That how many premature births were triggered by Hurricane Katrina. This number makes me cry. My own babies were premature. My earliest was born at 34 weeks along. The story on FoxNews this morning said the smallest preemie was a 24 weeker.
There are so many stories of mothers, separated from thier babies. Women who have no idea if or when they will ever see their babies again. Babies clinging for life in a far off hospital, with no way to let the parents know where the baby has been evacuated to. It just breaks my heart. Makes me wish I lived closer and that my kids were older. I would volunteer to sit in the NICU and just hold some of these babies who so desparately need to know that someone still cares.
But the sad fact is, that is 120 is the number of premature births, there are probably twice as many miscarraiges or stillbirths. These numbers will never be reported. These mothers will probably not recieve the same understanding. At first glance, you might be able to say that they are the lucky ones, they don’t have to worry about where their baby is right now, or how to feed and clothe a newborn in all this mess. But the truth is, most of them would probably give their right arm to have those worries.
I have to stop thinking about it. It just makes me cry every time.