A (Belated) Welcome to Avi's Embrace!

We recently realized that we haven't been keeping up with welcoming local projects on our blog, and we figured it's about time we start doing that again!
Project Sweet Peas welcomed a new local project in February called Avi's Embrace. Sarah King is Avi's mom and the project leader of Avi's Embrace, which donates care packages to a local hospital in Indiana.

For more information on Avi's Embrace, please email Sarah at SarahKing@projectsweetpeas.com.

Here is Avi's Story . . .

Our story begins in the fall of 2008. From the moment we learned of Avi’s existence, he became our world. Shortly after we became aware of our pregnancy Avi’s grandmother was in a horrific accident and passed away shortly after. Avi became a light during a dark time.

At fourteen weeks we meet our little man through ultrasound. He was so small and so beautiful. The doctors said everything appeared wonderful; he was perfect (at least to me.) My pregnancy progressed with ease and around 30 weeks we found out we were having a little baby boy, our Avi.

As the weeks went by my doctor grew concerned about how small I was measuring for the baby’s gestational age. We did an ultrasound almost every single week to watch his growth. Every time the ultrasounds showed growth was normal.

Forty weeks came and went. I grew very exhausted and eager to meet my son. During the end of my pregnancy I had been experiencing some fluid leakage and had been tested several times to see if it was amniotic fluid. All tests were negative. Several days before I experienced labor pains, I experienced large amounts of fluid. I contacted my OB's office several times within that period to alert them, but they didn’t seem alarmed due to my past history.

On July 13, 2009 at 41 weeks and 3 days I experienced contractions. I called the doctor and let them know of their severity. They told me to come into the hospital. I was more than ready to meet my beautiful son. Upon arriving the OB on call checked my cervix. My water had already broken but my cervix was only slightly dilated. This meaning that my water could have broken in any time period between that morning and a few days prior. I was mortified as they also found out that the cord was wrapping around his throat three times.

His heart rate was dropping. My sweet baby had been in this state without the cushion of amniotic fluid, and he was being suffocated. I was taken to the operating room, where an emergency c-section was performed. When he arrived into this world he was silent and my heart stopped. He was rushed to the NICU and myself to the recovery area. So many thoughts raced through my mind, thoughts of guilt, thoughts of blame, but mostly my thoughts and heart were with my little one struggling to survive.

After several hours they stabilized him. The first time I saw him, my arms ached to hold him. I could do nothing in my power to comfort him. Continually, throughout the day, my little Avi pulled out his IV and other life lines. He kicked and fussed. Oh, how I wanted to comfort him. He would see comfort soon though, but not in a way I could ever want.

Around 12AM, June 15, 2009 we received a call from the NICU. "He isn't doing well." I rushed to his bedside. There was no squirming anymore, and there was no kicking. They had given him a heavy dose of morphine. He was dying and he was laying there motionless, paralyzed by his painkillers. We held him and cried. We said our goodbyes in the only way we knew how and sang him his song. It was unbearable to give him to the nurse, the last time I choose to ever see him again.

At his funeral my father mentioned that Avi has taught us more than many people have in their long lifetimes. He has taught me a deeper appreciation for life and my loved ones, how strong the bond between mother and child is, and has helped me discover strength within myself that I would have never known otherwise. He has given me motivation to better myself and to achieve what I had never thought possible. My son was beautiful, and was a valued individual despite his short lifespan. I am very blessed to have been given the time I had with him. I will always carry him within my heart.

I can only hope that through Project Sweet Peas I can provide some amount of comfort to parents who are forced to endure the same pain of watching their child struggle for their life and to those that have also had to say goodbye. I would like families to know that regardless of the outcome there is hope in every situation and happiness in memory.