and isn't gonna make it then on the fourth or fifth day my baby started pulling through. I couldn't hold her so I would hold her hand and whisper in her ear, "mommy's here, pooka bear. I love you" or I would just rub the top of her hand. My dad made up a song for her and would sang it to her every day. It goes like this: Granddady's boo boo; yes you are the prettiest girl I ever did saw; Granddaddy's boo boo; yes you are the prettiest girl I ever did saw; you're my little, little girl; the prettiest girl in the whole wide world; granddaddy's boo boo; yes you are the prettiest girl I ever did saw, Najae