The NICU Rollercoaster: How to Set Up and Use an Online Blog to Help Survive the Ups, Downs, Agonies, and Joys of Your Baby’s Stay
Product Description
For Nicole and her husband, Edward, a seemingly healthy pregnancy took an unexpected turn and resulted in the birth of two profoundly, premature babies. Like so many parents of preemies, she and her husband were suddenly thrust into the unfamiliar, terrifying world of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The first time they saw their babies, they looked miniscule next to the tangle of life-sustaining tubes and beeping machines. Would their babies survive? This couple q… More >>
Categories: Books | 
Tags: Agonies, Baby's, Blog, Downs, Help, Joys, NICU, Online, Rollercoaster, Stay, Survive | 
5 Comments »
The NICU Rollercoaster is a story written by parents of 25 week old twin preemies. It is a collection of blogs written not only by the parents, but also the people who left inspirational and encouraging comments. It chronicles the lives of the twins and their parents from July 2006 until February 2007. I found the book to be both educational as well as inspirational, a true heart felt story of love, worry, fear, and hope. I would recommend this book for parents that have children in the NICU and also for friends and family of anyone who has given birth to a preemie. I believe that book is a great source of hope for families that have children in the NICU whose futures may be unclear. I personally could not put the book down, even as my eye-lids were closing on me. It is very “user friendly” and Nicole takes her time explaining medical terms that the common person may not know. The book certainly makes me have an appreciation for life and my “typical” birth and the months that followed. I cannot believe all that these children have endured in their short little lives and also how far they both have come. They are truly miracles.
Rating: 5 / 5
Written in a diary format this book takes you through the preemie ‘ride’; what’s happening with the babies and equally important, the parents. Nicole and Ed’s book opens a window into a world that is unfortunately all too real for some parents. They provide helpful advice how to deal with the issues that can be encountered as the parent and how others can help them.
Rating: 5 / 5
“The NICU Rollercoaster,” it sounds like an odd combination of words, it sounds wrong. This book is the story of Julia and Ronan, twins born at 25-weeks gestation, and their terrifying ride on the NICU rollercoaster. Written by their parents, in a daily blog form, it tells the story from their premature birth, through their long NICU stay, and then follows them through the first few months at home. It’s a practical guide to what to expect, what can go wrong, and how to cope. It’s a story that’s lovingly told, with clear (layman) explanations of all the medical issues that confront the family. Anyone who has given birth to a preemie, or knows someone who has, needs to read this book.
Gilda
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is an inspiration to all parents!! I have seen 3 different sets of friends with twins deliver extremely early and all seem to share similar medical experiences and feelings of isolation. It’s truly remarkable to see a parent take this difficult time and turn it into something positive and helpful to others in need. This book is a must read, especially for parents going through the dilemma of premature birth. It’s one of those things that very few people talk about but alot of people experience so clearly a book like this is absolutely necessary. Even though I have not personally gone through the NICU experience, it has helped me understand the medical ramifications, which in turn helped me to be a better friend and support system to the people in my life who needed me. I didn’t have to ask for reclarification on all the medical jargon having had this road map. It’s a terrific resource!
Rating: 5 / 5
“The Nicu Rollercoaster” is a book describing the journey of a pair of preterm (GA=25weeks) twins – Julia and Ronan- from birth till discharge. The title sums up the whole book – be prepared to immerse yourself in the exhilarating and sometimes agonizing experiences of the parents – Nicole and Ed -and the twins ; the ups and downs of their twins’ course in the NICU is detailed in a chronological manner. Though written by non-medical people and primarily aimed at other parents with babies in NICU, it is a good read for NICU personnel also as it gives an insight into the minds of the parents of the babies that we treat.
The book written in the style of a diary starts off with the circumstances surrounding the birth of the twins and then details in a chronological manner the various events which happen during the course of the twins in the NICU. The book is written in the first person narrative style and brings us close to the lives of the authors and for a short period we enter the minds of these parents – feeling happy when they do, feeling sad, hoping, and praying. Other than sharing their experiences the authors also have included a wealth of information which may be helpful to parents with babies in the nicu. These include issues like managing the finances, leave of absence from work, and home care of the discharged nicu graduate.
The book is written in layman language and is easy to comprehend. This engaging book is a must read for parents with babies in NICU. This enriching and enlightening tale of endurance of the twins and their parents is a great source of strength and solace.
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This review is written by Dr Habib Alam Raza, for the 99nicu community (www.99nicu.org)
Rating: 5 / 5