March of Dimes Walk

We completed our walk on May 4, it was a great day! We raised over $6300 for the Baby Lucas Team! Thank you to everyone that helped us raise money... to Ronjohn for raising the most money-$1100! And to Saundra & Danny for having some friendly competition and raising over $1000 combined! ...of course Saundra raised it all, but who's counting? :-)

The kids really got into it too, it was really neat to watch Nicholas and Abby want to raise money for this... they wanted to walk to several neighbor's houses asking for donations. We taught them what to say about March of Dimes and Lucas, and they rehearsed it before going down the street. So cute! They both raised $150 (with a little help from Gran & GranDan)!

This is the write-up that I did for the March of Dimes Family Page for Team "Baby Lucas".

My name is Lucas and I am a miracle.
Last year on March 27, I was born weighing just 1 pound 6 ounces. I arrived 3 ½ months early after my parents were told I had zero odds of survival when my mom’s water broke at 22 weeks, three weeks before I was born. The doctors even asked my Mom and Dad several times the day her water broke if they could give her a drug to induce labor, they said, "to speed up the inevitable," which would have ended my life. Thank goodness, they would not agree to it because they believed in me! Mommy and I stayed on bedrest in the hospital for three weeks while I continued to grow in her tummy on limited fluid. Somehow we were both able to hold on long enough to pass the threshold of no viability at 22 weeks, to a chance at life at 25 weeks.

My parents call me their “Little Fighter.”

I stayed in two NICU’s for a total of 156 days and overcame many obstacles... like weak lungs, multiple infections, a nasal injury that impacted my ability to receive oxygen, Grade 4 IVH, Hydrocephalus, and Meningitis. And, I had four surgeries before I even weighed 6 pounds.
After a lot of skepticism from doctors saying I would need a trach and a feeding tube -- I came home taking a bottle on my own and with NO oxygen! I’ve proven a lot of people wrong!

It was not until last year that my family learned that the March of Dimes was responsible for many of the technologies and the NICU development that helped save my life. Last year, my parents walked and raised money in my honor while I rested in the NICU down the street, as I began showing my tenacity and determination to live. One year ago, they vowed to each other that they would walk WITH me this year in the stroller, and would always support this effort so near and dear their hearts.

My whole family is here to walk with me today, including my brother and sisters, grandparents, and some special friends. And many others are walking with our team in other cities.
Mom and Dad said they couldn’t be more proud!

I just celebrated my first birthday! I am catching up with the other babies my age, and charming everyone with my smile and giggle. I'm starting to do many more things that they said I wouldn't do!
And, I’ve got more surprises in store for everyone... just watch!

Thank you March of Dimes!

Love,
Lucas James Stisher