By: Jennifer Woodward - Statesboro

We were expecting triplets, and we couldn?t have been more excited. We had wanted children for so long. Unfortunately, it was not an easy pregnancy or delivery. I received several blood transfusions and amniotic fluid reductions in the hospital before the babies were delivered. I was on bed rest for four weeks in the hospital, and then my doctor decided I couldn?t carry the babies any further. I had fluid on my heart and lungs and was having difficulty breathing. At 27 weeks gestation on February 24, 2004, Elana, Grayson, and Emily were born by cesarean section at University Hospital. During the delivery, I lost a lot of blood due to the deep implantation of one of the placentas. I received many units of donated blood during the surgery and more blood and plasma in the Intensive Care Unit after delivery. Everyone was worried that I would not make it out of intensive care to see the babies that we had wanted for so long. After many, many prayers, I finally got off the ventilator and was able to see my children for the first time. They were 1 week old at that point.

At just over two pounds each, Elana, Grayson, and Emily had fights of their own after they were delivered. They each proved up to the challenge. They fought past heart and lung problems, infection, sickness, and surgeries. While fighting these battles, each of them received units of donated blood to keep them going. Four months after they were born, they were all home for the first time. They have had some ups and downs since then, but three years later they are three happy and healthy children. Seeing them in this photo makes it very hard to believe that they were every that small and fragile. What a blessing it will be to look at this portrait in our home and remember how far they have come and how much God has blessed our family. I have also included pictures of them from the NICU at University Hospital right after they were born. You can see from these how truly precious this new photo is to us now.

Lori has graciously allowed the Shepeard Community Blood Center in Augusta, GA, to use this photo in some of their literature. One blood donation can save up to 3 lives. We are living proof of that fact. We are so grateful for all those people who donated blood for us. Without their generosity, we would not be where we are today. Please donate blood regularly; it truly is the gift of life.