{"product_id":"preemie-isbn-9781578264230","title":"Preemie","description":"\u003cb\u003eA mother’s moving and honest memoir about the premature birth of her daughter—and the strength and grace that can be found in the midst of life's greatest challenges\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In her early thirties, Kasey Mathews had it all: a loving husband, a beautiful two-year-old son, and a second baby on the way. But what seemed a perfect life was shattered when she went into labor four months early, delivering her one-pound, eleven-ounce daughter, Andie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The first time Kasey was wheeled into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), nothing prepared her for what she saw: a tiny, fragile baby in a tangle of tubes and wires. All at once, Kasey was confronted with a new and terrifying reality that would test the limits of love, family, and motherhood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In this riveting, honest, and often humorous memoir, \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e chronicles the journey of one tiny baby’s tenacious struggle to hold on to life and the mother who ultimately grew with her. From hospital waiting rooms to the offices of alternative practitioners, from ski slopes to Symphony Hall, Kasey tries to make meaning of her daughter’s birth and eventually comes to learn that gifts come in all sizes and all forms, and sometimes... \u003ci\u003eright on time.\u003c\/i\u003e“In her enormously affecting memoir, Kasey Mathews writes with startling honesty about the emotional turmoil that engulfed her when her daughter Andie was born at 25 weeks, and the resulting guilt that followed Kasey for years thereafter. At its core, \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a story about a mother emerging through her pain to find her strength and her voice—and ultimately finding herself in the process. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a tale that any mother going through personal challenges would find inspiring to read.” —\u003cb\u003eSue L. Hall, M.D.,\u003c\/b\u003e Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, Kansas and author of \u003ci\u003eFor the Love of Babies\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Just when you think you know nearly everything there is to know about what it feels like to be a human being, along comes a story that brings you to your knees and cracks your heart open just a bit more. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is just that type of story. Kasey Mathews tells deep, painful truths about what happens when a ‘perfect’ life is jolted by reality. So much more than an account of a birth plan gone awry, this lovely memoir is about letting go of assumptions, moving into the place that scares us most, and discovering that what we get in return for our surrender is nothing less than grace.” —\u003cb\u003eKatrina Kenison\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Gift of an Ordinary Day\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMitten Strings for God\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is an invaluable resource for families coping with the trauma of having a premature baby. Kasey Mathews elegantly and authentically describes her own preemie journey, becoming a best friend and mentor who has lived your experience and provides wisdom and tools that can help soothe and comfort you.” —\u003cb\u003eLibby Barnett, M.S.W.,\u003c\/b\u003e Reiki Master Teacher, author of \u003ci\u003eReiki Energy Medicine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a frank, funny, touching, and triumphant story that will resonate with anyone who has loved a runt of any species, and deeply move everyone who has ever loved a baby of any kind.” —\u003cb\u003eSy Montgomery\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Good, Good Pig and Birdology\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is an inspiring story of love and courage.” —\u003cb\u003ePeggy Huddleston\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003ePrepare for Surgery, Heal Faster\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a gripping tale of one mother’s indefatigable love in the face of crisis, one baby’s tenacious struggle to stay alive, and the dazzling light of self-exploration at the end of the tunnel. This tiny child will change the world.” —\u003cb\u003eSuzanne Kingsbury\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e The Gospel According to Gracey \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Kasey Mathews speaks her true story with a voice as authentic as a newborn’s cry. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e inspires us all to cherish and to share our own most harrowing adventures with humble courage.” —\u003cb\u003eNancy Mellon\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eBody Eloquence: The Power of Myth and Story to Awaken the Body’s Energies\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The emotional, physical, financial, and psychological impact of having a child born pre-term often blindsides parents. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e captures the essence of life as the parent of a preemie. Kasey Mathews speaks with raw honesty about the fear, challenges, and emotional toll of mothering a medically fragile child. The book beautifully chronicles the transformational power of living through one’s worst nightmare and coming out on the other side a fuller self. It is a must read for all parents of preemies and those who love them.” —\u003cb\u003eKelli Kelley\u003c\/b\u003e, mother of two preemies and Founder and Executive Director of Hand to Hold\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The gift of \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is Kasey Mathews’ ability to share her deepest feelings of fear, guilt, grief, anger, post-traumatic stress, humor, and joy. Her honesty with herself and others will be a wonderful companion for those who experience the challenging, life-changing experience of giving birth to a preemie. As Kasey deals with her raw emotions, she begins to ‘attune’ to the life force energy within herself and her daughter, Andie, and opens up to the wonderful healing energies all around her. With the unconditional love of her husband, Lee, and the protective love of big brother, Tucker, Kasey can step back and embrace her vision of her beautiful, healthy little girl. Love and light to this special family that will be a beacon of hope and empowerment to others.” —\u003cb\u003eJulie Hahn\u003c\/b\u003e, Chaplain and Reiki Coordinator, Brigham and Women’s Hospital \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “You don’t have to have had a preemie to love this book. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a beautiful and intriguing memoir of Kasey Mathews’ nightmarish experience bringing her daughter into the world. The writing is lovely, chronicling a journey none of us want to take, but one we know we would survive after reading Kasey’s inspiring tale.” —\u003cb\u003eBonnie Harris\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eWhen Your Kids Push Your Buttons \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Confident Parents, Remarkable Kids\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “The emotions this book has made surface are beyond words. It helped me release many things I was not aware I have been carrying. With many spiritual teachers in my life, I am adding Kasey Mathews to the list.” —\u003cb\u003eChick Wetherbee\u003c\/b\u003e, Owner of Earthward Natural Foods and Co-op\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e teaches us the importance of finding your voice and stepping into your own authority, especially in times of personal crisis. Little Andie, the book’s tiny heroine who boasts strength to spare, teaches us about persevering against all odds. Important lessons for us all!” —\u003cb\u003eTricia Rose Burt\u003c\/b\u003e, writer and frequent guest storyteller on The Moth: True Stories Told Live\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A book you won’t put down until you have read the very last word. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a beautifully written, moving account of a family’s journey with their extremely early born daughter Andie. As a professional working to improve the lives of infants and families in the NICU where they must spend their first weeks (and often months), Kasey Mathews has made me painfully aware of how far we must still go to do better by the parents and their infants in our care. This book will make an important difference in spurring us on to realize the enormity of the experience of having a pre-term born infant.” —\u003cb\u003eDr. Heidelise Als\u003c\/b\u003e, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Director of Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies at Children’s Hospital Boston\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Kasey Mathews writes with unflinching honesty about the shock and shame of mothering a child born four months prematurely. Kasey brings readers in close as she careens between hospitals, a household, and a marriage, gradually discovering her willingness to try almost anything to help her baby survive. With humor, heart, and humanity, we witness a woman and her family who grow in dimension, capacity, and wisdom along with Andie’s lungs, limbs, and life force. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e is a testament to what can happen when the rational mind cedes the notion of control and becomes open to alternatives...no matter how embarrassing they may once have seemed. Kasey Mathews’ voice as a writer is as deep with feeling and complexity as is her family’s story—both embracing the imperfect beauty, not of what happens to us, but what we choose to make of it. Through a series of small surrenders and forthright actions Kasey Mathews becomes the warrior you would want on your side.” —\u003cb\u003eVirginia Prescott\u003c\/b\u003e, host of Word of Mouth public radio show and podcast\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “After caring for many patients with their beloved children in the NICU, as well as suffering that same roller coaster ride with my own child, I can say that \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e provides the most important thing: hope.” \u003cb\u003e—Fletcher Wilson, M.D.\u003c\/b\u003e, Chief of OB\/GYN at Monadnock Community Hospital and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for Wide Horizons for Children\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Kasey Mathews’ authentic and boldly honest voice touched me deeply as a neonatal occupational therapist and mother. She taught me to never make assumptions about what our NICU parents are experiencing. \u003ci\u003ePreemie\u003c\/i\u003e unveils the silent trauma that comes with loving these fragile babies and the stunning joy that unfolds as they grow into strong (and often super determined) children.” —\u003cb\u003eSue Ludwig OTR\/L,\u003c\/b\u003e President and Founder of National Association of Neonatal Therapists\u003cb\u003eKasey Mathews\u003c\/b\u003e is a mother, a writer, and a student in the lessons of everyday life. She lives in southern New Hampshire with her husband, two children, and their English Mastiff, Meg. To learn more about Kasey and to read her blog, visit www.kaseymathews.com.","brand":"Hatherleigh Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304794673381,"sku":"NP9781578264230","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781578264230.jpg?v=1767735060","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/preemie-isbn-9781578264230","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}