Thursday, April 11, 2019

Know Your Roots in America

Family and Friends,

Throughout the journey of life, one will ask about where they came from. I am no different. My parents came from two very different parts of the world. Since, right now, I live in America, where am I from in America? The answer to this question comes down the lineage of my father who grew up in Talladega, Alabama.

My great-grandmother and great-granddad (stepdad), who raised my dad, lived in the house on the right (between this address and the warehouse, gas station).

near - 108 Martin Luther King Dr, Talladega, AL 35160

great-grandparents place (next to gas station)

front porch view

The original house I remember is replaced because a felon burned the original house down after murdering my great-granddad in it. (Luckily, my great-grandmother passed away years before this murder due to a stroke or brain hemorrhage or something.) This is the new house built (and I have no idea why they built it smaller and in yellow).

What I'm trying to figure out is the house address? Why can't I find this house address on Google Maps? Where my great-grandparents living on sharecropper's land and that's why I can't see the address?


I need to apparently go back and learn more about my roots. Many answers lie in the past, but are unknown if kept hidden or ignored. I'll see you soon, Talladega and my family roots.


Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Understanding Today's Premature Babies

"The baby’s brain undergoes much growth and development in the last weeks of pregnancy."

Family & Friends,

Like many men, I was ignorant of the entire pregnancy process and its vital role in a person's life. After all, a person starts off being a baby. I learned a lot during my wife's first pregnancy which resulted in a miscarriage. I learned a lot during my wife's pregnancy that gave us our firstborn. However, I didn't learn much about the struggle of those who have a premature baby (i.e. a baby born before s/he reaches full term pregnancy). As you probably can tell, my quote above from the article below tells how important a full term pregnancy actually is.



After watching the episode from "This Is Us" where Kate and Toby give birth to a premature baby, I was prompted to ask myself what would I do in such a situation. I asked myself how I would cope and yet stay strong for my family especially the baby. I asked myself how much I actually knew about caring for a premature baby and his/her parents. I knew nothing.

This article by Very Well Family was very helpful and educational. And, its quick chart on a premature's baby survival definitely brings a reality check.
https://www.verywellfamily.com/premature-birth-and-viability-2371529


Are you shocked by these statistics like I am? Did you know that a baby born after 25 weeks (about 6 months) has a 50/50 chance of surviving - compared to a baby born 26 weeks (about 6 1/2 months) having an 80% chance of surviving? A baby that barely reaches the last trimester only has a 50/50 chance of survival?

Just like every baby is different, every pregnancy is different. This uniqueness also applies to all babies born prematurely. Each intervention for a premature baby by our modern day healthcare requires a one-of-a-kind care. Parents of the premature baby also play a vital role in the survival of the premature baby.

Today, premature babies have such an incredible survival probability. Well, in fortunate countries like the United States that have a healthcare system supporting mothers and babies. But what did people do before we had all of this modern health technology and techniques? I can't imagine. People like me are fortunate to live in a place and time where if I did have a premature baby, I can at least still hold onto hope for my little one. Hope of surviving thanks to today's health interventions.

But before any person even thinks about such an health intervention, a person who is involved in a pregnancy should his/her very best to learn more about the pregnancy, encourage and support the pregnant woman, and pray the baby (and mother) endure the full pregnancy term. The baby's life depends on it.

Phileo Love.