We traveled to Gainesville since they got us in first. Their more in-depth anatomy scan lasted an hour and a half and the results determined that our son, Mark, would be arriving within a few short weeks. We followed up with the specialist in Jacksonville, and they confirmed the findings from the Gainesville appointment, only they were more optimistic about the due date. To everyone’s surprise, Mark was born at 27 weeks and 4 days- a second-trimester delivery, with IUGR. Mark was born at 27 weeks and 4 days but was the size of a 24-weeker. With low amniotic fluid, Mark was immediately sent to the NICU and intubated. As a mom on MAG, I wasn’t able to see him until he was 36 hours old. With all of the wires and tubes of the oscillator, I wasn’t able to hold him until he was 38 days old. It broke me.

I met many other NICU moms who were suffering financially because they stepped away from their careers. I had a hard time connecting with Mark in the NICU because of the delay in seeing him and holding him. He spent so long in just a diaper, I wondered when he would ever wear clothes. The entire experience broke me. Looking back, it made me stronger. Looking back, there were plenty of opportunities to promote family bonding- for families to experience that connection I needed.

So I decided to start Mark’s Mission, to promote family bonding in the NICU and other hospital units and I hope to grow our organization to serve more than Northeast Florida because these barriers, this pain, this journey is not just limited to our community.