So, everywhere I look there are lists. Lists of How to cope. ..what to say… what not to say.. how to help, etc etc. And I have to say, STOP THE MADNESS!!! Stop with the lists. It is getting a little out of hand!!

I made a list of things a couple times to help others understand what I did… to share how I survived the NICU and everything after…but I am now at a point where I am like. .. Oh forget it….

My advice on anything… JUST GO.

If you have fallen, get up. If you are frozen in fear over something, keep going. Take those baby steps, no matter how small, and you just keep going…GO! God will get you through it!!

I can tell you until I am blue in the face what I think you should do. I can share about 30 different lists of how I, as a mama, got through everything. Here are some examples:

How i got through bed rest.

How I got through a devastating prenatal diagnosis.

How I got through three days of labor.

How I got through that first day and not knowing if my babies were going to survive.

How I got through seeing my  babies so fragile and so sick.

How I got through our preemie’s first surgery.

How I got through having twins in the NICU

How I got through receiving that first phone call, being told our son was not going to survive through the night.

How to react, how to be, what to say when you are told he would not survive… and then what to say, or how to react and how to be when HE ACTUALLY SURVIVES.

What to say and how to be the day after.

How to get through one twin coming home from the NICU, and one staying.

How to get through have a NICU grad home and healthy, while their twin is having surgery and struggling to survive.

How to cope through NICU babies and having siblings.

What to say to doctors and nurses and surgeons who have given up ALL HOPE for our baby.

And my favorite…

What to say to all those doctors and nurses and surgeons when your baby actually DOES survive and he is being discharged from the NICU after the longest stay ever!!!

I can give you these lists and many many MANY more. But I am kind of over those lists for now. My advice… just GO!! Find it within yourself to get through it. Look at your baby and see how AMAZING they are.. Thank God for them.. and as hard as it may be.. believe there IS a BLESSING that will come after this time. You WILL get through it!!!

I will ALWAYS ALWAYS be more than happy to talk to someone about my experience. I LOVE to share it. I LOVE to give God all His Glory!! And I will NEVER stop doing that!!! I LOVE to give out advice and help other NICU families… but the lists you see everywhere… no more.

You WILL get through it without a check off list. It is YOUR experience. It is YOUR life. This is YOUR BLESSING. Take a deep breath and soak it. Your are in the Presence of God as you watch your baby fight and survive life… the NICU life…

Stay Strong mama