Danya's Gift

Dedication Sunday!

2012-02-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Today is the day we as a Church dedicate this month as a special collection month. This is the stuff we've collected all year! As I kept pulling it out of the storage boxes I could't believe how much clothing we've collected so far! After looking through everything I'd like to focus our giving for the month. The NICU still has quite a bit of clothing from past graduates, as well as the nurses finding it on clearance, so I think with this gift they will be set. They have asked us to focus on the stranded family bags. For those we will need lots of non perishable items:

Chef Boyardee pasta cups
Vienna Sausage
Spam
Bottled Water
Cracker packs
Individually wrapped candies
Individually wrapped cookies
Tooth Paste
Travel size Qtips
Travel Laundry Soap
Starbucks Via Coffee packets
Or you could give cash via the paypal button at the side of this blog, or in person.

The other area we want to focus on is our gifts to the older keiki in the hospital. We are in need of a variety of party plates, cake size, in different characters for all ages of Keiki. Small puzzle books, or new toys they could play with in their bed. The simple travel type games, or cheep dolls (Barbie, Princess, Polly Pockets or baby style dolls) We could also use small finger nail polish, single use makeup samples or any other beauty product that would help a teen undergoing Chemo feel pretty.

John delivered an awesome message on compassion, click here to listen to his message.

I can't wait to share the fun of collecting with all of you. I know you all have the ability to amaze not only me but the hospital ladies as well. I can't wait!

February is Comming!

2012-01-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

For the past 2 years we have made our BIG drop off to the hospital in February. This year as a Church and program we are dedicating February as Danya's Gift Month! We'll be having a special Dedication service on February 5th! If you live on O'ahu please consider joining us. We're looking for connections. Anyone with a business connection that might be able to help us get any of these items please contact me! I'd love for this to be our biggest drop off yet!

The Stranded family bags are still the #1 need in the Hospital, there are soo many families brought over to us from the outerislands and need these bags in a bad way. Specific things we need for the stranded family bags:

>Small packaged foods like Vienna sausages, sardines, peanut butter and crackers, etc.
>Granola or "power" bars
>Hard candies
>Small servings of canned fruit or pudding
>Plastic zip lock bag
>Napkin and spoon
>Spam
>travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste
>soup with pull tab lid (or for the hospital the kind in the microwavable cup)
>Bottled Water
>Travel Sized qtips
>Mens individually wrapped Razors
>floss
>Starbucks Via Coffee packets

Preemie and Newborn clothing is how we started with Danya's gift and it's still an area of need. Any preemie and Newborn clothing items, hats, and socks.

PARTY SUPPLIES!
Any birthday party items. small unopened plates, napkins, cups, and party favors. Small bed safe toys and puzzle books.

Can you help us? We'd love for those of you readers who have connections to ask people and pass on our needs to others too. Let's make this February the best it's ever been.

Barbie NICU

2011-12-15T08:40:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I posted what we've been up to. Never fear we haven't given up on the NICU families. The Stranded family bags continue to be an amazing moment of peace for the families that are transported in a hurry. As some of you know I have started working closely with the March of Dimes NICU family support attending and helping with different events that they do. One of the things that always concerns the staff and families is how the siblings of the babies don't really understand what is happening with their baby. So pooling a bunch of Danya's Barbie toys, I was able to create a Barbie NICU where the siblings can interact with the "babies" and to open discussion between parents and the kids.

This desk and table was part of a vintage Barbie vet clinic. I changed out the cork board to something more NICU including some graduate photos.

Using some ziplock disposable containers I was able to cut out holes and make some isolettes.

There are also a couple of transition babies in cribs getting ready to head home. ;)

Or some cuties under warmers from the Barbie Baby doctor set.

I found the baby scale on ebay and instantly needed to have it.

As you can see it was a big hit at the Baby shower. The kids took it apart and played with it for quite a while. I was fun seeing them really excited about what their baby is doing.

In Desperate need

2011-06-11T00:45:00.000-07:00

We are going to release this article to the media to try and garner some more attention to our projects because the need is great. Those of you who give faithfully have been such a blessing. I just recieved word today that the hospital is down to 3 stranded family bags and none of them are girl themed. I am praying that we can get the word out this weekend and that people will choose to participate as we impact the lives of families in crisis.

'MOMS Club of Waipahu, Aiea, and Pearl City has a long history of giving back to their community. We are always seeking different ways to give back to our community. One of our Members began a project called Danya’s Gift in remembrance of the time her daughter spent in the NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at birth. Through that project we have an excellent relationship with the NICU at Kapi’olani Medical Center. In a cooperative effort we came up with a new idea. The Hawaiian Islands appear close on a map; but the only way to travel between islands is by plane. When a pregnancy is in danger, or a baby is born too early or with a birth defect, the emergency transport team at Oahu's Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women & Children is called into action. Parents feel terrified and alone at the prospect of sending their newborn baby on an emergency transport plane. If space if available, one family member is allowed to fly with the baby. When a mother has just given birth, it is not safe for her to fly. This leaves the dads to travel alone. Focused on the lives of their wife--who must be left behind, and their baby--whose life hangs in the balance; these dads will often go many hours with no food or rest. The Transported Family Bags fulfill a need---they provide these dads, who are learning to be a father under extraordinary circumstances, a little bit of comfort during that terrible first 24 hours. Rather than a throwaway bag we sewed little lunch sized totes to give the families some hope that someday their child will be able to use the adorable little bag, and then we fill the bag with the basics of survival for that first day. The bags contain things like water, instant coffee, soup, spam, toothbrush and paste, lotion, hard candies, laundry soap, shampoo and many more items. Each bag costs approximately $20 to make and fill, but the affects are priceless.
Since we dropped off the bags the March of Dimes NICU family support specialist reports that they have used nearly all of the bags that we were able to put together and they have a great need for more. Danya’s Gift has been working with the Hospital and MOMS Club to coordinate this project. For more information or to help us put more bags together please contact us. All donations are Tax Deductable, and every donation no matter the size helps, Please consider helping us to meet the needs of these families in crisis. Thank you for your interest in our projects."

Come to our Egg Hunt

2011-04-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

O'ahu families, please think about joining us for our 3rd annual Easter Egg Hunt. It's at the perfect time to wait for Easter Dinner with a bit of an egg hunt. We are hopeing that some of our guests will think about donating to Danya's Gift as well. We just got word from the hospital that they are using the stranded family bags very fast. I've started making more bags but we need to fill them. They are an amazing way that we give special care to the families here on O'ahu.

Things we need:

Small packaged foods like Vienna sausages, sardines, peanut butter and crackers, etc.

Granola or "power" bars

Clean socks

Hand lotion

Hard candies

Small servings of canned fruit or pudding

Plastic zip lock bag

Dry washcloth

Small soap

Napkin and spoon

Spam

travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste

soup with pull tab lid (or for the hospital the kind in the microwavable cup)

Bottled Water

Please consider giving to Danya's Gift this Easter season.

Drop off Day

2011-03-05T00:17:00.003-08:00

Nearly 4 years ago John and I welcomed Danya into our lives, it was a tough start, but it was that tough start that inspired us to give back when ever we can. On our own we could never do very much. Some days just making sure that the bills are paid and there is enough left over to buy groceries is a challenge, but God always seem to show up when life looks the roughest. Our first couple of Drop offs for Danya's gift were nothing special just a quick in and out to drop it off and maybe tell a little of our story. Those days are long gone, as we now have a very good relationship with the hospital. Infact when our contact in the NICU retired before one of our drop offs we met Auntie Robyn who is amazing. She is a part of the office that handles gifts to the hospital, but the gifts she usually handles are large corporate or estate donations. Ever since our first drop off with her she makes a special time in her day to come around with us and coordinate all the different areas of the hospital we now donate to.

Danya is old enough now that she is actually quite a little helper when it comes to drop off. We always seem to forget that we don't have a wagon until a day or so before drop off. Once again this year our friends let us borrow their wagon. Our boxes were a bit big for it though and so I had to walk behind to hold them so they wouldn't fall off until we made the first drop off.

Going in. Working with Robyn has one very nice perk. If you've ever tried to park anywhere in Hawaii and get a toddler out of a car seat you will truely know how nice this perk is. See we have been allowed to park in the physicians lot while we do the drop off. Doctors are always in a hurry and so that they don't slam doors into each other the spots are wider than the ones in the hospital parking ramp. It's a very nice perk complete with the attendant who held the door open for us.

See what I mean by the wagon isn't quite big enough. I think before next year we might have to invest in a wagon without seats or one with seats that hide so that there is better transport space.

Every year Danya greets the fish.

And she always remembers this vanity and tea service. She loves it and while Momma was busy talking to the patient care ladies Danya served tea for herself . Our first drop off point was in the play room. This is a room where patients can come and check out toys or play if they are not on tons of machines.

This is the place where we drop off all of the party supplies. These 2 big boxes are the party supplies and small bedside gifts that we were able to bring by this year.

Then it was off to give a special gift to a little girl just Danya's age. Every year I ask them to find a little girl just Danya's age and have her pick out something special for that little girl. This year it was a Fancy Nancy book and Dress that Momma made as well as a lunch tote and a princess balloon. I'm always worried that she will not want to give it to the girl, but she was awesome even telling the little girl her name and saying to her "please, feel better, okay?" And since drop off day was after her adenoids surgery everyone understood her.

After we met up with that little girl there was one place that Danya wanted to be sure and see and that was the babies. We went and took a quick look. There was only one baby, but Danya was so intrigued.

Then it was off to where Danya's gift began. The NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit. This year we brought a few different things for them as well. One thing we brought were little lunch totes filled with snacks and essentials for Dads or other family members who come with a transfered baby, like from one of the outerislands or even farther away in the pacific, and they get to the hospital in the middle of the night with nothing because they were not planing on being relocated to O'ahu with thier baby.

I made lots of these bags and the Mom's Club helped us fill them. Together we made a total of 20 bags! If you want to know what was in them Check out this post over on the Danya's Gift blog. IF you didn't get a chance to help out you can also always visit my etsy store and purchase a lunch tote for yourself and sponsor one for the Stranded parents as well, if you don't have keiki (kids) then you can always request a custom bag for yourself rather than one that is more kid friendly.

Then it was on to the really cute stuff. All the little outfits you guys sent are always a hit. I only had a few that I made this year. There was just so much sewing on my plate, but there were plenty of little hats both knit and sewn. Gammi even learned that you can knit on the airplane.

Danya decided to show just how big she had gotten. She tried and tried to get this little hat on.

Of course we got to meet a couple of nurses too. It was a busy morning int he NICU, which is not a very good thing, but because of that we didn't get to see some of the people we knew.

Three generations of women giving back. I learned about giving from my mom, she is extremely generous and at Christmas I remember going to the store and choosing something for a kid who didn't have any money and then putting it in the toys for tots box. I hope that some day Danya will look back at all of this and say it was the start of her learning how to give back.

Another Project

2011-01-24T01:06:00.000-08:00

This one was born out of a project for our Mom's Club. We were planning to put together homeless bags to give to the homeless that we see along our way on the island, but what we discovered is that with HPD cracking down on camping illegally we weren't seeing many homeless. So our March of Dimes NICU Support contact came up with an even more exciting prospect. We would donate the bags to the NICU to be given to families who are transfered to O'ahu with their newborn, but were unprepared to do so. Many families are brought to our NICU from the "outer" Hawaiian islands as well as American Somoa and other Pacific islands. Often times it's the dad who is airlifted with the baby and they were not planning on even staying at the local hospital all night and now here they are transfered to another island. So these little care packages will take care of some basic needs.

I've set up a way for you to help and still get something great. The little tote bags that are a part of the care package are just a brainstorm idea that I had. Those first few days in the NICU I carried a little bag with me to and from the NICU with things we wanted to have with. It was sturdy so it didn't tear if moved quickly, but also it could hold the mountain of paperwork that we recieved.

These little totes will also serve that purpose for the famillies. Please check out my etsy store for an easy way to sponsor a bag and get one for yourself.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mommaloha

If you would rather not accumulate anymore stuff at your house each care package costs $15 to put together. Please consider using the donate button on the right side of the blog.

2011-01-13T16:27:00.001-08:00

Think February!

2011-01-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there are things that happen that you don't expect. In a couple of weeks Danya heads back to the hospital for an outpatient surgery. It's just something simple, but Gammi from Minnesota will be coming to visit. Gammi has been one of our failthful supporters since the begining, so not only will Gammi's visit help me to have some extra sewing time before drop off, but I would love for her to be a part of the drop off. That means that the drop off will happen some time in the week before Valentines day.

Another thing that I didn't really expect last month was a donation from Walmart. I sent out letters to all the major retailers in Hawaii to try and get some community funds, for most they sent me letters that said there were just too many requests, but Walmart gave us a $50 donation. So once we know what we are in need of we'll be making a shopping trip to Walmart to pick up the rest.

Please see the list below for how you can help. We'd love to answer any questions you have as well. Feel free to contact Pastor Laura at danyasgift@gmail.com

The time is coming!

2010-11-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

Once again we will be collecting many items to help out our local Children's hospital Kapi'olani. There are 3 ways you can help. I'm sending out lots of fancy new cards to try and make this the biggest collection yet.

First, we are in need of Preemie and Newborn clothing, both brand new and gently used. Sleepers especially, those with snap closures, are the best. If you love to sew there is also a pattern for a preemie sleep sack that takes all of about 10 minutes to sew but sewing on the snaps takes a little more time and we'd love to have you help make some of those as well.

Second, the Party boxes are in desperate shape. There is not much left in any of them so we can pretty much begin again. Themed party plates (unopened) an party favors, small toys that a child could play with in their bed, art projects or make-up samples or small sized items. Anything for a child aged 1 year through 18. It's a bit tricky for the older kids but I'm sure you are all creative enough to make it work.

Third, cash. If you want to give but you just don't know how or what to send please use the paypal donate button on this site to give a cash donation and we will use it to fill in any gaps as drop off day approaches.

Remember that any donations are tax deductable so if you want to squeeze a final gift into this calendar year please do. Danya's gift is something that really makes a difference in the lives of these famililes, and I want it to continue to grow and please tell others about what we do. It's been a wonderful adventure and I can't wait to see how we can bless the hospital this year.

Etsy Store

2010-09-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

I now have an etsy store where I sell all the stuff I make. Sewing has always been my therapy and I love it, but when I ran out of purposes to sew I would get really out of sorts, so I decided to do all the fun sewing I love so much and make a little money for me and a little money for Danya's gift. It is my commitment to donate at least 5% of every sale to Danya's gift. Please stop by and see if you need anything that will also benefit the sick Keiki on O'ahu.

Cards, cards, and more cards!

2010-09-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

Our contact and friend in the NICU asked us to make some cards for the nurses to use to mark milestones and become special keepsakes for the families. Like a card for the first feeding, or just growing and meeting those pound milestones. So we teamed up with MOMS club WPA to make lots of cards for them.

As of this moment we have made 139 cards! It's been a fun way to work and play together, plus we get to use up those extra baby scrapbook supplies we didn't need taking up space in our paper piles. We hope that some of the families recieving the cards will visit our site and perhaps choose to join one of our projects. We just love to be able to help and give back to the hospital, but mostly to the families who really need a little encouragement, as we well know.

Drop off Day

2010-06-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes even when you try to be early like I always do, things have a way of getting in your way. There is always traffic on the H1 but on drop off day it didn't lighten- up like it usually does. It was bumper to bumper almos the whole way to the hospital. Yikes! But then after we got to Kapiolani the adventure and fun began.

We don't own a wagon so we improvised using our bike trailer. The good part is that with the tall sides of the trailer the boxes didn't tip over. It was quite a stack! We got inside and after much appologizing about being late, we dropped off the Celebration boxes first. The ladies in the patient services play room were so excited to get the boxes. They've been using more generic plates than anything real kid, and they were so glad to be able to personalize it a little bit. They don't have a budget for these kinds of extras and they were so grateful for it. Danya had so much fun too. Our contact at the hospital even took us to look through the glass at the babies, which Danya is just in awe of since coming home from Minnesota and meeting her cousins. It's was an adventure. Then we met with the head nurse from the NICU to drop off all the little outfits that were made and bought. We also brought them the digital scrapbooked name cards for the warmers. The nurses are so grateful for these little things. Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most to families and the staff. Very soon I will be posting the pattern for the little sleep sacks I made for the teeny NICU babies, The nurses were thrilled with them as they are perfect for sick little ones. I still have about 6 sitting in my sewing basket that need snaps sewn on and then they will make a special trip to the hospital. It's been such a blessing to these families that you all are willing to donate and bless them in this way. It might seem small and insignificant, but it's often the littlest things that ignite the most hope. Thank You all for your support and help in making this Gift a success.

Drop off Date

2010-05-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

We've set a drop off date of next Tuesday the 25th. We are still in need of some items to finish up the birthday boxes, please visit the photo site and see what you can give, or if you want please donate using our paypal button on the right side of this page so that I can run and finish off the boxes. Every little bit helps. Thank You all so much!

Looking for a little inspiration

2010-05-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

So you might be wondering what is really needed or what we have so far. Well follow this link and see photos of everything we have so far, and gain inspiration for what you can add to the donation.
http://valerafamilyalbums.shutterfly.com/danyasgift

Another Box Arrived!

2010-05-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

We received another box from a friend of mine, Krysia, who is a Mary Kay consultant. These makeup samples are perfect for these kids, as they can do a mini make over for their celebration and not share germs and what not with others. Krysia even gave some special samples, gift certificates and other fun items for the Mom, Auntie, or Tutu who needs a little encouragement in the process! I'm so excited. Thank You it's perfect!

More donations have arrived!

2010-04-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

There is not much more satisfying than knowing that what you are doing is catching on and being embraced by others. A big thank you to Annemarie and Lola Maylene for your gifts toward the Celebration boxes. They are getting very full. I think it's time to pick up a few more boxes and fill them too.
Today the mailman came and much to my delight he brought a box. This box was full to the brim with gently used preemie and newborn sleepers and onesies. Which is always a blessing but the best and most amazing part is that this box was from another NICU graduate and his family. A NICU graduate who recieved one of the sleepers you all so generously donated. Thank you Jayden! We're so glad to meet you and we're excited that you are growing soo fast! Congratulations!

Celebration Box Update

2010-04-12T00:13:00.003-07:00

A big thank you to Wendy, Amy, and Lori! Because of their generous donations and some things I've found cheap we are getting closer to having completed our boxes. These are the items we are still looking for:

"Cars" hats

toddler friendly animal toys or zoo themed items

fingernail polish

We also have a box of misc. party items and decorations, mixed with a grab bag of gifts for the kids. There is still time to get in on the giving. I'm waiting for a box from the mainland that has a bunch of Mary Kay samples for our "Day at the spa" box for older girls.

Here is an overview of the box themes we have right now.
>> for toddlers: it's a gender neutral Animal / Zoo box
>> For younger girls: A Princess box
>> for younger boys: A Cars box
>> for older girls: "a day at the spa" box
>> for older boys: A sports box

Please feel free to add things to any of the box ideas or like I said before if you want to do one of your own please do! I'm still waiting on that mainland box so like I said it might not be until closer to the end of the month that I drop it all off.

Easter Collection For Kapiolani

2010-03-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting Danya's Gift site. We are once again collecting for a donation to the sick children and babies of Kapiolani Hospital. There are several ways to give.

First to the babies:
We are collecting Sleepers, Onesies, socks, and hats in the preemie or newborn size. There are also several patterns along the right side of the site if you want to sew something special. For more information click here.

Now for all the rest of the keiki:
The hospital tries to throw a party for birthdays and other celebratory moments like the last chemo treatment. Because it's hard to make sure that every child gets a personalized party we are putting together party boxes. To find out guidelines and needs click here.

We are grateful for every gift you are able to share with us. Sometime when your child is ill these are the little things that mean soo much.

Project Celebration Boxes!

2010-03-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

As I have been reorganizing around the house I was trying to find a place to store the party decorations from Danya's birthday party. What do you do with these things?! When we went to drop off Danya's gift last fall, we talked to a patient rep who said that they often throw parties for the kids for their birthdays and for final Chemo and many other moments that deserve something special. So I started thinking and I wrote an email to the representative to find out what their needs were. She said that often they can't give the kids a real personalized party because they don't have a lot of options on hand. Upon reading her e-mail I really felt like God was confirming and encouraging me to mobilize the troops and do this thing. Our MOPS group started brainstorming ideas today. Our plan is to take plastic shoe boxes and put together themed party items so that when they need to throw a party they will take the items they need and then put the decorations and such back in and us it for the next one. We'll laminate banners and such so that they can be cleaned and used over and over again.

There are some No Nos to keep in mind.

NO LATEX

NOTHING EDIBLE

ALL NAPKINS AND PLATES MUST BE NEW AND SEALED (small plates only please)

Ideas of what to put in the boxes:

Bubbles

Party Blowers

Plastic Clapping hands

Banners

Cars

Hats

Paper Streamers

Crafty items

Table Cloth

Stickers

These are the themes we are going to start with, If you want to put together a whole box choose your own theme and go ahead!

* Princess Box

* Thomas

* Sesame Street

* Music Theme

* A day at the Spa

* Animals / Zoo Theme

* Super Heros (any and all)

* Cheetah Girls / Hannah Montana

The Snap-N-Style dolls I mentioned before will be going in with this gift. Can't wait to see what we can do when we work together!

Photos I promised

2010-01-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Okay so a long time ago I promised some of the photos from our drop off a few months ago. Well here they are. It was quite a morning, you can read more about it here. Thanks to Mark (at least I think that is how he spells it) who works over at Kapiolani for taking these photos.

Here we are outside of the NICU doors waiting for the head nurse to come and welcome us in. Danya was being a bit shy, but she really did do pretty well.

Here we are posing with a couple of the nurses in the NICU with all the stuff piled in the wagon.

Today I ran to Walmart during Danya's nap, and just because it had AC and I was alone (John was home) I decided to wonder through the clearance toys (Christmas leftovers). I spotted a purple box and I knew right away that it was the snap n style dolls that we love. If you remember we brought one to a very sick little girl on the day of our drop off. The hospital staff member who was with us loved it too because it could be cleaned up so easily. So naturally I needed to see how much they were clearanced for, because if you know Walmart clearance like I do they are very rarely really clearanced, usually like 20% but they were 70% off, only 5.98 a doll.

Since I didn't have Danya with and I could wait in lines I went to the customer service center to talk about if they could donate them, never hurts to ask right? Well the manager who handles that, as you can imagine is a M-F employee so I decided to just buy them and see if anyone else would like to join me in this gift to sick toddlers, and kids. As you can see we've added a donate button on the side of our blog, and that money will go directly to Danya's gift project, or if you can spare even a dollar and just mail it that is great too. The store only had 8 and I took them all. I can't wait to give this small gift to the kids at the hospital.

Hello!

2009-09-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

We are so glad that you took the time to find out more about the gift we've given you. My daughter spent 12 days in the NICU when she was born. She was full term but had severe birth depression, her blood wouldn't clot, her kidneys quit, her liver gave up, she swelled up with fluids. It was a harrowing adventure, to read more about Danya's gift and to read the online journal I kept click here. I remember knowing that the day Danya got her first sleeper was the day she stepped onto the path toward full health. It was an amazing moment that I wanted to share with all of you. So on Danya's first birthday I commemorated it with a small donation, for her 2nd birthday it was more than 7 times the amount! Only God knows how big the next will become. If any of you would like to share your story to inspire others please contact me, using the link on the right. I would love to hear from you.

Bringing the Gift to the Hospital

2009-09-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

Today was our drop off day!
We met up with our new hospital contact and walked to the NICU. Memories of going every day to visit Danya flooded back as we washed our hands. It was about 6 days ago that we mark 2 years since we brought her home. So today as we brought our gift I reflect on the journey we've taken to get here.

Over the past 3 months onesies, sleepers, and other newborn and preemie outfits have trickled in from around the country and state. At first my whole goal was more than last year, then God directed us to think bigger and we set our 150 goal that was broken! Yay we recieved 168, more items came in this week. Yesterday I washed and prepared everything even though it will all be washed again by the hospital, I wanted it all prepared.
The hardest part was sorting the sizes out again. Wait I take that back.
Folding socks is the hardest part. Those are some seriously small socks.
All the boxes and bags prepared with our new logo.
Tied up with a bow, so it looks more like a gift. I got a little wrapped up in the drop off so I failed to take a photo before we dropped off the NICU stuff, the hospital had a photographer with us for their newsletter so perhaps we can get a copy of the full wagon.
Here Danya is waiting until we got the name of a little girl who she could give her special toy to. This is the toy we brought along with the Elmo Balloon. The Patient services rep found us a little girl who is just a little younger than Danya and we gave her the doll. She lit up when she saw the gift and balloon. I am so glad that we were able to brighten her day. These are perfect for the hospital because they can be washed sooo easily.

It was a great morning. It struck me that parents could be checking this blog to find out more by this afternoon. I hope that they feel blessed by all that you all have done. Thank you, to all our generous donors.

Drop Off Day Aproaches...

2009-09-21T01:42:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday is the new drop off date. The contact we were working with retired, so our original drop off date had to be changed. God is bigger than all of that though. We are so excited to drop off all of these items you so generously gave. Tonight I was missing my sister as I tried my hand at creating a logo so that the families could remember us and come to this blog and find out more about the journey the clothes took before they were given to their child. I am not an artist. I knew my sister would do this for me, and you may see her more polished logo eventually, but for now it's a work in progress.

I've also made it a blog button, so that you can add it to the sidebar of your blog and let other people know what we are doing. Just paste the code from the box on the right into an HTML/Java script gadget in your layout designer. It will look like this:

Then when anyone clicks on it they will come right here. This year we have been very blessed and I really feel like God is calling us to be a gift to the families of the NICU and Special Care nurseries all year round. Please check back often to see what we are up to next.

Nothing is To Big for God!

2009-09-14T02:15:00.001-07:00

Tonight was our BBQ and Dedication time. (For those of you not from Hawaii often times the party is held in the garage, so yes this is the Laundry area of my garage. No worries though all of the clothes are being washed before they go to the hospital, who will in turn wash them again before they go on the babies.) We had a great time talking with our friends and neighbors, and sharing what we are doing and why. They have all been so generous and have become Family over the past 2 years. They also took the time to write notes of encouragement to the NICU families that will be given to the parents who receive our gift. If you want to add a comment with a note of encouragement I will put it in a card for you too. After Danya was tucked into bed and all the clean up done I counted what we had received. I still thought perhaps we were going to be short of the goal. I knew that God had really lead me to choose this goal so I thought if we are not there then more will be in the post office box tomorrow. So I counted..... 57 preemie and micro preemie outfits.....70 newborn outfits.....34 hats and pairs of socks... add that up..... carry the one......... 161! One hundred and sixty one items for the babies of the Kapiolani NICU. Last year we received 20, this year God stretched our vision and we received 161! I feel like typing it a few more times. 161! 161! 161! I still have a couple hats waiting to be finished on my sewing table and there are still some items that people said they would send that they haven't, but that doesn't change the fact that we exceeded our goal.

Our contact at the hospital retired and I didn't find out until late last week, so now I'm waiting to set up a time with one of the other March of Dimes representatives in the hospital, plus Danya and I have a slight cold so we want to be healthy enough to see her Dr. when we drop it off. God is SOOOOO Good!

Closer and closer!

2009-09-09T00:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Grandma and one of my mom's co-workers!

We are at 63%! We have 94 outfits and there are several people who have promised more before next week. I am so excited! It's just such a blessing to have you all joining us as we prepare to give this gift to the families.

Danya participated today in her own way too. We were at the store using her birthday money to buy her a bike, when we saw a toy clearance aisle. We walked down the aisle and we found one of Danya's favorite toys. Fisher-price's snap-n-style babies, they are great. I call them beginner Barbies because the clothes just snap on and off. The babies don't even have "real" hair, so they are perfect for more sterile environments. So Danya choose one and we will be bringing that to the PICU as a special gift for a sick toddler. I'm hoping that they will be able to connect us with a little girl about Danya's age to give it to. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision today to do this.

Many Thanks

2009-08-31T23:41:00.000-07:00

This week I've gotten several drop offs, thank you all sooo much. At the end of last week I thought I was crazy for even thinking that the goal was reachable, now I have hope. We will make it! I've also gotten e-mails and calls from some of you that there are more on the way. My excitement is building; as of tonight we have outgrown the small rubbermaid boxes I bought!

Faith in Action

2009-08-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was reading Danya her bedtime story we read the story of the widows oil. 1 Kings 4:1-7. Naturally we were reading from her kids Bible, but the truth still hit me. The widow was told by Elisha to gather empty jars from her neighbors and then once they were gathered to go inside and shut the door and pour oil from your own jar into these jars and sell them. What struck me was that she only had one chance. If she gathered just a few jars she wouldn't have been able pay her debts. But I have to believe she felt a little odd following the directions, thinking no way is this going to work. I know a little of her feeling. When I began this year my one goal was to beat last year's number. Now we have, but I still wish we could give soo much more.
This is what we have so far:
23 Newborn Onesies and Sleepers
15 Pair of newborn socks and booties
2 Preemie sleepers
3 Preemie Onesies
10 Micro preemie outfits (Wow didn't realize I had made that many)

Bringing our total up to 53 items. Yay! so now I am increasing our goal. I would love to see us get 150 items. That would far outgrow the containers I have purchased too. I feel very convicted that I didn't set my sights higher. I want to triple what we have.

For those of you in Hawaii, please mark your calendar. We will be having a BBQ and prayer service at our house on September 13th. It is grandparents day and since grandparents are the most giving people I know, we will be celebrating them while dedicating the gift. More details will be coming soon.

Our First Box Arrived!

2009-08-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Our first box arrived from some of my family on the mainland. Soooo cute! I am getting so excited for delivering them to the hospital. I've been busy sewing and thought I would share some photos of the things I am making. I've linked patterns to these from the side bar. We are collecting store bought newborn and preemie outfits but there is a large group of NICU babies that are just soo small that those are not practical. The other great thing is that they are just soo cute.

Danya's First Sleeper

2009-08-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

I was going through a box and found all of Danya's hospital bracelets and this photo taken by one of her nurses. This was the first day that they put her in clothes. They thought she looked so cute even they took photos of her for us. This is why we are collecting these sleepers. It is amazing to see your child transform from a naked and sick baby to an adorable cuddly baby. I've posted some links to sewing patterns if anyone else is feeling ambitious. I've made a few of the teeny onesies and I am hoping to find more ribbed knit to make some more. The fabric stores around here don't have much for knits, but I am determined.

To borrow the Mastercard commercial saying that has been re-used by so many people...
a stay in the NICU = $ (you don't want to know)
Preemie Sleeper = $ 7
Newborn hat = $ 8 for 3
shipping to Hawaii = $5-10
A parent seeing their baby all dressed and ready to be snuggled = PRICELESS!

What is Danya's Gift

2009-07-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

When Danya was in the NICU it was so hard to see her laying in her warming bed without any clothes on, while at home she had a closet full of clothes. We knew the moment she turned a corner toward healing and health. That moment came when we arrived for our daily visit and Danya was wearing a sleeper. She was so cute all dressed up and looked so ready to be snuggled, which I was more than ready to do. For Danya's first birthday I decided to collect sleepers and hats so that other moms could have that same joy. We wanted to pass on the gift we were given.

This year after meeting with the representative of the NICU we have decided to do it again this year, we are also collecting some other items as well.

Last year we collected 20 sleepers and a few little hats. I learned some of the benefits of the gift we gave last year. For some of the parents it is hard to allow themselves to bond with their baby because when they are so little and connected to what seems like hundreds of cords they really don't seem like a baby, but when the nurses are able to put a sleeper on the baby it changes the perspective a little and parents find it very comforting. Their baby no longer looks like a patient but they now look like the baby they've been waiting for. So thank you again for the gifts you gave last year. This year we are hoping to collect even more. Here is a list of items we are collecting this year:

Sleepers -preferably with snaps so that the monitor cords can come out. Justborn, newborn, and preemie sizes
Booties- or newborn socks perhaps with a fun design.
Hats- simple newborn hats
Onesies - If you can sew and want to sew up some teeny onesies let me know and I will get you a pattern. Otherwise newborn or preemie onesies from the store.
Headbands - Just a little something to make the adorable little girls look even more adorable.

Remember the NICU is a very sterile environment so a little color is a wonderful thing. I am so excited to share Jesus with these families in this way. If you want to include a little note of encouragement or a drawing by your kids for the baby who will be getting your gift please do. We want these families to feel the love of others near and far wrapped in these gifts.
Please consider helping us give an amazing gift to the mothers of the Kapiolani NICU this year.

Her First Year Video Slideshow

2009-07-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

Danya's NICU Story (as journaled online at the time)

2009-07-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share Danya's story just as I felt it at the time. It's a big part of why I want to continue to bless the NICU at Kapiolani. It's so hard to think of that day so I thought sharing it exactly as I did at the time would be better than trying to sugar coat it or simplify it.
A look back at September 5, 2007
I started early labor last Wednesday. At first it was painless and just annoying. We made one trip to L&D and we got sent home. Then after it switched to painful back labor on Monday morning, and continuing on Tuesday until they were about 5 min apart on Tuesday evening. John and I "enjoyed" dinner before we went in to the hospital. Then at about 9pm we arrived at the hospital with contractions about 5 min apart and still only 3 cm dialated at 80% effaced. We walked around the floor for a half hour having contractions every 3 min. Then at next check nothing had changed. They said we had 2 choices go home or try pitocin. I was done with the back and forth so I opted for the pit. At about 12 pm they started the pitocin. John and I decided to sneak in a nap. I couldn’t sleep as the contractions became more powerful. By 1:30 they stepped me up to the next level because the contractions were not even in length yet. By 3 am I couldn't stand it any more. I was moaning and even making some rather loud yells as my lower back throbbed and pulled with each contraction. I wanted to be done. When I came out of the bathroom after 3 contractions at 2 min apart lasting a 90- sec each so virtually no break, I told John I couldn't do it anymore and I needed the epidural. He wasn't sure but saw the determination on my face. I got the Epidural at 3:30. By 3:45 it had kicked in and I was thinking I would get a little rest before pushing. I was at 7 cm fully effaced. John and I took some quick photos of the room and each other just to remember since we hadn't done that yet. Right here I should mention Baby was doing really well through all of this her heart rate was at 155 and maintaining with only slight differences for contractions. Then without warning at 4:30 baby's heart rate dropped to 28. So they moved me onto the other side it perked back up to 130 for a few moments then fell again. Another nurse came in and a Dr. came running. Not my DR but another one who happened to be waiting on another patient at the time. They tried moving me again only to find it do the same thing. They rolled me again and noticed that the amniotic sac was hanging out between my legs. They burst it and then put a scalp monitor on baby's head to try that. By this time I was complete. An emergency call was made to my OB and the infant crash unit was summoned to the floor. A neonatologist was summoned as well. As soon as they got me flipped back over onto my back and my feet in the stirrups they were going to deliver regardless. My Dr. ran in the door flew into her paper gown and got to the foot of my bed, cut an episiotomy so that they could just get baby out, then placed the vacuum on her head and said push. One push and baby girl was out. She squeeked once but didn't cry. She was rushed over to the warmer where the crash team took over. They intubated her and were giving her oxygen and trying to get a stable heart rate. For uncountable excruciating minutes we waited for a word on what was happening. The Dr. delivered the placenta and noticed a problem. It was white it shouldn't be white. The umbilical cord was also quite white and thin. It should be the size of your thumb, mine was the size of a pinky. It also looked like it had torn. As soon as Baby had a stable heart rate they rushed her to the nursery. The Dr. was stitching me up, while one of our nurses ran back and forth to get information. They told us she had lost a lot of blood and was in a coma like state. She would have to be transfered to the children's hospital immediatly. My OB and the nurses cleaned me up as fast as they could and got me into a wheelchair so that we could at least go see her. They wheeled me into the nursery. My baby was just laying there. There was no life in her eyes and she was so pale. When you touched her she didn't respond. They told us to get settled in our post-pardom room and they would bring her to us after they got her ready to be transfered. For the next 20 min we squished on the hospital bed together and prayed and cried. When they came in with her she was in a star-wars-esk box. She looked a little pinker but it was hard to tell anything else. One of the transfer team from Kapiolani children's hospital told us the first good news all morning. They had given her some saline solution to replace the blood she lost. Once they did that she perked up and moved a bit.

September 7, 2007
Over the past 30 hours our little girl has made a significant turnaround. Although she is still in the hospital she is now responding to touch, breathing mostly on her own, and her heart is maintaining with a little medicinal help. She has had some problems with her blood clotting, and has recieved 2 transfusions already. I was discharged a day early so that I could be with her. We went right from the hospital and got to spend time with her. She still has a ways to go. We have no estimation on a date she can come home, but we are encouraged by the progress she has made.

September 9, 2007
Each day brings new challenges and new triumphs. Danya has been taken off of the drugs that were helping to regulate her blood pressure. She is not in need of the breathing tubes but they are still in until tomorrow because she is scheduled for an MRI for which she must remain still. For the MRI they will sedate her. Her blood is still not clotting as fast as they would like but it is improving daily. She looks very healthy on the outside but she still has a couple hurdles to overcome. She must pee more. Her kidneys were severly affected durring the trauma and they are slow to begin functioning again. As a result she is a little puffy today. We are one of the few new parents that are praying for many dirty diapers. Thank you to everyone who is praying for little Danya. John and I are tired but that is to be expected as new parents. Going to the hospital has it's own challenges and stresses. The days seem entirely too short. We look forward to the day when we can bring her home.

September 10, 2007
Today has been a day of victories! Danya had an MRI scheduled for 11 am this morning. For the test they had to make sure she was immobile so they gave her some meds to keep her still. These made her quite lethargic for the rest of the day. In the midst of this great things happened. When John and I went to visit this afternoon we got a chance to talk to several of Danya's Drs. Dr. Ash who is currently the head neonatologist on the ward, and who saw Danya on her first day, talked to us about her progress. He is so happy with the progress she has made to this point. We learned through him that the MRI scan came back completely normal. Praise God! Following the MRI she had an EEG to test for seizure activity. The results of that test won't be known for a couple of days but they are hopeful as they haven't seen any outward signs of seizures. They also did an abdominal ultrasound to look at her kidneys and intestines as well as another look at her lungs and heart. (She had quite the crazy hair-do after all of those tests. See the photo) Also her puffyness is going down because she had several wet diapers today!

The Tubes!
Her breathing tube will be coming out as soon as she wakes up fully from the meds. The nurses are all excited for this milestone for several reasons. Feisty has been used several times to describe Danya's personality, especially where her tubes are concerned. She tends to try and pull them out. We are so excited to hear her cry. Tomorrow should be that day.

Pic Line
There is so much news today. Danya will also be switched from multiple IV's and other lines into her body to a single pic line. This line is like an IV. It will allow us to hold her and the Dr.s to give her any meds she needs. Standard IV lines on an infant don't flow well after a couple days but a pic line will last up to a month. We are praying she won't need it that long but we are still happy for the change.

September 11, 2007
Today at 1 am they removed Danya's breathing tube!! Today was a day of firsts for our little girl. She spent the day on a nasal canula to help her transition to being without any breathing help. The pressure on the nasal oxygen is at a very minimal rate. Also today she was fed some of the breastmilk I have been pumping. Only 5 cc's at each feeding time. Her poor stomach is slow to start working again, just as her kidneys are. Oh, her kidneys-- She is peeing. Her urine output is just about normal for her age so she's improving. The best part is we were able to hold our little girl today. She is still a little sleepy today because her kidneys are slow to clear the drugs they gave her for the MRI yesterday. She was trying to stay awake when we were visting with her. We also heard her cry for the first time. For as dramatic as her face looks as she cries, her cry is actually quite mousy.

Daddy's First time holding Danya
John was a little nervous at first holding Danya as he hasn't had a lot of experience with little babys but he got more and more comfortable as the evening went on. He was so precious.

September 12, 2007
This morning when I called the nurse who is caring for Danya I got great news. Her platelet count is up and they didn't give her any. That means that she is now producing her own platelets. Praise God for answered prayer! She was moved to a bassinet today but after an OT/PT consult and an Xray her body temperature had dropped to 96.5 and they decided to place her in an isolete. Doing so made it so that we couldn't just pick her up. I, Laura, did get to feed her a couple of bottles today. They were just 5cc of the precious breastmilk that I have been pumping. She took the bottles very well and even showed signs of hunger as the time for her next feeding came around. All of the Drs stopped and talked to me today. While they will still be watching Danya closely they agree that she is beyond the danger. She was moved this afternoon from the area of the NICU where the babies require a high level of monitoring to an area called the special care unit where the babies are more stable. This is a big step, Yet I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

September 13, 2007
Today Danya was moved out of intensive care. She was moved to the transition nursery. It is another part of the same room but the care is designed to transition the baby from the unit to home. We still have no timeline for coming home but this is a sign that we are getting close. Danya came off of the nasal cannula today! That means that she needs no assistance with her oxygen and breathing. Praise God!!! She was also upgraded in her eating. She now recieves 15 c.c.s every 3 hours. I know it doesn't sound like much but it is still a great step. She is taking it from a bottle instead of using the feeding tube! The best part of it is that today we tried breastfeeding for the first time. We were not successful, but it was only the first try. We will try again tomorrow.

Visitors
Today was a big day for visitors. Pastor Brian from Kings Cathedral, John's parent's Church, came to visit and pray for Danya. Pastor Lloyd also came and prayed for our little girl. Everyone including the nurses agree she is a beautiful baby.

September 14, 2007
Today Danya was upgraded back into the bassinet, and given permission to eat as much as she wants. She ate 35 ccs which is just a little over 1 ounce. It doesn't seem like much but she also tried breast feeding for a little while. We are praying that she will suck. She gets a good latch but then just waits for me to turn on the faucet. It doesn't work like that. I am meeting with the lactation consultant to hopefully help her and give me some ideas to help.

John and I had a chance to talk to one of the nurse practitioners tonight. Danya has 3 hurdles before she can go home. The first is her kidneys. Although she is now peeing a lot more her blood work still shows some problems with her kidneys. Her blood work is a 5 and it needs to be a 3. Then her liver, she has elevated billy rubin numbers causing her to look a bit jaundiced. Those need to be going down as they take quite a bit of time to normalize and they can be treated outpatient. Then the third hurdle is her weight. They want Danya to return to her birth weight. Once those have been met she can come home. So please pray.

September 17, 2007
So much has happened over the past 2 days. On Saturday we said Goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa Valera and Hello to Nana and Papa Gustafson. We also receieved some great news. Danya would be discharged on monday! So to work toward that the Hospital has a policy where they allow the parents to room in at the hospital with their baby to learn more about the baby's schedule before you go home. Last night I roomed in with Danya. John went home because my parents were in town and he had some things to finish before we brought Danya home. It was a long night. I suppose that is to be expected but the Dr's and nurses kept waking us up to measure and do other tests and such. I think I slept 4 hours all night long. Danya is a little strong willed and is taking her time at getting used to breast feeding. So I had to pump after each eating attempt. Danya takes a bottle very well but that was not the plan. We are being patient and working at it. Little at a time it is getting better.

The Dr.'s are amazed at Danya's recovery. She was in the Hospital 12 days. A very short time considering how very sick she was when she was born. She still needs some watching for her billierubin numbers. They are not where they should be but they are going down. Each day she looks a little less yellow. We have an appointment with our pediatrician right away tomorrow morning.