Of course I did blog about all the wonderful friends and family that helped sooooooo much during that time. We couldn't and wouldn't have gotten through it without them. My husband was AMAZING! Seriously, he stepped it up big time. Love how he took control of our family and ran with it when he was used to being a team. And Anna. She was really great. It was so wearing on her too but she was so supportive and loving and helpful. Kids really do have it in them if you let them shine.
But to be honest, the biggest part of keeping me sane during those three months and especially during the three weeks of hospital bedrest -Twitter. I know, call me silly. Call me ridiculous for using a social media site as my therapy. But what I found in Twitter was a community. A group of woman (and some husbands) that were going through the same exact things I was. Some were on bedrest and some were just pregnant. But I found support in a place I least expected it. Twitter with the help of @KeepEmCookin and her website connected me with other woman also that may not have been on Twitter but visited the website and posted blogs about their time.
It felt good to go to Twitter and find messages of support and encouragement from woman who were laying flat like I was. To hear of things they were doing to keep busy. Which shows they were watching on Netflix or what websites they were finding interesting. It brought some sort of peace to hear that others were worried about having a preemie. That I wasn't alone. Mostly it was just a quick note back and forth to say, "how are you doing today?" or even just to vent that I was having a rough day. They understood.
I thought when I joined Twitter that I would just use it as a way to keep on news and celebrities but what I found instead was an amazing group of men and women that have some pretty great life experiences to share. I found a weird web of connections. I found people who love to encourage and support. And that was just what I needed during that time. To be social even when I couldn't get out of bed and be with my friends and family in social settings.
Now that we are on the other side of bedrest and preemie babies, I still love checking in with those lovely woman and seeing how parenthood is treating them. Now we have moved into parenting support and I love it! And even though I haven't met any of my cyber friends in real life, I do still consider them my friends. It would be fantastic if I could meet some of them in person some day as we walked a journey together and got to the end because of each other.
11 comments:
i'm so thankful for twitter, too! when bedrest ended for me 5 days after it started, i knew i needed some preemie mom friends because NO ONE knew what i was going through - and now i have quite a few! it's so awesome!
i was on bedrest with my 2nd and my 3rd. no one can ever really understand how helpless that feels unless they have been there too! we didn't have a computer upstairs at the time so i was stuck in tv rerun hell. i know how wonderful Twitter is now and should there ever be a need for bed rest again, I now have my Twitter buddies!
It does seem like it was so long ago! But look at the reward you now have from that tough period in your life...little Nora is beautiful! I just love how connecting with strangers can help you through a situation....
I love what you were saying about twitter! I started following a bunch of Nascar people, originally, and seriously the other fans I have come across have been awesome. When I announced for some of my friends on there I was pregnant (while ago now he is 6 months old LOL), they were so excited, and followed me thru the pregnancy, and all told me to get on twitter as soon as I could to let them know! ha! Now I twitter with them and some awesome bloggers the most!
I agree! The internet was my saving grace. for me it was blogging.
I was on bedrest with my first. Oh how I wish we had Twitter back then! :)
Twitter, blogging and the internet in general have been such a blessing. Even though I'm in Mexico, I don't feel that I'm so far from my friends, family and the U.S.
Isn't it amazing how much support internet friends supply? I wasn't on bedrest but I felt stuck at home a lot when my oldest was an infant and my message boards were a huge lifeline for me.
When I was on bedrest (for a whole hellish hospital week before they finally said c-section NOW) blogging helped so much. And then when baby goat was in the NICU we could update people and not have to go into every detail over the phone with everyone who loved us and cared.
I wish I'd been on twitter already because I am certain it would have helped a lot!
Seriously, blogging is so therapeutic for me. Thanks for sharing your story!
Twitter has saved me so many times. Crisis, sadness and happiness all have a place there!
Very wonderfully said!
When I was on bedrest with my son, almost 7 years ago, I did find some websites that had forums where you could meet other moms in similar situations. I was so glad to talk to others going through the same thing - it can feel so lonely when you are stuck in bed, at home, for weeks!! So glad that you found some support and encouragement to get through that time! : ) (And thanks for stopping by my blog, I appreciate your comments!)
Aimee @ Justkiddingaroundatlanta
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