Great story about one of our members

[Scott Tichenor]

Received a report about one of our members worth sharing. Seems Craig Murray is a new father with quite an amazing story that appears on this web page (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1106304383370&call_pageid=970599119419). Congratulations to Craig and his family and our best wishes I'm sure everyone will want to extend.

[ronlane3]

I would like to add my congrats to the Murray family. Having gone through a similar, but not as bad case of having a premie baby last year, I wish them the best.

Good luck and I like the name.

[J. Mark Lane]

Hoooray!

One of our neighbors had their son at about that same point, and he's doing great. Congrats! Enjoy every milisecond of it. Nothing can compare.

And yeah, the name...excellent!

Mark

[grandmainger]

Nice story http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif and good job they didn't keep the in utero name ;)

Best wishes to the three of them !

[Lee]

Mom gave birth to me 6-weeks premature. Luckily, very healthy, but only 4lbs 6oz. After several weeks in a heated crib (but not an incubator), I was wrapped up and gently brought home to be greeted first by our very ancient Hungarian housekeeper lady from the Old Country. Mom gingerly but proudly unwrapped enough of me to give Margaret a peek. She looked down at me then said to Mom, "He's beautiful, but so tiny. He won't make it." I did, and very well. So will he.
Congratulations!!

[Ken Berner]

Neat that this story should emerge today; last night I attended a dinner for a Tanzanian who is now attending a Seminary here in the U.S. He is a delightful fellow, who was born prematurely, and blessed to be alive. You see, premies are eliminated in that country, as the expense to nurture them is so great. His name? GIVEN!

[mando bandage]

Craig and family,

Keep the faith; Pendleton will be fine. Our little guy spent the first 10 days of life in NICU. Now he's 11, almost as big as his mother, smarter than his dad, and better able to hear a mando in a deep mix.

FWIW, my mother used to teach in Mississippi and knew a kid who started life at a little over 2 lbs (40 years ago) and wound up playing the line for Ole Miss. With modern medical technology (especially Surfactant) Pendleton's got a big leg up on him.

Congratulations. Have fun gettin' the little guy home.

R

[jasona]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Still hoping for the best for you and Carrie Craig, and am liking your odds a lot!

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Carrie and Craig, our twin daughters were premature with complications. Today they are 14. Before you know it you'll be saying the same thing http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[craigmurray]

Thank you all so much for your well wishes. #Pen is doing well. #He has been in the NICU at Sick Kids in Toronto for a little over 2 weeks now. He is getting the very best of care. He is still getting a little help with his breathing, but is now recieving all of his nourishment from Mom's milk (fed through a tube). Carrie and I have been spending most of our time at his bed-side/incubator-side. #We are lucky enough to have some generous family in Toronto to stay with until Pen is transfered back to Peterborough. #Mom and I were able take a break from the hospital today and took in the Foggy Hogtown Boys show at the Dominion. It was a much needed break, and was very nice to hear some great music and talk mandolins again with Andrew Collins and Oliver Apitius (Mom liked the music, but I don't think she liked the mandolin talk as much as I did). I will attempt to post a picture of Pendleton with this post. #
Thanks again for all of your well wishes.
Craig, Carrie and Pendleton Murray

[PlayerOf8]

May God's richest blessings continue to fall on your family like rain.

PAX

George

[Milan Christi]

A great story to accompany a great person!! Congrats and good kharma headed your way!

[J. Mark Lane]

What a little angel! .... I can hear him talk, I can hear him sing....

Mark

[mando bandage]

Continuing prayers for Pen and his parents.

R

[PhilGE]

Craig, it's understood. Our daughter Alta was born at 2 lbs, 10 oz. and spent the first week and half in a NICU, then the next 3 weeks in a family care ward as she gained weight. She's 9 mo's old now and is doing well, Thank God.

Best,
Phil

[jasona]

What a little angel! .... I can hear him talk, I can hear him sing....
...and I think I can hear him taking daddy's Heiden out of its case! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Phil: glad to hear Alta came out of her last surgery well.

[mad dawg]

Congrats Craig, and my thoughts are with you and yours.

BTW, I think Pendleton is a great name, and I particularly enjoy the part about it being Gaelic for "the summit of the hill". It is a strong name with vision.

[twaaang]

Carrie and Craig, here's another happy-ending story for you. #My son Sam was a 26-week preemie (my wife Maureen had basically stood on her head for two weeks to postpone delivery, and allow some medication to help with maturation of tiny lungs). #I attended the c-section, and saw all 1 lb 14 oz of kid get delivered. #Naturally there was a long stint in the neonatal intensive care unit, and fortunately for us the Burlington Vermont NICU is absolutely tops. #What really put things into perspective for us is that Sammy, for all his issues then, was never the sickest kid in the unit. #Ours is a total success story: Sam is a bright high school junior, varsity ice hockey player, especially good at lacrosse, and starting to look around for colleges. #All his life I've told him "You're only small on the outside," and he's done the rest.

Life lets you get complacent, and sometimes you lose track of your blessings. #So I'm glad this thread showed up when I expected a few moments of browsing about mere mandolins, to remind me just how far in the plus-column things are for us. #Sending my good energy for Pen, and I hope there's a little complacency in store for you too. #-- #Paul

[Steve S.]

Our daughter was born at 26 weeks, 1.5 pounds. That was 21 years ago and I'm sure the technology was not what it is today. She was in nnic for three and a half months. Because of some cerebral bleeding we were told "not to expect too mcuh." 1500 college boards and now in her third year at Columbia. My wife and I thank God constantly.

[pickinNgrinnin]

Craig and Carrie-

Congratulations! Love the name!

[daikon]

Craig and Carrie:

FYI, when you get Pendleton home, you don't need to weigh the diapers everytime you change one.

I remember it taking a few days to adjust to post-NICU life.

Good luck!

Mike