What Caeli Is Teaching Me

When we were kids, my brother Alan received a Mr. T inflatable punching bag for Christmas. It was about as tall as he was and had the trademark menacing scowl painted on it. The challenge in this bag was to punch Mr. T hard enough for him to stay down, but it seemed like every time Alan gave him the one-two combo, BA Baracus – the tough guy Mr. T played in the A-Team – would pop right back up unfazed wanting more. I pity the fool who thought he’d stay down. What was the secret? Surrounded by the air in the bag was a weighted base to keep it upright. At four and two years old respectively, neither of us were prepared for a lesson in buoyancy; fortunately, our parents were wise enough to know that. Like any other toy, the punching bag was eventually destroyed when it could no longer hold air. 

That Mr. T punching bag resembles our relationship with Christ. Our power to survive the unexpected blows is not some ability we innately possess; rather, it comes from the God who dwells in each of us. We are neither exempt from the uppercuts and jabs life throws at us nor the storms that have us walking sideways if not threatening the manner in which we stand. In a recent update I texted to the prayer circle, I indicated that for every two or three steps forward, you sometimes take back one or two steps. Caeli’s strength in her days in the NICU are teaching us to stay strong during the bad days and serve as a reminder not everything is a cakewalk.

 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. 2 Corinthians 4:8 

Although UAMS has a world-class staff of NICU nurses, doctors, and staff, Caeli is teaching us to keep fighting when Mr. T comes back toward us for another round. Embrace the pain of the season, as it prepares us not only for the physical victory but also a testimony of how we’ve overcome as a family unit. God’s grace and mercy are sufficient for all we embark upon – through our weaknesses He is made strong. His power trumps all of the pressure of troubles surrounding us.

Surround yourself with people who challenge you to look at the world differently.

— Taurean (@TheBlackVoice) March 17, 2015

Want to share your story with other NICU families? Have questions? Need support? Get answers. Meet NICU families like your own - we're not much different from you.

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Why We Stand #CaeliStrong

Over the past month, we’ve shuttled back and forth between the NICU and home on a fairly regular basis sprinkled in with appearances at work (me), church, and the doctor’s office for Chastity. While the trips to Dr. Wendell are lessening in frequency, the financial impact is not. No worries; that’s what health insurance is supposed to cover. Anything else, I’ve got to hustle up some funds and try to squeeze blood from a turnip. As the costs mount, I hope there is a way to make payments on vital services Caeli needs so 1) she can remain healthy, and 2) her parents can maintain decent credit for later necessities plus find a way to save for her future.

One thing I have asked myself is “why us?” when it should have been “why not us?” Was it a wavering faith? I don’t think so, although both of us have spent hours in a fog recently. Having a preemie kind of does that to people from what I’ve observed. I have also met some wonderful families across this great state that are walking alongside us in the journey through NICU from all walks of life; people from Grady, Hamburg, Mountain Home, Springdale, Stuttgart, and as near as Bryant, Conway, and within Little Rock are intertwined for the next several weeks, months, and perhaps longer. Democrat, Republican, Green Party, independent – none of that matters here; ditto for Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Islam, Judaism, Mormon or atheist. God looks beyond the labels we manifest upon ourselves and puts us where we need to be for His magnification. Do was always like being redirected from our secular ways to spiritual mannerisms? No. Even Job questioned God after losing everything and being pushed to the brink of cursing Him. If a man as faithful to God can fall into despair, what makes us think we cannot fail?

Meet the C. Armstrongs - Chastity, Caeli, Cedric

We accepted the challenge of being #CaeliStrong months ago – and did not even know it.

Her victories are our wins. For all of the blood gases, desats, etc., she’s been a trooper. As test results come back, we’ve waited with baited breath for what is already declared another win; at the last result, her head scan checked our fine and ditto for the chest cavity. Our baby is kicking butt and taking names!  Also keep in mind Caeli’s gestation age as of yesterday is twenty-nine weeks – she wasn’t due until May 30 according to doctors’ charts and our calendars.  

Babies come when they want to. We'll wait.
— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) February 12, 2015

Another neat tidbit from the above tweet is two of the other ladies in my wife’s scrapbooking class also gave birth February 13 – one of the new mothers is the niece of my brother’s college roommate. It’s a small world after all. The weight gain, the growth spurts, and by golly, that fight! are all considered W’s to me. Even she has down days as all preemies do, every day with my daughter is a victory.

#CaeliStrong is not a hash tag – Caeli Armstrong is a real person, my baby girl.

We stand #CaeliStrong because:

·        She’s our first child and the angel God entrusted us to care for, teach, cherish, and love on

·        Our house has become that much more of a home

·        She has our initials (CA)

·        Her unbelievable strength and resolve encourage her mother and father

·        I am her daddy and Punkin is her mommy

·        All of her family and our friends are praying for her and ready to meet her

·        We’ll wholeheartedly support her endeavors as she grows up and rein her in when she is “doin’ too much”

·        She is truly a fighter

As the twenty-minute commute to UAMS from home continues, keep us in your committed heartfelt prayers and we’ll do the same. In the same vein Job was able to return to prosperity, I feel God has a similar blessing for us. The race is not given to the swift nor the strong, but to those who persevere to the very end without surrender.

Mommy Needs Help

All of you have read what life with a preemie is like from my perspective; if you haven’t read it, I encourage you to check out the last three blog postings from AD&AD. You’ve heard enough from me, so I’ll step aside and talk about the most important person in the shuffle:  mommy. Most of you know Chastity is one of the strongest, most independent (stubborn some days, but that’s my call) women I know and thankfully is the one I married three-and-a-half years ago. I do thank all of you for your continued prayers for her and Caeli in these different days in the NICU as we aim to make a joyous homecoming happen in God’s time and will.

Wazzup?!!

One thing we have learned up close is that family will really show their true colors in times like these. All of us have seen opportunistic folks show up in the darkest of hours to take advantage or judge a situation they are too callous or inexperienced to be familiar with. For me, it has been particularly easy to give the Eff You look and blow off the snide remarks; for the missus, not so much. We understand everybody wants to be helpful and sometimes communicating that is hard, so allow us to help you out. Read below and find the role that can suit you best:

1. Pray for a healthy baby and joyous homecoming to Springhill Manor, whenever that may be.
2. If either of us gives you an errand to run, be joyful and do it without grumbling. It is hard enough to get through the hours without having to babysit every minute detail much less someone who doesn’t actually want to be helpful.
3. Grocery shopping. Beyond milk and bread, we pretty much have everything else covered all the time – and I do need to lay off the beer. Lazy Magnolia will be there when life manifests itself as a normal.
4. Home cooked meals. Y’all know I like to eat, but we don’t necessarily need 24 casseroles or a live-in chef. Follow your heart and go as God guides you.
5. Gift cards. During days like the ones we are living in, cash goes away more quickly than usual thanks to bills at home, additional fuel for the commute between home and the hospital, and the unexpected. Those are certainly godsends as are the donors. 
6. Literature. If you’re in BAM, Wal-Mart, Hastings (yes, there’s one in Benton), or anywhere that dispenses knowledge in a book/magazine/newspaper format that may be helpful in our unique situation, lend it to me. You should know that I am a bibliophile by now.
7. Making a thank-you list of gifts and anything else that can help us.
8. Doing laundry and helping us keep the house clean.
9. Be there when we need someone to talk to. Fortunately, our closest friends live within a few miles – and in Veronica’s case, a quick commute away. As I’ve rediscovered from Heath, what are friends good for if they don’t come around?
10. Blog. Having that blank canvas to express my thoughts also serves as my sounding board and it is simultaneously the journal that keeps up with Caeli’s life. I use Blogspot because of its ease for the rest of my Google Android world, but Tumblr is a really good host; ditto for WordPress.
11. Stay in touch. Chastity and I are still humans that need interaction with other Homo sapiens. Unless you’re one of those people who always has a hand out looking for a favor, we appreciate seeing you – and at the very least, hearing from you. Parenthood from the NICU is not a prison sentence.
12. If anyone is mechanically inclined, there is a storage building that needs to get put up.

While this is nowhere near a comprehensive effort in what Chastity needs, I hope it is a start. I’ll tell you to follow your hearts and go in the routes that God (Allah, Buddha, or higher power of choice) take you. I know for a fact she won’t get specific in wants; consequently, a happy wife is a happy mom and makes for a happy marriage.

Helping Preemie Dads (Like Me) Cope

With my wife’s permission, I have been allowed to intimately write about our daughter Caeli’s struggles and triumphs as she lay in the NICU unit growing. There are so many things, however, that are too private to share with you; those remain within the bond of our marriage. I will continue to blog along the way, celebrating her achievements along the way and thanking God for all of what the journey brings. 

These posts I am writing are not only for my prayer circle, but also as an aide for the future.

Who is my prayer circle? Let me introduce all of you to each other:  our families; my tribe from Henderson and their spouses; the Mount Zion and Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist church families; our neighbors; my brothers from high school; and no more than four people (two I have mentored, one is my wife’s special friend – and a blessing to both of us, and the other goes back twenty years to junior high)I truly trust, love, and value.Oh yeah, anyone who knows the power of prayer. 

Now I got THAT out of the way, what can I do besides fret every time Caeli has a down day? Certainly, writing about it helps, as all of you know. Postpartum groups have been established for both moms and dads – where in central Arkansas are they? – for us to share our experiences both good and bad. I have met mostly moms with preemies, and a pair of dads who do stand out in my memory:  a father from my hometown whose wife gave birth to twins twelve days apart, and another local dad who has stood in the face of extremely difficult decisions with his child. My heart and prayers continue to go out to both of their families.

Every day with my daughter is a victory. #CaeliStrong
— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) March 13, 2015

Another thing that can be established is a blood drive. One distinct plus in this is that the blood can not only save the life of our child but also anyone else who needs a transfusion. In this case, Caeli and I are both the same blood type meaning that if she needed blood, I could give some of mine to her as a direct donor [She has her own pint dedicated to her]. What that means is I would be able to directly give to her; however, my blood would not be as stringently tested as that of an anonymous donor. The primary risk of direct donor to patient is infection – why introduce something she would be unable to handle in her fragile state? Keep in mind the most valuable life there is not my own, but the child in NICU.

A third way to help preemie dads cope is reading and research. The fact our angels are in NICU is not our faults, so let’s stop beating ourselves up over things that were beyond our control. I don’t know about anyone else, but I do like being able to understand in plain English what the machines do and doctors and nurses explain to us. I’ve been blessed to have patient doctors and nurses go over Caeli’s progress, all of whom have heard me ask seemingly dumb questions over and over. It also helps to have one or two nurses to keep close contact with, preferably those with a good rapport with the baby and not around the hospital because it is his or her job. To that point, shout out to Drs. Simpson and Hall in addition to nurses Lorrie and Becky for all they do above and beyond for Caeli, and for helping us understand everything a little bit clearer than what we knew before. Truthfully, everyone in the Cubby Den rocks!

Ever heard of kangaroo care? Until Caeli was born, neither had I. Babies do need the benefit and stimulus of touch; studies have shown that they decrease their heart rates and oxygen consumption and have fewer alarms when we do kangaroo care. All I have to do is open my shirt and lay her on my chest with nothing but a diaper. She then gets blankets and voila! Quiet time with daddy’s little girl! It sure beats sticking my hand into an incubator and only using one finger to touch her. I await this day anxiously, as her skin is unprepared for what is out here today. It also means I need to shave my nappy chest hairs.

Unlike my wife whom is on maternity leave, I have an added luxury [or curse, depending on the day] of being able to go to work. Those twelve hours away from home and the hospital are difficult, yet the job serves as a respite from the troubles of the world. Even those I detest the dead-end role it has seemingly become, simply being able to come to work has provided a necessary escape for me. It’s also the place that our family’s health insurance comes through, so I might as well shut up and push. [Next year I’ll evaluate that against Obamacare and make the best/most fiscally prudent decision]. I also have co-workers who are supportive during this different [I won’t say difficult, for I still believe Philippians 4:13] days ahead and their accompanying challenges, as the majority of us have children.

I’m sure there are more ways to help preemie dads out that the ones that are mentioned, as this is nowhere near a complete list. In the coming days, I am going to have to seek out a daycare facility for our princess that exceeds her needs as well as not only being affordable. It also has to be able to provide the necessary one-on-one attention Caeli will need to grow and lead a full life. By being there and taking helpmeet to another level, our wives – and baby mamas – are appreciative when we cook meals, wash breast pumping supplies, help them into our cars, do the laundry, and even attempt to clean the house. I may not always verbally state my wants, but thank you for your continued prayers and support along the way in addition to the buddies I can grab a couple of beers and chat with.

For more information, check out the following links:

Papas of Preemies	www.papasofpreemies.com
Preemie World	www.PreemieWorld.com
Postpartum Men	www.postpartummen.com
Postpartum Dads	www.postpartumdads.org
Postpartum International	www.postpartum.net
Lotsa Helping Hands	www.lotsahelpinghands.org
March of Dimes	www.marchofdimes.org
Dads of Preemie Angels	www.nationalshare.org
Prematurity	www.prematurity.org
Inspire.com Preemie Support Forum	www.inspire.com/preemie

Trust me, it’s not easy, but our preemies and families need us.

Being Dad To A Beautiful Preemie Girl

In the last post, I told you that Caeli was born last Friday morning. She is a week old today and hands down the most beautiful little girl I have ever laid my eyes on. I know she recognizes our voices and the touch from our hands and although we cannot hold her yet, she has become the center of our universe and I thank God for each moment I do have with her. To be 100% honest with you, I really do not want to be at work or at home or anywhere away from her at this point; I just want her with me. Seeing her via Angel Eye from home alleviates some of the worry yet I feel like it isn’t enough. I know the nurses and doctors are doing their very best with her and God will take care of her through the roller coaster of life in the NICU, but what can I do? How can I help Caeli’s growth along that she can come home with us a healthy baby?

To catch the gravitas of how small she is, think back to the Barbie dolls of most girls’ childhoods. If that isn’t enough, I have a picture of my wedding band on her arm as Caeli holds my wife’s engagement ring.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, even when she's days old.

Traditionally, people come to the aid of the mother – and I am eternally grateful for the outpouring of support for Chastity in every way possible – trust me. She truly thanks everyone who is praying for great health, calling, dropping off food, willing to do laundry, cooking, helping out around the house, etc. I have taken pictures every day I have been with her, made a video, and am simply cherishing every second with her. One thing I have discovered about Caeli so far is she is one resilient little sister! She’s also picked up her mother’s fashion sense of feng shui by rearranging her incubator to her liking and flow.

The hardest thing about being the father of a week-old daughter whose gestation age is 25 weeks is seeing her so helpless and hearing all of those alarms go off for what seems like 24/7, and not being able to do anything to help. Every time I hear a beep, my eyes dart over to the charts and computer screens; I don’t understand everything about what the NICU staff is doing, but I am trying to get it. Those of you who have been receiving my updates through text message surely can sense the uncertainty in my words. I am trying to be the rock my wife needs in this hour, but I need to steal some time away for myself to cry. Caeli needs a strong daddy to reassure her that everything will be all right; Chastity needs her husband to be built Ford-tough and remain like a rock in the way Bob Seger sung about many years ago.

What I have been able to do beyond giving my alms to God is clean and sanitize the breast pump supplies and label the milk as it is being produced. At home, I’ve not been able to be as hands-on because of my twelve-hour night schedule. It is being frozen and goes back to UAMS on the first day off I get so Caeli can have a steady supply of the sweet stuff. We are also creating a shadow box of everything she is using:  tubes, wires, fresh diapers, bottles, etc. as items to treasure when she gets old enough to appreciate them.

O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, as You will. – Matthew 26:39

I know it is too easy to focus on Armstrong and my own selfish wants, passions, and desires of wanting baby Caeli to come home to continue filling our lives with joy. Lord, forgive me of that. Help me to place You first and to look for what You are doing and want to do in my life. Teach me patience in Your ways and remind me that things do not always happen when I snap my fingers or want them to occur. 

The Moment Dude Became Dad

Friday, February 13, 2015.

4:18 am.

It’s also the moment our daughter Caeli (pronounced kay-lee) Elise was born and certainly the scariest moment of my 36 years. Was she breathing? Is she going to be OK? How’s Chastity doing? Those were the questions I pondered as I sat in the waiting room outside Labor and ICU, praying to God that everything will turn out fine in his name and will. In black Starter gym shorts and flip flops, I shook in a chair holding my laptop and cell phone – why did I have the computer with me was beyond me – but it was what I grabbed. Even as a man of God, I admit that I was afraid during those moments as a result of how labor went for us and how helpless I became now that the minute I needed to be strong, I felt queasy. My stomach turned over and over, twisted into knots all because the two females in my life were not near me.

Shortly after she was resuscitated, I finally got to meet Caeli, and you know what? She is the most beautiful, precious little girl I have ever laid eyes on. That head of hair, those eyebrows, the long arms and legs were perfect! Despite her diminutive size (she weighed one pound and eight ounces, and measured 12.4 inches – not much more than a Barbie doll), my mini-me is the blessing we’ve prayed and tried for all of this time. I just hope I can be the dad she needs in this cold world, protecting her from all things and never letting go. In five days, I have only begun to grasp the veracity of dude becoming dad, and it is honestly overwhelming. Will she have a better childhood than I did? (Sidebar: Mine was pretty damn good, if I say so myself. Thanks, Mom and Dad!) Which daycare should she go to? Will she attend public or private school, and what are the ramifications of that decision? Who can I talk to about establishing a 529 plan for her, and at least a legit savings account? How can I prepare her for an environment which presents the world is her oyster, there are people who do not think little African-American girls like Caeli are equal in their eyesight and some parents do not want their children to play with her? I know being a good father is providing far more than a dollars, so how will she remember those moments like bathing, being held, hugged, kissed, and otherwise doted upon if I am constantly working? What if my best efforts aren’t enough? Our home is definitely a God-fearing pad, so how can I teach her the ways of thus said the Lord in a manner that 1) she understands, and 2) will not depart from the teachings when she grows up?

Fatherhood is the greatest challenge I’ve ever endeavored and it frankly scares the shit out of me.

Maybe my concerns are overwrought, but maybe not. I only want the best for her and her mother; therefore, I have to give up the dude mentality. You know, the dude is the one who is willing to take crazy chances such as “hey, watch this!” and doing 100 on the highway just because I can. For three-and-a-half years, I’ve only had to answer to Chastity (let her tell it, I’m going to do whatever I want anyway), but now both of my ladies really need me, I’d better stick around. The absolute last thing I need is to do something so stupid that I’m not around to take Caeli to school, attend father-daughter dances, put the fear of God in her boyfriends (hopefully she doesn’t date before 21, but every guy says that), eventually walk her down the aisle, and grow old with her mother. I love them both dearly and perhaps to my detriment, but my life is no longer my own. While every Christian makes that similar statement, I pray that God makes me the husband and father I need to be in their lives.

I find it funny that I “finally” grew up only two years ago although I’ve largely taken care of myself since nineteen. Aside from attending college at Ouachita Baptist (hey, we’re both Henderson State graduates), I want Caeli to know she can do and be anything she wants. Of course, if she gets full tuition paid across the street, I can vouch for a Tiger. I’m not that rigid.

Friday, February 13, 2015 was the greatest and scariest day of my life for it is not only the day our daughter was born but also the one when this dude became a dad. In addition, Valentine’s Day came a day early for me thanks to my queen and little princess both being healthy. My prayer for today is that our three lives serve as testimonies that are my delight and counselors as Psalm 119:24 indicates. 

Reaching Out For Help

If you remember reading Mother’s Day For the Childless Couple last year, this is a continuation of that post – sort of. Our first pregnancy has been a whirlwind of experiences and emotions so far, and as we crest our midpoint, our prayers are for a healthy baby sans complications. God does what He does for a reason, and all we can do is trust Him no matter how difficult our days may become later.

My wife went on bed rest recently, meaning she is limited to where she can go:  the bed, the bathroom, the couch, and maybe the kitchen. Fortunately for me, Chastity can venture to the kitchen ONLY for leftovers and readily prepared items such as fruit cups, bottled water, and premade salad mixes; otherwise, I would have a harder time staying awake at work. Since we both need the income, sleeping in my office is not an option. Even if sleep were in the realm of possibilities, the shower stalls at work are simply filthy, mired in years of caked-on grime.

Psalm 121:2 tells us that “my help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth”. It doesn’t say dig deeper for your self-sufficient strength which already comes from the Lord. I may be built Ford tough, but it doesn’t mean I do not need assistance. He made the heavens and the earth – I only wrote this blog post – proving that every little idea birthed to the piece of paper I take notes on means squat. By acknowledging this simple fact, we Christians know that going it alone is not an option even as it seems that we cannot sit still. In this case, while Chastity is (temporarily) incapacitated, she is receiving all sorts of aid and support from the family as well as our neighbors and friends.

God has brought us too far to the places we dwell from where we once called home. Trust Him to leave the future in His hands and say thank you.