Twice Born Documentary on PBS

[Badfish740]

Just wanted to put in a plug for this great documentary on PBS about the Special Delivery Unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia:

http://www.pbs.org/program/twice-born/

It prominently features the surgical team we literally owe Lil' Badish's life to. The documentary focuses a lot of fetal surgery-surgery on the fetus before it's born to correct problems that might otherwise prevent the baby from being born. We were incredibly lucky that our daughter did not need fetal surgery (babies with her condition often do) and we able to wait until she was six weeks old to have her heart and lung defect corrected, but we spent a lot of time pre-birth at the SDU/Center for Fetal Surgery.

It was kind of surreal (and hard) for my wife and I to watch (there are some tough moments for the parents in the documentary-fair warning) but also pretty neat as well to see the same doctors, techs, nurses, and locations in the hospital that we became so familiar with for the first two years of our daughter's life. In fact, the female surgeon who actually led the team is a major part of the series. Once she is old enough to understand (she's 3 and a half now) we will bring her to the annual CHOP family reunion to meet her as she is one hell of a role model!

 

[Lake Girl]

I was unable to watch the video because I`m in Canada but know they can do some pretty amazing in-utero surgeries. I`m sure they have come a long way from the 1980s when they first started this type of surgery. Glad to hear that Lil`Badfish is doing well. There will be many role models to choose from throughout her early years ... doctors, nurses, ultra-sound techs, etc.

 

[Charlotte987]

So nice to hear that everything that can be done will be done by these gifted/caring people. I'll include a link to some videoes on You tube, from this series.
As I'm in Canada as well, I can't see this either.

Third one down:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Twice+Born+documentaries

 

[Badfish740]

So nice to hear that everything that can be done will be done by these gifted/caring people. I'll include a link to some videoes on You tube, from this series. As I'm in Canada as well, I can't see this either.

Third one down:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Twice Born documentaries

Thanks so much for posting! Also, the next time you're at the McDonald's drive-thru pay attention to the collection box below the window where you get your food. Any money deposited there goes to support the Ronald McDonald House, which, among other things, provides a low cost place to stay (you pay what you can) for families who need to be near their sick kids. My daughter was only in the hospital for about eight days, but we never could have afforded a hotel plus meals, etc...in Philadelphia for that long at that point in our lives. Ronald McDonald House allowed us to be by her side 24/7 and is a lifesaver for families like the ones in the documentary who come from thousands of miles away and need to be there for months at a time.

 

[Charlotte987]

Can't seem to get the right link working:

This is the documentary:

Exact and better link:

 

[Lake Girl]

support the Ronald McDonald House,

Spent some time in the Ronald McDonald House in Winnipeg - about two blocks from Health Sciences. They are a wonderfully supportive place to stay with playrooms, TV rooms and full kitchens to help keep meal costs down too. The one in Winnipeg could use some fold-up cots or twin size blow-up mattresses for when siblings come to stay with Mom & Dad They usually have a wish list of staples needed, volunteer prepared meals schedules, options for hosting a fundraising event and cash donation ...
http://www.rmhmanitoba.org/uploads/ck/files/April2015WishList.pdf Likely your local one has roughly the same...

I would imagine the cash boxes don`t get as much anymore with the use of debit cards ... usually toss in my change when using cash.

Badfish, when Lil`Badfish gets there, she can apply for a scholarship through Ronald McDonald charities too! http://www.rmhc.org/rmhc-us-scholarships

 

[therdlesstravld]

Thanks for posting this! My daughter needed to have surgery on her spine and CHOP was the ony place we'd trust with our little girls life.

It's honestly surreal seeing the tiny scar and thinking back on the emotions and anxiety of it but the staff at CHOP were perfect in every way.

There's more of us out there than we know badfish that owe CHOP everything, congrats on your miracle man!

 

[sportbikerider78]

People who work with infants are the most amazing health care workers I have ever been around.

We lost my first son at 6 1/2 months of pregnancy. He had a great deal of serious issues and we knew that he would likely not live after being born. We were amazed at how nice and caring the entire staff was towards us. At the same time, I think the staff was really touched to see my wife and I come together and love him in the short period of time we had with him. There are many organizations out there that just come out of the woodwork to support you when you lose a child. There are many very nice people who just appear to help you. It really makes you proud to be human.

Fast forward 2 years...
My second son was born 6 weeks early, but in perfect health. However, he still had to stay at the hospital for a couple of weeks till he was gaining weight and feeding well on his own. The care we had around the clock was amazing and we felt like those nurses were taking care of their own child.

It takes a special kind of person to work with kids and I'm glad they are here to do what they do.

 

[begreen]

There are fantastic Children's Hospitals across the country. Seattle's is excellent too. It's where our son had his life-saving brain surgery. At every step of the process they were compassionate, informative and on the ball. In spite of the huge stress of an 8 hr operation they made it as good as it could be and the post op care was super.

 

[Lake Girl]

We lost my first son at 6 1/2 months of pregnancy.

Sorry for the loss of your first little guy .... our baby Evelyn was that early too. Off breathing support after 24 hours but developed an infection with no immunity at that stage in development. The Winnipeg NICU nurses were amazing but not much they could do medically. So glad they encouraged photos as 10 days later she was gone... not forgotten.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Sorry for the loss of your first little guy .... our baby Evelyn was that early too. Off breathing support after 24 hours but developed an infection with no immunity at that stage in development. The Winnipeg NICU nurses were amazing but not much they could do medically. So glad they encouraged photos as 10 days later she was gone... not forgotten.

It is a sting that has only decreased by frequency.
We are very blessed to have 2 super healthy and amazing kids. But we will always think of the one we lost and wish he was with us. I would trade all I have for it.