Legacy Matters

The Youngest Great Legacy

William Albert Kenyon was born about 3 months prematurely, weighing slightly more than one pound last October.  His parents John and Mary Kenyon started a blog to tell the story of their very little boy, to understand better neonatal care and to educate people about pre-eclampsia, the pregnancy-induced hypertension that occurs in about 8% of all pregnancies. 

Sadly William died on January  22, 2005 after 3 months spent in neonatal care at the University of Iowa Hospital despite the expert and loving care of his medical team and the great, big love of his parents who said about their son.

Will was a strong fighter, fending off numerous challenges. He liked to hold his hands next to his face and chin. He was most comfortable lying on his tummy. He had a strong grip when offered a finger to hold. A parental hand cupping the top of his head kept him calm and comfortable. Sometimes he tapped his feet as if hearing music in his head. He was soothed listening to a lullaby CD and hearing his parents read stories, especially Goodnight Moon, Two Little Trains, and Jamberry.

What they have done is create a family legacy archive about young Will they will treasure forever, even if and I hope do, have many children.  Will's young life and his fighting spirit will affect others for many years to come because his parents transformed a tragedy to a great legacy by documenting his life, their feelings and  sharing with us all at  willkenyon.blogspot,com.

As with most things in my life, I made meticulous plans about how we would prepare for his arrival and what we'd do once he was here. I signed up for childbirth, parenting, and breastfeeding classes. I read all I could about cribs, car seats, and strollers. I planted tulips and daffodils that would come up just as we were ready to venture out after spending a few weeks inside getting used to each other.

Will's early arrival turned all my plans on end and forced me to focus on each single day. No planning. No long views. Just each day, each hour, sometimes each minute. I never had any idea what was coming next and had to brace myself for each new emotion as it washed over me. Joy. Pain. Fear. Anxiety. Impatience. Confusion. Triumph. Defeat. Love. Love. Love. Will gave me the gift of time. The only thing that mattered during those 12 weeks and four days was how many hours I could spend at his bedside before collapsing into sleep in my own bed back home.