Ericka's going to be in the news!

[TracyLanders]

Last night, I realized that I needed to get off the stick and contact some newspapers about the possibility of doing a story on CDH and Ericka. I emailed a local newspaper, The New Bedford Standard Times, and their features editor emailed me back today! She said she wants to do a story but it'll be about a couple of weeks because she has some stories already lined up that she needs to do first. WHAT GREAT TIMING! It'll probably be out about a month before Ericka's birthday. I am so excited! I can't wait to spread awareness, tell everybody about my baby, and possibly help another family who may soon get the same diagnosis. Imagine, if any of us had ever read about CDH in a newspaper before we were given the diagnosis, we would've been much more prepared, at least knowledge-wise.

As soon as the story comes out, or the interview is conducted, I'll post again, either/or. =)

[JenniferTenney]

That is awesome Tracy!!!!!!!! Good work! And Ericka will make the cutest subject ever!!!!

[KarlaHolt]

Awesome! I contacted our local paper last year for a CDH story when I had the PA picnic (12 families to talk to!) and heard nothing :(

Maybe I'll try again this year.

[Chris and TracyMeats]

That is so great Tracy! You will definitely have to post the link to the story when it is done!! That is wonderful they contacted you back.

[TracyLanders]

Karla, any plans yet for this year's picnic? Are only PA families invited?

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

WTG, Tracy!!!!!!! :)

[saragivent]

That is awesome tracy!!! I tried writing to our local paper and new station, as well as a Boston news paper when Mally was in the hospital, never heard back. But your success has sparked me to try try again! lol

[TracyLanders]

Which Boston paper did you try? I was looking into writing to the Herald, as well...after I see how this experience goes.

[saragivent]

I tried the boston globe, got no response. I was suprised to hear nothing from our local paper, since we are such a small community, there really isn't a lot of big news stories. Their office is actually located just a few miles away... maybe I'll just stop in with mally. Could anyone turn away a cute baby?? lol

[TracyLanders]

You could also try the Union Leader. I'm actually thinking of writing to the Democrat, the Lancaster area paper. I grew up in the next town over. Most of the people I knew growing up still live there so I thought it would be a pretty good idea..considering that after Ericka was born, there was a rumor going around that she was born with her intestines outside of her body. WTH?! I'd certainly like to the give them the CORRECT information.

[NicoleWheeler]

Tracy, you have to love rumors! Interesting though when I tell "outsiders" about CDH I often get "is that when the intestines are on the outside?" Seeing your post made me look it up that condition is called
Gastroschsis.

I hope we can see the article about her on line.

[JenniferTenney]

The baby next door to us in the NICU had Gastroschsis and I got really friendly with his parents because he was in there for a while too. He had a series of surgeries to slowly put back the intestines in and he recovered very well. He had no problems breathing, but he had problems with feeding and they had to introduce food very, very slowly. He went home a little before Dakota. It was very interesting what you learn in a NICU!

[micheles]

Tracy - looking forward to seeing the article! How exciting!

Yes, there was a baby in our NICU also with Gastroschsis who was only in the high level NICU for about 2 weeks and then was gone by 4 weeks. She seemed to recover very well from her series of surgeries. She certainly didn't look too good for a while there but seemed to recover pretty quickly. Especially compared to Andrew who was literally in critical condition for like 6 weeks straight!! Also kind of funny - one of my sister's friends had a baby born with this as well just before Andrew and her her baby recovered very quickly too. When Andrew was born with CDH, she thought it was something similar and told me how quickly Andrew would get better and that Gastroschsis was kind of a "sister" defect to CDH. This was before we knew too much about CDH. Well, we quickly found out she was TOTALLY wrong!

[TracyLanders]

You know what happens when people assume... HAHA. And yes, I'm sure the article will be online. If not, I'll be scanning it. =) I haven't heard back from the editor yet. I think if I don't hear from her by Monday I'll email her back, just to be sure she hasn't forgotten about us.

[TracyLanders]

Tomorrow, at 11am, I'll be meeting a reporter for the paper so she can interview me. I am SO EXCITED! The article should be running on Thursday, March 3rd. I'll keep you all posted as it progresses.

[GerryFreed]

We need to Grt the Word Out... GREAT NEWS !!

[GerryFreed]

Great News.. We Need to Get The Word Out on CDH

[micheles]

Awesome Tracy!

[TracyLanders]

The date of the article has been changed from March 3rd to March 17th-ABSOLUTELY PERFECT TIMING! =)

[Chris and TracyMeats]

Perfect timing to come out the day before her birthday!! Look forward to reading it!!