VIEWPOINT: Donating to hospitals
By Jo Ann Flaig, 460th Medical Group
/ Published November 16, 2012
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- I donate almost every year through the Combined Federal Campaign to the Loma Linda University Hospital in California.
My reason?
My expected delivery date was mid-October 1990, but throughout the pregnancy I was sick, not gaining weight and eventually put on bed rest. I went into labor on July 4, 1990 and was transferred from March Air Force Base hospital to Loma Linda University where I was given medication and kept in bed in an inverted position, until July 7, 1990, when I went into full labor.
My son was born at 1:23 a.m., July 8, 1990 weighing 1 pound 12 ounces. After the initial exam they swept him off to the newborn intensive care unit, where he, my husband and I spent the next 76 days.
Our son had been born at 26 weeks gestation and given only a 10 percent chance of surviving at all, and a lower chance of being a normal child.
He was followed closely by Dr. Cha at LLU and after a year he was given a clean bill of health. He required no surgery and had no medical issues at all! The care our son received and the support we received as a family was beyond any expectation.
My son, 22 years old and very healthy, is now taller than I am! I support LLU Hospital because of the care and expertise that gave us a healthy baby.