"For the Love of Rachel: A Father’s Story" by David Loewenstein PhD Wins Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Award in the Reader Views 2007 Annual Literary Awards

(Austin, Texas) "For the Love of Rachel: A Father’s Story" (ISBN 0979194342: Enalan Communications, September, 2007) was selected as the best Spiritual/ Inspirational Book as well as PR by the Book Award for the Best Nonfiction Book of the Year 2007 by Reader Views Annual Literary Awards.

Reader Views Annual Literary Awards were established to honor writers who self-published or had their books published by a small press, university press, or independent book publisher.

"Reader Views reviews more than 2,000 books per year from budding authors who have worked hard to achieve their dream of being published," Reader Views Managing Editor Irene Watson says. "Our Annual Literary Awards recognize the very best of these up-and-coming authors, all talented writers who we know have very promising writing careers ahead of them".

The Reader Views Annual Literary Awards are granted in 20 fiction and 30 nonfiction categories, as well as 15 specialized, sponsored categories. The entries are judged by Reader Views reviewers, all avid readers with a wide range of experiences, considered experts in the respective fields.

About "For the Love of Rachel: A Father’s Story"
David Loewenstein, PhD, successful in the field of Neuropsychology and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who with his wife Susan dreamed of having the perfect child. Dr. Loewenstein writes a powerful and gripping story of his daughter born 4 months early at only 18 ounces. Little Rachel was not expected to survive during her 9 months in the NICU but against all odds she persevered and amazingly overcame many multiple physical and developmental challenges in childhood. This is an amazing story of how this tiny miracle and her sister Amy adopted from China, transformed a couple, a family and a community.

For the Love of Rachel: A Father’s Story (ISBN 0979194342: Enalan Communications, September, 2007) may be purchased at www. enalan. com (Enter MOD 32 at Checkout to save $3 on the list price of the book. 50% of profits will donated to the March of Dimes in their efforts to prevent prematurity. The book is also available on Amazon.Com http://www.amazon.com/Love-Rachel-Fathers-Story/dp/0979194342 and other fine online bookstores.

It has been nearly 12 years since Rachel's birth at 510 grams, or about 18 ounces. Since then, considerable progress has been made in saving the tiniest babies, premature infants weighing 1,000 grams or less. In addition, improvements in early treatment have reduced the chances of significant disability. Early intervention is critical since follow-up studies on premature infants indicate that as a group, they are at greater risk for physical disability as well as different types of cognitive and learning deficits. Thanks to the efforts and dedication of countless clinicians and research investigators, the outlook for these tiny warriors have substantially improved. In addition to treatments for infants born prematurely, there have also been increased efforts at developing effective interventions to reduce the risk of prematurity itself.

Unfortunately, despite all of our technological advances, it has been impossible to create an environment for the premature infant that even approaches those nurturing and protective conditions within the womb. Infants born with less than 20 weeks gestation still have little realistic chance of survival. Premature babies are still at much greater risk for cerebral palsy, chronic respiratory problems, cardiac abnormalities, vision and hearing loss and failure to thrice (from both a physical and a cognitive perspective) relative to their full-term counterparts. This is particularly true of those micro-premies born at 1,000 grams or less.

I have heard some people who question the social and economic costs associated with saving our tiniest babies. They put forth the argument that many sick children were never meant to survive. If one were to strictly adhere to this line of reasoning then society's efforts to help people who have sustained neurological conditions such as stroke or closed head injury could be equally assailed. Millions of persons with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, renal disease or congestive heart failure have been able to add years to their lives and quality to their years. Why should our precious children, if there is a chance of viability, not have a similar opportunity?

In the United States, we spend billions of dollars for cosmetic surgery and pills to enhance our sexual performance and rarely consider that far more money is spent to look and feel good than to eradicate prematurity or develop more effective treatments for too many of our children born too early or full-term with life threatening illnesses. I only have to look into my daughter Rachel's eyes to know the value of the work that neonatology professionals and organizations such as the March of Dimes provide to our communities...

David Loewenstein PhD is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami School of Medicine and Author of "For the Love of Rachel: A Father's Story" 

In honor of Prematurity Awareness, one half of all profits on book sales of For the Love of Rachel: A Father's Story will be contributed to the March of Dimes by the Publisher Enalan Communications www.enalan.com when bought online at the publisher's website as described below.

To insure that the March of Dimes receives the appropriate contribution, please enter MOD32 just before checkout on the publisher's secure website www.enalan.com. The copy will be signed by the author and all Share members will receive $3.00 off the list price of the book.

Dr. Loewenstein can be reached at dloewenstein@att.net

For whatever reason our Preemie.info website seems to have attracted hackers from Turkey who has nothing better to do with their lives.

THE world's most premature living baby will remain under medical observation a few days longer as a precaution, a hospital spokeswoman said after US doctors reversed an initial decision to release the tiny girl today!!!

See a slide show.

She is going home! See story and video!

Sa'Niyah Taylor was born November,8,2006 @ 3:21am she was 1lb 10oz she was small but with alot of hair.Well me 17years old was scared didn't know anything about preemie babies. Sa'Niyah has been on the oscillator since the day she was born and she just finally made it 2lbs she have some rollercoaster rides some days and I can't wait till she come home!!

Share Your Story - Never know who you'll affect.

We want your story! People have been sharing their preemie story for man years around here and if you read the archives you will find scores of them.

We often have experiences that someone, somewhere in the world just needs to hear to get them through. What a way to help yourself and help someone else. Feel good about it.

1. Share your story - write it down. Nothing fancy, just in your own words. Include some pictures. Create a link to your pictures by using link button when you write your story or just tell us and we will do it for you.

2. Share your pictures - Nothing speaks like pictures do the? Register now and share them here.

"Ready Or Not, Here I Come" by Hannah Piretti Keator is a delightful picture book about a preemie.  Born two months early Charlie Magooaloo is early everywhere she goes.  Sometimes it works out well for her, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it even gets her in BIG trouble!  At the end she learns a funny little lesson.  The story is whimsical and illustrations clever, it's sure to bring a smile to the faces of little ones.  There's clinical information at the end of the story about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a special section where Charlie (in her own words) defines terms associated with preemies.  A great tool for parents to use with siblings to explain the mysteries and uncertainties of the NICU and preemies in general.  The author is a Mom of a preemie as well as a licensed independent clinical social worker in Massachusetts focusing on children and families.  If interested in ordering your own copy please contact Hannah Keator at Piretti14@aol.com.  Each hardcover book is $19.95 +tax and shipping and handling

As I reflect upon this holiday season my youngest daughter Amy age 7 is sitting on my lap teaching me how to make snowflakes with paper and scissors. My oldest daughter Rachel is glued to her computer screen, typing a story that she wants to read to the family. She wants to be a writer like Daddy.

It seems as if it was only yesterday that Susan and I first held Amy at 11 months for the very first time. The young woman from the Chinese orphanage placed this tiny creature in our arms. I will never forget Amy's big, brown serious eyes that softened and began to sparkle each day that she came to know us. Unfortunately, my wife and I did not see Rachel's eyes when she was born four months early at 18 ounces. Rachel was to spend her first 9 months in the critical care unit of the hospital where her case was considered by doctors to be hopeless.
 
Today, I am surrounded by two daughters who so improbably became part of our lives surrounded by boxes of holiday gifts. We hope that they will like their presents. However Susan and I realize that the greatest gifts that we can give our daughters are not material things but rather time, consistency, patience and encouragement.

The paths that lay ahead for our daughters are unclear. We can only hope to give them a solid foundation to help to instill values and to provide an education and tools that will serve them well. The rest is up to our daughters and to the universe.

We only have the present moment, there are no guarantees what tomorrow will bring. This holiday season, our family wishes you many precious moments of love, wonder, laughter and gratitude for the many blessings that we may too often take for granted…  

David, Susan, Rachel and Amy

David Loewenstein PhD is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami School of Medicine and author of For the Love of Rachel: A Father's Story by Enalan Communications. See  www.enalan.com  for videos and reviews. Also Available on Amazon.Com
 http://www.amazon.com/Love-Rachel-Fathers-Story/dp/0979194342

I am so proud and grateful to announce that my husband Dr. David Loewenstein, a fellow member Preemie.info has written a book about our 23 week old daughter who spent 9 months in the NICU to be published at the end of the month by Enalan entitled "For the Love of Rachel" http://www.enalan.com/ We are very hopeful that our story (with a forward by a prominent neonatologist) will raise public awareness about the problem of prematurity, the challenges faced by our precious children and the heroic families who care for them.
Susan (Mom of Rachel Age 11 and Amy Age 6)

Go to the blog!

ONE STOP PREEMIE SHOP!!!!

We have created a simple web site called the One Stop Preemie Shop. There are clothes, toys and books. Have browse and see what you think. The clothes are very good!

Submitted by Christina

ITS NOW BEEN 12 WEEKS AND CHRISTIAN AND RYDER ARE DOING REALLY GOOD. CHRISTIAN NOW WEIGHTS 5 POUNDS 8 OUNCES, HE WAS BORN AT 2 POUNDS 1 OUNCE. RYDER WHO WAS BORN 1 POUND 7 OUNCES NOW WEIGHTS 4 POUNDS 14 OUNCES. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME REALLY TOUGH TIMES WITH THESE BOYZ. RYDER WHO HAD A BRAIN BLEED OF A GRADE 4 IS DOING GREAT, HIS BRAIN TODAY LOOKS LIKE A NORMAL BABYS BRAIN, GOD HAS HEALED HIS BRAIN, IT IS TRUELY A MIRACLE. WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT RYDERS BRAIN BLEED WEEKS AGO AND I WAS TOLD HE MIGH NOT LIVE A NORMAL LIFE, MY HEART MELTED, AND I ASKED MYSELF WHAT DO I DO? AFTER SOME TIME I NEW I WOULD JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT IT AND DEAL WITH IT. THE BOYZ ARE STILL IN THE HOSPITAL AND SHOULD BE COMING HOME SOON, THEY ARE WORKING ON BOOTLE FEEDING THEM. MY MESSAGE TO ANYONE READING THIS IS TO HAVE HOPE AND FAITH BECAUSE MIRACLES DO HAPPEN. CHRIS

My daughter Brooke Heath was born at 23.2 weeks and weighed 450 grams or 15 & 7/8 oz (just under 1lb). She turned 3yrs old last week and is now a happy healthy little girl. She is having heart surgery in 2 days time to correct her PDA which didn't close at birth. At birth she had just about every problem possible, grade 4 IVH, grade 3 plus ROP and had laser eye surgery, chronic lung disease, septicemia, jaundice and heaps of other problems. She spent 5 months in NICU and came home on O2 for a couple of months. It has been a long hard road, but we have been very lucky with no long term problems - just lots of checks up and this last lot of surgery.
Kath