California

Hey Ya'll,
I'm new to this discussion board and I'm glad to have found it. I'm sorry that I didn't know about it when my daughters were born. My older one was born at 31 weeks and with my second one I went into labor at 30 weeks and she was born at 34 weeks. They are now 9 and 5 1/2. I just found out I am pregnant again and I am terrified of going through the whole preterm labor thing again. Is there anyone out there who has gone through preterm labor 3 times? I noticed there's a couple from Sacramento, I live in the Bay Area. Well I hope to hear from someone soon

Tomasita

HI,
I feel like I keep introducing myself, so I apologize to anyone who is now reading this repetative info for the 5th time and I know you can click on my name but just in case:
My huband (31) and I (28) are born and raised in the East Bay. On July 21st we gave birth (I did most of the work ) to our son, Jonas Amaru at 31 weeks. He weighed 4 pounds 11 oz. He is about 8 weeks adjusted, 16 in reality. I have a journal (THE SUPER PENA PREMIE) but I would love to hear more about you guys. I am so excited to see "neighbors" on the website!
Take care,
Andé

Hi Ande!!! Where was Jonas born? I had my preemie at Summit in Oakland, and he spent his NICU days at Alta Bates in Berkeley. We live in San Diego now, but I grew up in Northern CA! Welcome, again, to SHARE!

Donna

Are they any moms in the Santa Barbara area? I would love to meat new moms to talk to and it would be nice to have some more freidns!

Donna (and others),
We live in the East Bay and I ended up being transfered to Alta Bates in Berekely which is where I delivered and we stayed for a little under a month. I love that hopsital!! There were only a few NICU staff that I was concerned with, but I was fortunate enough to be at the hospital most of the time. I thought maybe we could do a getting to know you thing, so if anyone is interested just cut, paste and answer
A- GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

B- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?

C- WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?

D- DOG OR CAT PERSON?

E- EARLIEST MEMORY?

F- FAVORITE FOODS?

G- IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?

H- FAVORITE HOLIDAY?

I- ONE INJUSTICE THAT BOTHERS YOU?

J- DREAM JOB?

K- DO YOU BELIEVE IN KARMA?

L- LIVING ARRANGEMENTS?

M- WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

N- NERVOUS HABIT?

O- ODD FACT ABOUT YOU

P- BIGGEST PET PEEVE

Q- FAVORITE QUOTE

R- HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?

S- FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE SMELLS:

T- FAVORITE TV SHOWS?

U- WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?

V- VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE?

W- WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

X- EXTRA SPECIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE?

Y- YESTERDAY FOR DINNER YOU ATE?

Z- WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?

A- GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
so far, my family

B- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?
The Four Directions

C- WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
baby blue Ford Thunderbird

D- DOG OR CAT PERSON?
Dog

E- EARLIEST MEMORY?
my 4th birthday

F- FAVORITE FOODS?
carbs

G- IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?
half full!!

H- FAVORITE HOLIDAY?
Christmas

I- ONE INJUSTICE THAT BOTHERS YOU?
abuse of those taht cannot defend themselves

J- DREAM JOB?
TV talk show host or lawyer

K- DO YOU BELIEVE IN KARMA?
yup

L- LIVING ARRANGEMENTS?
my husband and our son in a house

M- WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
We Can Do It! with Rosie the Riveter

N- NERVOUS HABIT?
biting my fingers

O- ODD FACT ABOUT YOU
I can't lie (not that I want to be able to)

P- BIGGEST PET PEEVE
ignorance

Q- FAVORITE QUOTE
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

R- HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?
IF I pick it up I do so right away

S- FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE SMELLS:
fav-my baby and least-the hospital

T- FAVORITE TV SHOWS?
SVU, w/ Mariska Harrgitay (sp?), I love the detective stuff

U- WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
A bat, a flashlight, clothes for the opposite season and way too much dust

V- VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE?
Vanilla

W- WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
being helpless when my son was in the hospital before that my general worst feeling would be guilt

X- EXTRA SPECIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE?
God, my son, husband and myself

Y- YESTERDAY FOR DINNER YOU ATE?
cream of wheat

Z- WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?
I'm on the cusp of Scorpio and Libra so I have a constant battle to attain balance (Libra) and yet I am also very passionate and the downside is that I carry grudges, I don't forget when someone burns me

So it sounds like we will be relocating to the bay area in the beginning of January. Just thought I'd say hi and ask what it's like in California? I've never lived anywhere that it didn't snow, what are holidays like? Good doctors for your preemies? How long is the flu season there? How many months do you receive the synagis shot?

Hugs all around,
Sam

SAM!!!! I grew up in the Bay Area!! We just moved to SD three years ago. Email me....I'll tell you all about it!!!! Yay, another CA preemie mom! I go "home" all the time.....I can meet Daisy!!!

Hugs,
Donna

That's so awesome Donna! We haven't announced it in the blog just yet because my hubby is giving notice next week at his current employer, but I am so excited and nervous I thought I would come looking for guidance. What email address should I use? You could also send me a note at samcj73@yahoo.com.

I get to meet Ryley! Whoohoo!

Hugs,
Sam

Hi everybody, my name is Kelly & I'm originally from Southern California. Although my family is still down there, I've been living in the bay area for about the past 20 years or so...Wow! 20 years! Time flies! Anyway, my son Joshua was born January 9, 2001 at 21 weeks. I love my boy more than life itself, & I miss him just as much. Josh lost his battle for life the same day he was born but I am still so proud of him...Proud of the beautiful baby he was & proud of the heavenly Angel he became. Because of Josh, I've learned so much & still am learning about the extreme severity of this out of control epidemic called prematurity and I'm doing all I can to educate others. Once a year I do a fund raiser in my son's name & donate all the proceeds to the neonatology research fund at the Luceile Packard Foundation for Children's Health in Palo Alto. I've also just started working with the MISS Foundation where I'm working to get a Bill called The MISSing Angels Bill passed here in California. If your not sure what The MISSing Angels Bill is, you can read about it at www.missingangelsbill.org but in a nutshell, we're working to pass a law that would allow the issuance of a certificate of birth to our stillborn babies, as of now the state of CA only issues them a certificate of death. If your interested, I can also give you a web site to an online petition that I just started for the state of CA, just let me know & I'll post the link. All this I do because of Josh. Every one is put here on earth for a reason, Josh didn't have a chance to show the world who he was, so I'm doing it for him. He was here & already the world is seeing his little tiny Angel foot prints...

Im a mom to a 29 weeker who is coming home next tuesday. I live in Santa Barbara County in California. Im not sure if I am posting this in the right place, but I was wondering if there are any Moms that are in the same area. I am looking for more moms to talk to or to have play dates for our children.

Congratulations on your baby coming home, what a wonderful event!

As far as finding other parents in your area, check out the "Get Involved" section and then the "Get Local: Arizona - ??" folder. There should be a listing for California and you can see if anyone has a post mentioning that they live nearby. You can also post your own info so any newbies might be able to get in touch with you!

Good Luck!
Jackie

(I'll move this to the Get Local - California folder!)

My 4 year old son Aaron and my 5 month old angel Emily were born at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. I too was born in California at Kaiser Hospital, Oakland. Happy to see so many people from California

HI!! My son spent his NICU days at Alta Bates in Berkeley. It is such an amazing place. I'm sorry for your loss of Emily. Welcome to SHARE!

hi!
I live in manteca and I was hoping that I could find other moms in my area. My daughter is now 8 moths old 5 months adjusted, she was born in modesto At DMC 3 months premature. you can find our story in the blogs section Kaylee's story.



~LeeAnn

Well I was born and raised in L.A. for the whole 23 years of my life. I had a lil girl at 24 weeks weighin in on a pound and 6 ozs. she spent 4 months in the NICU in Pomona Valley Hospital in the wonderful city of Pomona. Very nice hospital all the surgerys and testings were done in the hospital no havinf to transfer to other hospitals.

Hello Lorena,

Nice to meet you. My name is Deborah and my daughter was born at Garfield Medical Center in Monterey Park, and then was transferred to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, she spent 108 days between both NICUs from November 10, 1999 to February 26, 2000. She will be 7 years old this coming November, and all I do now is wonder where the time went to. LOL!

I have never heard of the Pomona Valley Hospital, but I do go to church down there in Pomona. How wonderful that your daughter had such great care, and didn't need to be transferred. My duahgter had to be because she was suspected of having NEC, and the only doctor that treated babies for that only worked out of CHLA, so I was very glad that she was sent there. Garfield would just make me sick to my stomach, just too may bad memories.

Anyways, I hope to hear from you soon. How old is your daughter now? I'll bet she is a little beauty as well huh? So glad that you found your way here to Share, there are just so many wonderful people here. Unfortunately I don't get very much computer time anymore. My daughter has way too much homework these days, plus she is in the IEP Program so she takes much longer than 1 hour to finish her homework. So take care, and talk to you soon.

Deborah & Eleanor~Rose.

Hi, I'm Denise and we live in Carmichael.

On August 6, 2007 I gave birth to our son, a 33 weeker at Mercy San Juan. This was after 9 weeks on hospital bedrest due to pprom.

He was just discharged on Saturday (Sept 1) and I really look forward to hearing from other local moms!

Hi Denise!! I'm not in Sacramento, but I do know some amazing Share Moms who are in your area. I'm going to point them in your direction. I'm down in San Diego, but definitely welcome another CA Share Mom! Congrats on the birth of your son. I look forward to hearing about him.

Hello Denise-

Congratulations on the birth of your son, I am so glad to hear that he is home and doing well! My family is the Greater Capital Division ambassador family for the March of Dimes. I also spent months in the hosptial due to PROM. I am the proud Mom of a 28 weeker named Kobe and our sweet little angel Kaleb who was born at 22 weeks.

I would love to touch base with you and see how you and your family are doing with your new little guy. Please feel free to email me, just click on my name above.

I look forward to talking with you!

Jessica

Does anyone know of a medical daycare in San Diego, California? I am looking for one for my son for when I have to go back to work. I am open to someone coming to my house as well. Suggestions?

Hi Monik -

I'm in the San Diego area as well.....I wish I had some fantastic answers for you. I did post to your other request for help in this area, but just wanted to make sure you got this. Not sure how much help I am, but here it goes......First, have you asked your pediatrician? They might have some suggestions. I also have found a few sites on the web that help find childcare. Most of them do charge to "join" but then you can have background check results on potential providers, and can specify your needs. Good luck!

I'm also the Family Teams Council Chairperson in San Diego. If you'd like more information on what's going on for Family Teams here, just click on my name above. I'd be happy chat with you more, and hope to see you at March for Babies in April.

Is anyone else here walking on April 26 at Griffith Park??? I would LOVE to meet some Share sisters!!!!!!

I was wondering if there were any other mothers who had experience the loss of their premature baby in the San Diego area? I dont know many people out here yet and Im having a really hard time going through this alone.

Does anyone know of any support groups out here?
I think there is one at Rady Childrens Hospital but I was wondering if anyone from here had any other suggestions or comments about that group?

Thanks Everyone,
Alana's Mommy, Erin

Hi I was wondering if anyone here is from my area??? TIA.

Erin -

I am so sorry for your loss of Alana. My heart goes out to you.

I live in the San Diego area. I did not lose my preemie, but know a few from the area who have. Empty Cradle is a great group, at least from the experience of two of my friends. Let me see if I can track down the contact info for you.

Will you be at the March for Babies this weekend? Or did you go to the Carlsbad March?

Take care. I'll be thinking of you, and will email you the contact info as soon as I have it.

Hugs,
Donna

HI I was wondering if there are any mom;s in the IE

Hi Denise,

I am part of the Bizymoms Sacramento community.
http://www.bizymoms.com/sacramento/index.php
I belive this a great place to network with Sacramento moms. They have loads of fun stuff such as games and competitions. You can upload photos, vedios, news, events, create groups and chit-chat with many moms from Sacramento Come and join us.