I know that I am extra emotional these days, but three different things have left me sobbing recently and reaffirm just how lucky I am.
I don't even remember what I was watching, but it was about a person who went to visit an orphanage and instead of hearing the sound of crying babies as one would expect, they heard silence. When they asked a person that worked there, the explanation essentially was that after a bit of time the babies learn that no one is going to pick them up and comfort them if they cry so why bother? This tore my heart out to hear this. Babies are so helpless and to give up so early in life because no one is there for you....well, this just writing this makes me want to cry all over again. This story was of an orphanage in a foreign country, but I can only assume that it happens here in the US to babies born to drug addicted parents (or other scenarios where the parents are absent or unable to take care of their babies).
The other story that had me sobbing while walking to the train was while listening to the podcast Embedded. The May 25th episode focused on a Doctors Without Borders facility in South Sudan. The reporter, Kelly McEvers, sat by the bedside of an infant as she lay unconscious because of severe malnutrition and severe malaria. Later on in the episode, the girl woke up and asked for water which surprised Kelly. Turns out that even though the girl was only 15 pounds, she was three years old and could talk. 15 POUNDS at 3 years old?!? Izzy hit 15 pounds right after her 4 month birthday. There are no words.
I don't even remember what I was watching, but it was about a person who went to visit an orphanage and instead of hearing the sound of crying babies as one would expect, they heard silence. When they asked a person that worked there, the explanation essentially was that after a bit of time the babies learn that no one is going to pick them up and comfort them if they cry so why bother? This tore my heart out to hear this. Babies are so helpless and to give up so early in life because no one is there for you....well, this just writing this makes me want to cry all over again. This story was of an orphanage in a foreign country, but I can only assume that it happens here in the US to babies born to drug addicted parents (or other scenarios where the parents are absent or unable to take care of their babies).
The other story that had me sobbing while walking to the train was while listening to the podcast Embedded. The May 25th episode focused on a Doctors Without Borders facility in South Sudan. The reporter, Kelly McEvers, sat by the bedside of an infant as she lay unconscious because of severe malnutrition and severe malaria. Later on in the episode, the girl woke up and asked for water which surprised Kelly. Turns out that even though the girl was only 15 pounds, she was three years old and could talk. 15 POUNDS at 3 years old?!? Izzy hit 15 pounds right after her 4 month birthday. There are no words.
Both of these stories are terrible and heartbreaking and it makes me mad that via mommy wars we fight about the stupidest stuff when we really should be so thankful that we were born in a first world country and don't have to worry about these life or death situations.
To try to end this post on a good note, here is a video that made me cry last night. As you know, most of my job has to do with homelessness so seeing this video made me cry happy tears. Maybe I am more tired this time around, but I am definitely succumbing to the hormonal cry more often during this pregnancy- CP is not phased by it anymore.
4 comments:
Oh gosh. It's so easy to forget how privileged we are. I keep seeing people share articles about sunscreen on FB and I won't even read it because really? This is what we have to obsess over? Mommy wars are terrible and some of the most judgmental people I've met have been moms. You're right. We should just be thankful we were born in a country of privilege where the biggest thing we have to worry about is the brand of sunscreen we put on our kids.
When I visited Chicago I was in awe of the sheer number of homeless people. You see a few here and there in CT, in cities like Hartford or New Haven, so it was really shocking and eye opening to visit Chicago. I'm glad you have such an instrumental role in helping them!
Actually, I've read the article that's been going around on Facebook about the toxic death cream and it is actually a great article that is exactly opposite of obsessing about sunscreen. The title is misleading, but it's a great article if you happen to see it again. (In regards to Emilie's comment above)
Pregnancy hormones are no joke! I've also seen that story, or a similar one, about the babies not crying in those orphanages and it is so sad! It's heartbreaking. And wow! a THREE year old being only 15 lbs!??!? That is scary. We truly are blessed to live where we do and it's way to easy to take it for granted.
2 things - YES, on the pregnancy hormones. I cried 3 times at work last week. I don't feel badly because of the pregnancy hormones, and it just wasn't in bad situations and also I am not anti crying. But still, it is a little exhausting after a while.
My other thing is a question. I am so impressed by how much you blog, and what a great record you have of your daughter's first years. What is your blogging approach? When do you do it? Do you use laptop or app on your phone? Do you load all your pics on your laptop and then to blog? I did a good job of blogging for about six years, including my daughter's first year, but have totally fallen off and miss it a lot, plus like you have another babe on the way. I need to figure this out!
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