My March For Babies Speech...

I was asked to speak at a March of Dimes/March for Babies event this morning. I was honored to do this and to share a little bit of Greyson's story.

Version One of my speech talked about how I didn't even see my son until hours after his birth, how my first glance at him was of the back of his head as they wheeled my gurney past his NICU room, how I got out of bed WAY sooner then I should have the next morning because I needed to touch him - to know really know that he was "okay". How I didn't get to hold him until 3 days after his birth. But my speech was getting too long - I knew it would make me cry - plus I'm in that place any longer. I no longer look at Greyson and think about the scary place we were, instead I just see the present, how strong and smart he is and how proud I am that he is my son.

So, here is what I said this morning:

Good morning, I’m Morgan Perry. Like so many other parents here this morning, I too have been touched by the March of Dimes Mission.

Also, like so many other parents out there, I think my son is a miracle and an amazing fighter. That fact that he is here at all is a testament to that. We thought we had lost him more then once during my rocky pregnancy. Towards the end of my 27th week I woke up in a pool of blood and was rushed to the hospital where I would spend the next 11 days on bed rest. My son would spend 52 days in the NICU after being born at just 29 weeks gestation.

Even though I had received steroid shots to help his lung development, Greyson still had, what the neonatologist called, “Severe Premature Lung Disease”. His chest was sunken-in and he struggled to breath even while on the ventilator.

Greyson received multiple doses of surfactant, which helped him to finally breath easier. The therapy of using artificial surfactant was developed by a March of Dimes grantee.

Greyson is now 14 months old, and just a few weeks ago we celebrated 1 year of having him happy, healthy and home. {Greyson started wailing here so I added, "And you can hear how well his lungs work now."} I like to joke that Greyson doesn’t know that he is a preemie. He is an active, funny, strong and inquisitive little boy with a flair for mischief. He may have forgotten that he is a preemie, but I know I never will. I will also never forget to be thankful for the March of Dimes and all of their donors for helping my son to finally breath.

This year please help us raise $575.00 for the March for Babies.
Greyson's Height on his first birthday (29.75 inches) equals the
height of 575 dimes stacked one on top of the other.