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November is national preemie awareness month. Being that I was a premature baby, I am choosing to participate in the challenge that Michelle over at preemie blessings is doing.

Her question is who are you celebrating this month, to raise awareness of prematurity? I’m celebrating myself.

I was born at 27 weeks. I wasn’t meant to survive. I had breathing problems and underdeveloped lungs. I also had underdeveloped eyes which led to my blindness.

I was kept in hospital for exactly 3 months after I was born. My parents would visit but I was in an incubator so they could not hold me that much. So the bond to my parents wasn’t that strong. That is why attachment is such a big issue for me today.

After 3 months in the hospital I came home. But the rest of that first year, I was in and out of hospital all the time. Going home no one knew I was blind. It is only due to my mom getting no reaction out of me when she put toys in front of me that led her to question things and take me back to the doctors where blindness was diagnosed after lots of tests.

Despite my early life being frought with hospital visits and sickness I’m still here. Now an adult in my mid 30’s I am thriving. And I am so happy to be alive. Today, I celebrate myself and my life and the fact that I survived.